Pre-Rolls Investigated - Cove and Aurora
As a long time cannabis enthusiast, my favourite activity is having a smoke session and connecting with my surroundings. The ritual of grinding up cannabis, rolling it into a joint and consuming that joint (alone or with friends) feels like a sacred act and has deep layers and meaning in my life.
With that in mind, I wanted to see what the Cannabis companies are delivering in terms of pre-rolled joints at Launch. Since smoking a joint is such a sacred act, this is a big responsibility that these companies bear when delivering these products. The pre-roll product format is perfect for new smokers who might be intimidated to roll their own joint, elderly people, and anyone seeking the convenience of the pre-rolled format.
How is the packaging? Are the pre-rolled joints made from shake and shitty bud? Or are they made from hand ground and top quality potent cannabis buds? These are the questions I venture to answer.
Products:
Reflect Pre-Roll 1g, Cove
Available at the OCS for $12.35(1.0g).
1 x 1.0g Doobie
Sativa Pre-Roll Pack 1g, Aurora
Available at the OCS for $14.95(1.0g, 2x0.5g).
2 x 0.5g Joints
Cove, Reflect Strain(Hybrid)
This product came as a single 1 gram pre-roll. Per the product description page the Reflect strain is described as, ”an indoor-grown hybrid strain with very high THC potency. Its white and green buds are hand-trimmed and non-irradiated, and its aroma is earthy, woodsy, piney and peppery, thanks to the myrcene, alpha-pinene and beta-caryophyllene in its terpene profile.”
My Take:
1. I am not a fan of the packaging. The box and then semi-blister plack sleeve on the inside is not a good customer experience to me.
2. The doobie/joint was relatively well rolled(not too tight, and held its shape well).
3. The high was disappointing. I did not perform an autopsy to break the joint down and test the weed contained inside. In the future, I will test some Cove products to test their flower in more detail.
Blister Packaging Seen in Top Right of Image
Sharpie for Scale
Aurora, Aces Sativa - 2 Pre-Rolls (0.5g/each)
This product came with 2 pre-rolls that contain 0.5 grams in each unit. Per the product description page, “ Aurora sativa pre-rolls are produced in Alberta and Quebec with a finely milled blend specially crafted from whole buds. This hybrid-greenhouse-grown strain features high THC content and a myrcene-rich terpene profile.”
Blister Packing is pretty subpar
Analysis – Product Breakdown
I had to perform a procedure to get to the inside of the pre-roll joint, all in the name of science. Please note, I had the utmost respect for the sample. My observations are as follows:
When I opened the joint, it still had a relatively fresh and fragrant smell. The bud that was used looked ok, see pictures below. I did find a few small pieces of stem or stalk mixed in with the bud.
My Take:
1. Again similar to above, I am not a fan of the packaging. The box and then semi-blister pack sleeve on the inside is not a good customer experience to me.
2. The pre-roll burned well, but I was not to impressed with the high. Jury is still out….
Takeaways:
I ordered pre-rolls and it got me high, but I think this product form factor and product experience can still be very much improved.
I am very interested to see how this product category evolves.
In my mind, pre-rolls are an important category and based on current pricing are commanding a fairly steep price premium. Based on that, the Cannabis Licensed Producers need do better.
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