As a longtime cannabis journalist, keeping up with the latest and greatest is no easy feat. So many pitches hit my inbox, endless jars end up in my hands, and countless press boxes land on my doorstep. And while it may be hard to stand out above the crowd, some items do pique my interest.
Here are six weed products I’m stoked to explore this weekend.
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Flower distributed by Redwood Roots
Even with my finger on the pulse of cannabis, some weed strains continue to elude me. I have been trying to get my hands on Blueberry Caviar from Ridgeline Farms ever since rapper and cannabis mogul Berner declared it the next big thing in late 2024. The two-time California Cannabis Awards Golden Bear winner finally landed in my bowl courtesy of distributor Redwood Roots, and I simply can’t wait to give it a smoke.
Another surprise was a jar of Big Sur Holy Weed from Budularo. I’ve been chasing this one for a hot minute, especially since my colleague Lester Black at SFGATE dug into the cultivar’s mysterious lineage. The big question now? Do I smoke it in my new Lavender Jones corncob pipe or my tried-and-true Volcano?
Birthday Cake vape from Rove
Rove Brands turns 10 this year, a major milestone in California’s notoriously volatile cannabis industry. To mark the occasion, Rove has an extra-special exclusive flavor hitting shelves: Birthday Cake.
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The limited-edition vape has notes of sweet vanilla and buttery cake, and some very special friends of the brand received it packaged with a commemorative vape battery and torch lighter. Your girl may or may not be among the lucky ones.
Joints from Garcia Hand Picked
Garcia Hand Picked, the cannabis brand co-founded by the late Jerry Garcia’s daughter Trixie, is back in California. Thanks to a partnership with Solful, Deadheads and non-Deadheads alike can enjoy fresh sungrown flower from a variety of Emerald Triangle farms.
I bumped into Eli Melrod, co-founder of Solful, at Outside Lands, and he recommended the Electric on the Eel pre-rolls from Alpenglow Farms as the perfect pairing for a night of music. And while I didn’t get a chance to light one up at the festival, my record collection is waiting patiently for a spin.
THC wine from Bloom & Barrel
I often take product recommendations with a grain of salt. But when noted cannabis beverage queen and certified connoisseur Rachel Burkons told me about Bloom & Barrel, I paid attention. The new brand out of Paso Robles, Calif., recently dropped two flagship varieties: Paso Red and Chardonnay. Each serving contains four milligrams of hemp-derived THC, an almost-microdose perfect for an edibles lightweight like me.
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I had a lot of fun with my last THC wine tasting and look forward to breaking these bottles out at a friend’s birthday party on Saturday.
Solventless hash gummies from Jaunty
Hash gummies hit different. Anyone who’s ever had a Space Gem can tell you that. So I’m always glad to hear when another full-spectrum edible hits the market.
New York brand Jaunty has a new line of solventless gummies, available in six tantalizing flavors and formulations. I got a sample of the Orange Swirl daytime gummy, which contains 10 milligrams each of THC and CBC. I also received the Dream Berry nighttime variety, with 10 milligrams each of THC and CBN. Included with the samples are some cozy branded slippers, perfect for my Sunday night wind-down.
Artisanal THC Agave Spirit from Senorita
Cannabis on the bar cart? Sign me up. When I learned about 1777, the “artisanal THC agave spirit” from weed drink giant Señorita, I knew I had to get a taste. Blended with blue Jalisco agave and Acapulco Gold terpenes, it’s practically begging to become an N/A spicy margarita.
The bottle showed up with two premium highball glasses, a fancy jigger, and a recipe book.
Between the flower, gummies, THC wine, and a cannabis-infused spicy marg, I suddenly have a very busy weekend ahead. Stay tuned to see how these new weed products hit.
