Name:  House Mixed Budder

From:  iVita Wellness (extraction by Top Shelf Extracts, who work out of iVita Wellness)

Type:  Butane hash extraction, in “budder” form

Price:  $45/g

Grade:  A-

Consumption Method:  Various methods, including TI vapor swing via bubbler, triple-screened glass pipe, and titanium nail via bong

Visual: (8.5/10)  This sample had the “lunar surface” look that we’ve seen from some Top Shelf Extracts products in the past, where the butane bubbles purging out leave behind perfect circular tunnels all over the surface.  The luminous yellow-gold color was immediately attractive, and upon closer inspection, there were no signs of any particulates or foreign matter.  Texture-wise, this one was simple to ‘slice’ with a dabber and stuck on the end of most implements rather easily, making it easier to apply than many flakier extracts.

Aroma: (6.75/10)  This sample had a somewhat pungent aroma, but it wasn’t all that enjoyable, smelling vaguely chemical and mostly just hashy.  We didn’t pick up any hints of any specific strain, and overall it was just okay — not our favorite aroma-wise.

Flavor: (7.25/10)  Our trend of not being terribly impressed with the flavor and aroma of mixed strain concentrates continues here, with the fairly indistinct flavor this one provided.  One reviewer picked up some almost minty, fresh notes — but otherwise, the staff didn’t really seem to enjoy it much and basically said it tasted “hashy”.  The smoke was expansive but smooth, only causing coughing on larger dabs.

Consumption:  This extract disappeared almost immediately on the nail and swing, flashing away within a second and leaving behind nothing visible.  In the triple-screened pipe, it bubbled with large golden-clear domes and eventually disappeared.

Effects:  Unlike many recent BHO samples we’ve come across, this one had more of an Indica effect, serving to knock us off our feet for the most part, as well as keep the mind a little slower and more distracted than usual.  A blast of pressure to the eyes and face started things off, but didn’t seem to last long, being overtaken by a buzzing warmth throughout the lower body and torso.  While it was clear-headed at times, we felt most content sitting passively and absorbing the world rather than engaging it much.  This one seemed most appropriate for a night spent at home relaxing, as it finished a little on the heavy side, making it easy to fall asleep after the main effects passed.

Duration:  2.5 hours medicinal-level potency, 3+ hours overall duration

Medicinal Traits:  (We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  Muscle relaxation, appetite stimulation, ocular effects, mental relaxation, anti-anxiety, and sleep aid

Overall:  This extract didn’t have the most pleasing flavor or smell, due largely in part to being made from a mix of strains rather than only one.  However, the effects that came from the mix seemed to fill the niche of rather sedative BHO, which seems increasingly rare on the market.  normally we get a very cerebral and heady experience, but this one had rather direct body effects and definitely kept us sitting and relaxed.  We loved the color and the lack of particulates we observed with this sample, and it showed all the signs of being well-purged and clean.  This isn’t our favorite product from Top Shelf Extracts, but it fills a needed niche medically and would earn a spot in the rotation for patients who require strong evening relief for muscle pain and (eventually) sleep.

Name:  Lemon Syn 70u Solventless Wax

From:  The Cherry Co. (also available at their sister shops Pearl Co and Tea Pot Lounge)

Type:  Water and ice extracted hash filtered by 70-micron screen, made from a blend of Cinderella 99 and a Florida cut of New York City Diesel

Price:  $40/gram

Grade:  A-

Consumption Method:  Various, titanium screen in glass pipe/bong/bubbler, and “dabbed” onto a titanium skillet via bubbler

Visual: (8.75/10)  This unique-looking hash sample lived up to its moniker of “wax”, looking more like candle wax than anything smokeable.  The matte texture of the medium-light brown coloration is unlike many of the other water hash samples we’ve gotten from Essential Extracts, which often have a shiny “shell”.  Upon close inspection, it was remarkably clean and free of particulates aside from a few random black dots spotted here and there in the photos.  It was easy to handle and not particularly delicate, but it was somewhat difficult to dab unless the implement is hot and melts into the hash a bit — a scooper works better than a poker.

Aroma: (9.25/10)  We were immediately taken with the aroma of this hash, which is among the best we’ve seen from the extraction company.  The pungent floral aroma had an extremely strong citrus element, bringing to mind grapefruits, lemons, and rosewater.  When broken apart or smashed between the fingers, it leaves a wonderful-smelling residue which is almost more pungent than the entire shop jar full of hash — simply put, this one smells incredible and is something to experience for hash-lovers.

Flavor: (8.25/10)  The aroma was particularly noteworthy in this case, and the flavor just didn’t quite live up to expectations, except when it was basically vaporized to a light degree.  A lighter held an inch away and a steady inhale will produce a wonderful flavor which mirrors the scent almost exactly.  The change in flavor that occurs when this hash is “dabbed” and allowed to sit on the skillet compared to a soft vaporization/bubble is unfortunate, as it appears that the latter part of the hit would override the initial flavor in the mouth.  We advise a ginger dabbing method with this one to get the best flavor — swirl it around and then pull out the black residue remaining before it actually burns.  We did some coughing on larger hits, with some residual throat-clearing to go along with it — but compared to some hash, it was very smooth (especially on a soft first hit, which is top-notch).

Consumption:  This hash bubbled readily when soft heat was applied, producing a lot of smaller bubbles and continuing to simmer and pulsate once the first flame was withdrawn.  The second hit on a screen wasn’t nearly as flavorful as the first, tasting more like the middle part of traditional hash, mostly smokey and expansive.  It also ceased to bubble after the initial hit, whereas we’ve seen some samples (from the same producer and others) which will manage to bubble again after a solid first hit.  It simply burned away like a coal for another 2-3 hits on average (for a small chunk).  On the skillet, it bubbles at first and then quickly turns black and begins to burn away, producing a woody and somewhat unpleasant-smelling smoke which hurts the overall flavor if consumed.  On the screen, a medium gray ash was left behind — on the skillet, the ash looked more black and was easily wiped away.

Effects:  This hash didn’t seem to come at full potency immediately, even when coughing a decent amount on the early hits — it was a gradual slide into medication which had our eyes and face feeling warm about 10 minutes after medicating.  The effects of this one are simultaneously relaxing and energizing, making the body feel fairly loose and slightly numb (solid pain relief) and overall had us sitting more than standing — yet, mentally we felt mostly clear-headed, with a few instances of wandering down a mental path and forgetting what was happening prior to that.  It seemed to encourage the patient to dabble in a variety of activities, not really focused enough on one at a time though, making it better for a fun day rather than a work day.  The smooth effects began to dwindle at 1 hour, then made a smooth decline from there with no residual effects other than some remaining ocular pressure/heaviness.

Duration:  1.5 – 2 hours medicinal-level potency, 2.5 – 3 hours overall duration

Medicinal Traits:  (We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  Moderate body relaxation and pain relief, strong ocular effects throughout, mental stimulation/internal energy/mood elevation, and some appetite stimulation.

Overall:  We LOVED the aroma of this one and place it with the absolute best hashish we’ve ever smelled, both because of its pungency and its uniqueness.  We also really liked the way this sample looked, especially in large amounts, as it didn’t even look like hash, and the opaque texture and coloration of it are different than many of the products produced by Nikka T and Co.  While the flavor was spectacular at times, the latter part of any bowl/dab was much tougher to get through — if you are one of those moneyed patients, taking the first hit and nothing else would be superb with this hash.  Despite any disappointment with the flavor, this hash is clearly high-quality and well-extracted — we just felt that the peak potency and overall duration weren’t quite up to par with some of the other EE/Cherry Co. solventless waxes we’ve tried.  We still definitely enjoyed this sample, and it provided a perfect versatile hybrid sort of effect with just enough body effects to pair with the mental energy.

Name:  Mixed Strain Indica/Sativa House Kief

From:  iVita Wellness

Type:  Kief, extracted from a variety of iVita Wellness’ in-house strains

Price:  $20/gram

Grade:  B

Consumption Method:  Small bong via titanium screen

Visual: (6/10)  Though there was certainly plenty of golden kief visible, we couldn’t get over how much visible plant matter was seen in this sample.  It’s possible that the product that it was extracted from was a bit too dry or that the screen size used was slightly too large, but it seemed that this kief was about 25% plant matter, which makes for a much less enjoyable smoking experience.  It clumped together a bit and was easy to scoop or pour out of the vial it came in, so it gains points for ease of use.  This was a case of the most important category (purity of extraction) was lacking, and not much could make up for it appearance-wise.

Aroma: (6.5/10)  The smell gleaned from this kief was pleasant enough, but it just wasn’t strong at all.  A softly vegetal smell mixed with hints of citrus was the primary aroma, a soft and dilluted version of what is often seen with butane extracts, which we normally call “trichome smell”.  Freshly-extracted kief with minimal plant matter will normally smell strongly of the strains from which it came, and this one just lacked the pungency, but some of that may also come from the mixed strain origins of this kief, which normally serves to muddle up the aroma and flavor overall.

Flavor: (6/10)  Much like the smell, it was a muted and slightly vegetal hashy taste, but the citrus notes were mostly overwhelmed by smoke taste.  The smoke itself was pleasant enough and not particularly harsh, but there just wasn’t much flavor here at all.

Consumption:  This kief lit up like a coal from the start, staying lit unless deprived of air, and burning heavily after a hit is taken.  Many people like to take a hit and have it go out so they can pace themselves — this sample just burned like crazy the entire time, making it difficult to take a break without wasting a good amount of smoke.  Perhaps it would be more economical spread throughout a joint or on top of a bowl, but we always test an extract on its own for the review’s sake.

Effects:  The actual effects were the area where this kief made up for its lacking “bag appeal” — this sample felt surprisingly strong from the start, though we did consume a fairly large amount (0.15 grams).  Felt almost immediately after the first hit, it created a strong pressure and warmth behind the eyes and face, which eventually moved to the sides of the head.  Mentally we felt rather sharp and clear-headed, and manual dexterity seemed unaffected (typing, etc. was smooth and easy).  Along with the mental effects, an odd almost “sloshy” feeling throughout the body made it feel as if the buzzing presence was splashing around inside our bodies when we moved — it was strange but pleasurable, and felt somewhat unique.  After about an hour, the effects converted from what felt like a rather Sativa-dominant one to an Indica-dominant one, with slightly dull, heavy eyes, and a nearly immobile body, which would stay put to a great extent, even in semi-uncomfortable positions.  Towards the end, we were ready for sleep and very relaxed, though the effects really dwindled in distinct potency around the 2 hour mark, with the heavy comedown taking over from there.

Duration:  1.5 – 2 hours medicinal-level potency, overall duration 3+ hours

Medicinal Traits:  (We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  Body relaxation, mental relaxation, anti-anxiety, appetite stimulation, and sleep aid.

Overall:  While we weren’t exactly excited to get into this kief initially, it rewarded us with a solid medicinal package of effects that took us a bit by surprise.  With a moderately large dosage, we feel that this kief felt much like very high-quality buds, though the mixed nature served to muddy the experience up a bit, making it hard to pinpoint whether it leaned more Sativa or Indica.  The hybrid mixed label played out as advertised, giving a variety of effects in both the body and head which served to uplift us at first, then drop us down into a very relaxed and sleep-ready state.  It’s not the cleanest kief extraction, and we weren’t crazy about the smoking experience (mainly the way it continued to burn feverishly), but the effects make this a worthy pick up for extract patients on a budget.

Name: House Wax

From: Alternative Wellness Center

Type: Butane extracted hash oil, whipped to a wax consistency, made from mixed in-house strains

Price: $40/gram

Grade: A-

Consumption Method:  Various methods – Vapor Swing via small bong, Eclipse Vape, and a glass paddle stem

Visual: (8/10)  Though we didn’t see any particulate really, the overall darker beige-brown color of this wax says that either the material wasn’t top-grade (not necessarily potency-wise, but often it means that the trim was a little old) or that the oil was purged at a higher temp, or longer than average.  Our expert thought that it was the latter, as the taste seemed to speak to good quality trim, and it did seem to have been very well-purged.  Up-close, it seemed to lighten up a bit in color, especially when broken into — some of the exterior color may have been due to slight oxidation as well.  The texture was a little sticky at times, and it began to melt into our fingers when handled for more than a few seconds at a time.  This wasn’t the prettiest color wax or the easiest to handle, but it seemed nicely pure and had a healthy luminous quality to it that we appreciated.

Aroma: (7.25/10)  A soft lemon-pine aroma with tinges of fuel was the main smell, but it was never all that pungent and fell short of many of the waxes and budders that we’ve seen lately.  However, the smell is much the same as the others, representing the aroma of what seems to be pure cannabinoids — we notice much the same smell in nearly all high-grade butane extracts, and even some of the most pure bubble hashes.

Flavor: (8.5/10)  We all enjoyed the clean smoking experience of this extract, as it caused minimal coughing and didn’t come with the constricted throat feeling that at times happens with butane extracts, especially when consumed via the Eclipse Vape.  The lemon-pine flavor again had hints of fuel, lingering on the lips and leaving the mouth feeling cool and mentholated after consumption.  The Vapor Swing skillet users noticed no sizzling whatsoever and appreciated how clean it smoked, while the Eclipse Vape user did notice a small amount of remaining plant particulate in the vial.

Consumption: Like most butane extractions, this one pooled into a light amber-colored liquid almost immediately when a flame passed over it, bubbling like mad in the Eclipse vial, or pooling for a millisecond and disappearing on the Vapor Swing.  No signs of residual butane or any sort of sizzling here — this was a clean extraction that was well-purged.

Effects: This wax hit hard early on, filling our heads with pressure and serving to sort of knock the legs out from under us, keeping us stuck on the couch despite an internal increase in energy and a major uptick in mental activity.  With our minds racing, the world seemed very much alive, with some visual and ocular distortions mixing with the flurry of mental activity.  The initial effects backed off at around 1 hour, and converted into a more productive but still mostly sedentary state where work projects and chores made the time fly by.  The effects really declined at about 2.5 hours, but continued to linger from there for up to 5 hours, depending upon dosage.  We got up off the couch at about 2 hours, feeling a bit more prone to movement, but mentally feeling mostly relaxed and thinking a lot less than before — the comedown was definitely relaxing, and had us in a sedate mental state that could lead to sleep.

Medicinal Traits: (We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  Mood elevation, anti-anxiety, some energy increase (mostly mental), appetite stimulation, relief of minor stomach discomfort, light pain relief, and muscle relaxation.

Duration: 2.5 hours medicinal-level potency, 3-5 hours overall duration (depends upon dosage)

Overall: After seeing the color of this wax, we were pleasantly surprised by the overall quality of flavor and smoking experience especially, as it was smooth and easier than many butane-extracted samples to actually consume.  We weren’t crazy about the texture overall, as it was a little difficult to work with at times due to the gooey and melty aspects, but that’s nothing to really fault it for.  It burned and tasted clean, leaving us with a package of alternating Sativa and Indica effects, but feeling mostly Sativa overall, in the ‘couchy but very mentally active’ way.  We felt that this would be a good mid to late day type of med, as it did have a downward trend towards the end, paving the way to sleep.  Primarily or its good duration and clean, tasty smoking experience, we give this wax a strong recommendation.

Name: G-13 Widow BHO Wax

From: Biocare

Type: Butane extracted hash oil, whipped to somewhere between a wax and budder consistency

Price: $22.50/half-gram, $50/gram

Grade: A-

Consumption Method:  Various methods including Essential Vape, TI skillet via bubbler, and custom Lear Oiler w/Crucible TI nail

Visual: (9/10)  The amazing spun gold color of this extract was the first thing that caught our collective eye.  According to our BHO expert, the only way to get this particular type of golden yellow color is to start with very high-quality source material, likely lower buds or very frosty trim.  That appears to be the case here, and this extract also seemed nicely pure when examined under the microscope, showing very little particulate.  The shiny, oily texture was surprisingly easy to handle manually and stuck to a dabber nicely — bonus points for ease-of-use.

Aroma: (8.75/10)  A fresh, cool, almost melon scent (like honeydew), but minus the sweetness that normally comes with it dominates the aroma package here.  But there is also an undertone of lemon-pine, which has come to represent the smell of essentially pure THC, as it’s common is many high-grade extracts.  This was a pungent-smelling sample, especially given the nature of the scent — very impressive.

Flavor: (8.25/10)  This extract had a pure flavor which had mostly the lemon-pine qualities and lost some of the eucalyptus-like notes which were present in the aroma.  It was pungent in its own way, with enough flavor to raise an eyebrow, but falling short of some of the strongest-tasting BHO samples we’ve had.

Consumption: In the Essential vial, this sample immediately melted to an amber-colored oil, which coated the vial and eventually disappeared, leaving behind only a glassy film with no traces of particulates.  On the skillet/nail, there was a little bit of sizzling at times, but it was minor and may have come from moisture rather than residual solvent.  The smoke was rather smooth overall, causing some coughing, but not much of the constrictive chest feeling or sustained coughing which comes with come extracts.  One reviewer actually reported some allergy relief and better breathing once he calmed down after the initial coughs.

Effects: This one came on strong and fast, like most BHO samples, but it never got to that overwhelming state that many often do.  We appreciated the finesse that this sample had, vacillating between Indica and Sativa effects throughout the duration, keeping us both mentally energized and clear, yet mostly immobile and highly relaxed body-wise.  It was a floaty experience and promoted a sense of well-being, staying rather strong through 2 hours, and trailing out from there.  We loved how it didn’t have any residual effects — the long comedown period left  us feeling both relaxed and mentally-energized, basically right back to where we were prior to medicating.

Duration: 2 – 2.5 hours medicinal-level potency, 3-4 hours overall duration

Overall: Surprisingly, this hash made for a solid daytime choice and was not a daywrecker as the strain it came from can often be.  It was smoother than average for extracts and seemed rather pure, retaining a very similar smell and flavor to the parent strain and displaying the outward signs of high-quality wax/budder.  Its easy-to-handle texture was a bonus in what was a well-composed package overall, which we felt would be great for a moderately busy day with sedentary work or perhaps an after-work unwinding session.  It didn’t knock us for a loop, and that was a good thing, but it was a slight level lower in peak potency than some of the best BHO we’ve seen, sticking it in the high A- area.