December 15th, 2016, the day recreational cannabis laws went into effect in Massachusetts - just 3 years after medical laws were passed. It wasn’t until nearly 2 years later that the first dispensary sale was made in November of 2018. With that being said, the legal cannabis scene in Massachusetts remains relatively young. As of the end of 2020, Massachusetts had just 32 total dispensaries in the state, while Colorado had 572, according to Statista. That means Massachuetts had about 5.5 percent of the total dispensaries Colorado had starting in 2021.
I visited 2 dispensaries in Boston, Berkshire Roots and Western Front. Among those two dispensaries, I picked up strains from 3 different grow teams that all used various breeders’ genetics. Both dispensaries had great staff that were willing to answer my questions, and also exhibited knowledge about their offered strains. The shopping experience itself was above average with consideration to other legal cannabis markets I’ve experienced.
Now for the strains themselves. The most interesting one I tried was the “Eran Almog” bred by Tikun Olam, and grown by Nature’s Heritage Cannabis. This breeder and strain aren’t available anywhere in Colorado (message me if I’m wrong), but the angle they portray on their website centers on crafting medical cannabis products so nobody has to be “powerless over their pain”. Tikun Olam loosely translates to “repair the world”. The strain is named after one of Tikun Olam’s patients from Israel, but the genetics/lineage have never been publicly revealed.
Blue Dream needs no introduction, but Garden Remedies did a respectable job on this batch of the classic, world-renowned strain. The flavor leaned into the blueberry sensation with less of the floral accents, while the effects uplift and inspire as expected.
OGKB (OG Kush Breath) from Berkshire Roots was the least favorite of my selections. The heavy effects commonly associated with this strain came in a little light for this batch. The flavor primarily tasted was woodiness with hints of raw sugar. There was a back and forth of bitter and sweet on the palate. I enjoyed shopping with this staff and dispensary, but I couldn’t really get behind the house flower on this occasion.
Overall, I’d put 2 of these 3 strains/cuts in my rotation if I had regular access to them. Of all the legal cannabis markets I’ve been in, I’d say Massachusetts is transitioning from a low-tier to mid-tier market. Number of shops was modest, but unlike some other midwest and east coast markets, you won’t be forced to break the bank every visit, and the culture seemed solid.
Tags for related posts
Brand: #TikunOlam #TikunOlamFlower #GardenRemedies #GardenRemediesFlower #BerkshireRoots #BerkshireRootsFlower
Characteristics: #EranAlmog #BlueDream #OGKB #Uplifting #Recreational
Genetics/Lineage: #OGKushBreath #OGKB #Blueberry #Haze
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