Move over green beer, and Guinness—there’s a new way to stay in tune this St. Patty’s Day.
According to Shape Magazine, Americans are purchasing cannabis in place of alcohol to celebrate major and minor holidays. In 2018, EAZE Insights, a delivery and consumer data company, found a 42% increase in delivery orders on St. Patrick’s Day. The trend persists as more consumers continue choosing the herb in place of alcohol to party.
Luckily, the industry is ripe with festive options. The folks at Azuca, and NUG have us covered with these on-theme St. Patty’s Day cannabis goodies—all of which come without a hangover.
A Potent Pot O’Gold
Azuca’s individually wrapped coins are made with 61% Valrhona chocolate, a French-style chocolate popular among bakers and chefs. As such, the artisan delicacies are great by themselves, or for cooking or baking. In fact, the company provides a list of recipes for its products online—like Irish Coffee Cake.
Azuca infuses each coin with 25mg of hemp—which is relatively high for an edible. However, I appreciate the higher dosage when it comes to non-psychoactive cannabinoids like CBD, CBN, etc.
All of the company’s products are lab tested for heavy metals, cannabinoid content, and more—a certificates of analysis (COA) for each of Azuca’s products is available online.
I popped one, plus a pinch of cinnamon and cream, in an espresso to create a mirco-dosed Mexican coffee. It was SO tasty! The slightly sweet, slightly bitter, creamy dark chocolate was the perfect compliment to a concentrated cuppa.
I felt the CBD’s effects within 5 minutes. It was potent, and calming. I was clearheaded—and ready to tackle my weekend to-do list. The effects lasted for roughly 2-3 hours, and helped ease any caffeine come-down.
For that reason, the coins make a great daily treat. But…at $30 per six-pack (150mg), and $56 for a 12-pack (300mg), I’ll save these for particularly slumpy mornings or afternoons.
Taste the Rainbow
Alas…NUG has graced us with an adult version of Otter Pops!
The company makes their line-up of flavors for more mature palates. They include: blackberry pineapple, raspberry pomegranate, salted caramel apple, prickly pear margarita, and watermelon lychee lemonade.
The pops are made with 10mg of 10mg, THC and CBD-rich distillate, fruit puree, and agave. The company infuses each with a nano-emulsion, which increases bioavailability and allows for a quicker onset.
Consumes can have NUG Pops frozen, unfrozen, or as a mock-tail mixer. I froze mine immediately, and enjoyed them with a group of friends. Raspberry pomegranate, and watermelon lemonade were favorites. Salted caramel apple, surprisingly, was the least favorite of the bunch as it was way too salty. All others, however, offered an impressively balanced, tangy yet saccharine flavor profile.
Onset is quick—it took roughly 10-15 minutes to feel effects, which were moderately heady, and subtly energizing.
Medicinal Matcha
NUG makes their green chocolate bars with ceremonial-grade matcha, which is suitable for traditional tea ceremonies.
The bar is infused with 100mg of CBD and THC-rich distillate. There are 16 single-serving squares; each has 6.25mg of CBD and THC. CW Analytical in Oakland tests all the company’s products—results of which are available on the packaging.
The bar smells just like it tastes—and I was not a fan of either. However, I was a fan of its effects.
The combination of white chocolate/matcha offered an almost fish-like aroma and flavor. The flavors seemed to compete with, instead of enhance, each other. But, it did offer an interesting, and layered palette. At first, the matcha is most evident, then the white chocolate, followed by a plant-like aftertaste.
I choked back a single 10mg square, and found the onset to be quick (15 min). It provided a mild, but balanced head and body high, suitable for mid-afternoons or evenings.
Because of the incredibly balanced effects, I desperately reached for the Matcha Chocolate bar a few days later after waking up with a debilitating migraine. This time, I choked back three squares (18.5mg).
Within 20 minutes—I. Was. High. My muscle tension was gone. The pounding in my head had faded. I felt relaxed enough to sleep, but I was no longer reeling in pain. Instead, I had the munchies, and the energy to make an entire meal from scratch.
Overall, it earns 4.4 out of 5 stars.
Stayed tuned to the Emerald for more review of NUG chocolate!
Products are chosen at the discretion of individual staff members and are not paid sponsorships.
Leave a Reply