Strawnana

I was unfamiliar with the Iron Tree brand until recently, and I’m happy to say that I like how they do things.  Their slogan is “Smoke Loud. Live Free.”  That’s not just some corporate b.s. -- according to their website, a small proceed from every purchase goes to help fighting unjust cannabis convictions.  I love a company with a cause, and don’t mind throwing money behind a product that helps improve the community.

But the real question is still this -- is it good?

Appearance 5/5
My lips were smacking as soon as I removed this joint from its glass doob-tube.  This was a very long, full-figured cone that was packed full of flower.  Not only that, but it had been covered with a thick coating of kief that didn’t dust away like many other kief-covered joints do.  The construction seemed well-built and sturdy.  If there was a joint that could take down two people, this one certainly looked like it could do the job.

Aroma 5/5
Out of all the available flavors I had to choose from (and there were a lot -- Strawberry, Banana, Cotton Cloud, Grape, Pineapple, etc.), I chose the Strawnana flavor.  Mostly because it’s a flavor that I don’t normally see.

And the smell was right on the money, too.  Strawberry + banana = all right, all right, all right.  The aroma was strong without being sweet, and didn’t smell artificial - or like a bad milkshake.

Taste 5/5
This joint gave off a very mild flavor as I smoked it.  Once again, there was a natural-tasting sweetness that I really enjoyed, but the flavor wasn’t as pronounced as the aroma.

The smoke was even and smooth, but by the end it was starting to feel harsh.  The joint also smelled like cloves as I burned it down, which was very pleasant.

Effect 5/5
If this joint didn’t get me high at first, it definitely hung in there until it finished the job.  This joint burned (very evenly) for nearly thirty minutes while being passed back and forth between two people.  Talk about getting the most “bang for your buck.”

And by the end, we were definitely feeling stoned.  The treatment of this flower leaves little room for subtlety, which means that you’re going to get a full, Indica style high.  We felt a heady buzz, not to mention some slight tingling in our face muscles.  We also got a hardcore case of the munchies, which is just another common symptom of the Indica high.

This pre-rolled joint from Iron Tree came attached with some serious expectations, and I’m happy to report that it came through in every single way.  This was a seriously well-made pre-roll that came packed with great flower and coated in kief.  It burned well (and long), and I got really baked after smoking it.  This is how a kief-covered superjoint is supposed to treat you. Not all of them do, but this one is the real deal.

This Iron Tree pre-roll set me up, and my Roscoe’s meal knocked it out of the park.  But my meal was nearly overshadowed by the visit to LBC -- one of the coolest dispensaries in the city with great products.  Even if you’re not a chicken and waffle fan, this shop across from Roscoe’s is a definite “must visit.”  Feel free to consider the restaurant just another perk of the location.

Iron Tree Pre-Rolled Joint (Strawnana) - $16 per joint

Address:
5057 W. Pico Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90019
Phone: (323) 424-3908
Open: 10am - 10pm, 7 days a week

This visit to the LBC actually started with plans to visit another Los Angeles institution of good feelings -- Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles.

If you haven’t been yet, then you’re definitely missing out. This place serves up fried chicken and waffles the way that the universe intended. And as I was headed down to their Pico Blvd location the other day, I started to realize that the only thing that would make my meal better was if I picked up some great smoke beforehand.

That’s where LBC came in -- they’re located practically across the street.

This is one of the better dispensaries in the area. It’s a big space, and the vibe splits the difference between being a well-stocked depot for plant-based meds and a one-stop shop for good time ganja. You can definitely stop here for an informed conversation about medical marijuana, or you can roll through just looking for some good smoke.

I visited with the latter in mind, and I had a wide variety of flowers, edibles, vapes, waxes and pre-rolls to choose from. At this shop, most of their flowers come in 8ths, but they actually had plenty of plant grams available this time around. While that’s always attractive to me, I thought it was overkill for this outing.

Their edible selection is very choice. They’ve got a ton of options -- including Chill Chocolate bars, Korova cookies, Terra bites, THC mints, even a bunch of THC/CBD capsules. Not to mention the drink cooler full of THC-infused drinks. These looked great too, but edibles can be unpredictable, and I was already planning on having a giant, potentially nap-inducing meal that afternoon, and any sort of appetizer seemed like an ill-advised move.

So we moved on to their pre-roll selection. We saw a display of Iron Tree pre-rolled joints in one of the cases, and several jars of different varieties stocked on a shelf behind the counter. While they offer a few other joints, these from Iron Tree are their big offering.

“What are those all about?” I asked the budtender, referring to several shelves of pre-rolls behind the counter.

“These are pre-rolled joints from Iron Tree. They are covered in oil and kief, and they will take down two full grown men.”

“Sold!” I said.

And just like that, my afternoon was “made in the shade.”