90 points out of 100

Price: $50/eighth

New York’s legal cannabis rollout has been, let’s say, unique. The state has only licensed outdoor and greenhouse cultivators, so consumers are a bit more beholden to seasonal batches than states with year-round indoor cultivators. As such, don’t forget to always check your bud’s COA and harvest date!

Electraleaf, a producer of flower and prerolls with many High Times Cup wins in Oklahoma, harvested their Sour Belts (a Blue City Diesel x Girl Scout Cookies cross) in October. This is a pretty strain, and as pungent as she looks. The buds, green and prismatic, boasted great moisture and density, and bloomed with an aromatic mix of petrol and tart citrus, cut by a sweet earthiness and a touch of cream. The gas isn’t only in the nose—after just a few pulls my temples felt that familiar little pressure, and my body was lax, but not enough to deter me from physical activity or a deep conversation. An excellent, if slightly pricey, buy from the East Village’s Gotham NYC that proves the Empire State is getting a grip on its world of weed.

91 points out of 100

Price: $58/eighth

Southern California-based Khalifa Kush has developed another connoisseur classic with Khalifa Mints. They’ve brought the strain to other markets including Florida’s massive medical-only market. This strain, sampled at 30% THC from Trulieve in Jacksonville, FL is a cross of the original Khalifa Kush and The Menthol. It boasts a spicy, gassy, minty aroma with a subtle hint of grapefruit.

On a dry hit, Khalifa Mints delivers a surprisingly complex flavor that leads with citrus and diesel, followed quickly by caramel and black pepper undertones.

Khalifa Mints smokes smooth but hits hard; a relaxing yet uplifting high that’s quite cerebral but not racy. This would be a great date night strain, or an excellent fit for staying up late and unraveling the mysteries of the universe and the meaning of life.

98 points out of 100

Price: $60/eighth

People always ask us what’s our favorite type of weed. I’ll come clean here: We love crosses of OG Kush to Z. The OG improves Z’s density and potency, while the Z adds more layers of tropical fruit flavor to OG’s lemony, piney fuel. And I don’t know that anyone grows OZ Kush better for the rec market in 2024 than Brett ‘Wonderbrett‘ Feldman in LA.

Wonderbrett was an early believer in Dying Breed Seeds‘ OZ Kush. He bought and popped a bunch of packs, and found a keeper. His massive indoor facility has OZ Kush dialed. The nugs are ample, green, dense, a little spongy, and sandy with trichomes. The OZ Kush smell explodes from the jar, and gets even louder in a grinder, or in a dry hit from a joint. It carries over to the taste, with a hybrid effect that works morning, noon and night. It’s hard to improve from here. The only thing to work on is more bling.