Concentrates, in all of their many forms, are abundant and easy to find – but not all are equal. Fortunately for me, when I dropped in at Weedmaps headquarters last week, I was asked by an enthusiastic representative if I wanted to try, and perhaps review a brand of concentrates under the name of Essence.
Initially intrigued by the reps’ powerful buzz over the brand’s product, I was even more absorbed once I witnessed what we were dealing with; THCA diamonds and a terpene-rich sauce. Well-versed in your average high-end, or even run-of-the-mill waxes, shatters, cake badders, crumble, and other various forms of concentrates – I could see (and smell) this was going to be a special treat.
Valley Girl Sauce
Appearance: My batch of Valley Girl Sauce, appeared at first glance, to be diamonds in the rough that were suspended in honey. Angular, translucent, and bathed in an amber gravy, the THCA crystal was easily shaved as I mixed and match the terpene-rich batter with just the right amount of psychotropic cannabinoids – making for the perfect dab.
Dab: Slightly Sativa, these Valley Girl concentrates taste as good as they smell. Dabbed off my low-temp quartz bucket, and carb capped for greatest effect, Valley Girl Sauce was a citrus-centric delight. The dab, taken after the quartz bucket was brought to heat and cooled for 30 seconds (better flavor, less cough ), melted like butter in a glass dish on a hot day. Vaped, held, and ghosted, the high from that first dab lasted for hours.
Flavor: Essence Valley Girl Sauce is some first-class fire. Made from a hybridized cross of two OG heavyweights, SFV OG x Face Off OG, Valley Girl Sauce enjoys a seductive flavor profile that’s accentuated by its creamy citrus and pine-like zest.
The High: Inspiring, particularly for those trying to kick-start their weekend, Essence Valley Girl Sauce is not only relaxing but the high also activates the critical thinking process. The potent sauce soothes the aching body as it unlocks human resourcefulness and innovation. A great dab for the creatively inclined, this Valley Girl Sauce is a rising star in the world of high-quality concentrates.
Swamp Thing Diamond Sauce
Powerful and enduring, the elevated mindset instilled by Swamp Thing Diamond Sauce is immediate
Appearance: Crystallized like quartz, and encased in a puddle of golden trichome-infused terpenes, Swamp Thing Diamond Sauce appears to have also made the quantum leap forward in the evolutionary process of high-end extracts. Imagine a cluster of psychedelic, topaz-colored terpenes clinging to the side of a white THCA diamond, that’s pretty much what we’ve got here.
Dab: Rig readied, the dab of Swamp Thing Diamond Sauce liquefied and vaporized silently and smoothly in my quartz banger like a well-refined concentrate should. No sizzle, pop, or crackles, Swamp Thing’s dab embraced the essence of clean extracts.
Flavor: Powered by Swamp Thing, flavored by Diamond Sauce, the combination – Swamp Thing Diamond Sauce – smacks of sour earth, pine, and lavender. Cultivated and manufactured from a cross of Triangle Kush and Grandpas Breath, Swamp Thing Diamond Sauce has deep, genetic roots in South Africa and Afghanistan. With a historically powerful terpene profile, these semi-opaque ingots of THCA have a delicate and floral exhale.
The High: Powerful and enduring, the elevated mindset instilled by Swamp Thing Diamond Sauce takes over immediately and is nearly psychedelic. A balanced hybrid, Swamp Thing’s high begins with inspirational contemplation that soon gives way to the Indica side of its gene pool. Despite having roots on both sides of the genetic divide, Swamp Thing Diamond Sauce is a day ending dab that cleanses the spirit of any residual anxiety.
Hells OG x Ghost OG Diamond Sauce
Aficionados of modern concentrates are going to be infatuated with these THCA diamonds
Appearance: The diamonds in Hells OG x Ghost OG Diamond Sauce are comprised of asymmetrical and jagged THCA boulders that are covered in a caramel-colored goo of active terpenes. Stoney little gemstones that they are, these delicious extracts represent the future of dabbing in the 21st century.
Dab: Aficionados of modern concentrates are going to be infatuated with these THCA diamonds, and strain-specific terp sauce. Refind, clean, and powerful, the Hells OG x Ghost OG Diamond Sauce dissolved in my freshly cleaned bucket faster than the wicked witch of the West (“I’m melting”).
Flavor: The Hells OG x Ghost OG Diamond Sauce combines a sweet-and-sour citrus with the tangy taste pine. Complex and therapeutic, the flavor of these curative dabs enjoy a hint of floral undertones and a trace of sweet and satisfying lemon.
The High: Knocking out aggression with a quick dab to the head, Hells OG x Ghost OG Diamond Sauce delivers an indica-heavy punch to the cerebral cortex. Fiercely sedative, this Indica dominant concentrate is the perfect nightcap after a stressful day.
Available at California dispensaries, it could be a few years before these high-end concentrates end up at your local shop. But regardless of how long it takes, make no mistake about it, there is a true renaissance happening in the world of marijuana extraction.
Main photo courtesy of Essence on Instagram