Jon’s Stone-Cold Cop List #45: Vices (Miami and Otherwise)

The past few weeks have flown by. I know it hasn’t been a full month since the last one, but we’ve got a lot to talk about. We may be getting into the holiday season, but things don’t seem to be slowing down as much as in years past. That probably has to do with my schedule, but we’ll pretend it’s a worldwide problem.

Last week we (Jimi, Matt, Adam & I) were down in Miami for Terp Basel, and my long-awaited first Art Basel experience, which was everything I’d hoped it’d be. This past weekend was DesignerCon in LA, which was a little light in comparison to years past, but the Slick drop was what I went for – and thankfully scored, and I’m not complaining about my wallet not losing as much weight as it did last time. Because of all this I haven’t had a moment to catch my breath. It’s been an absolute marathon all year, but when it’s as filled with art as these past few I don’t have much to complain about. If you’re curious about what we saw, I’ve highlighted both the Scope and Basel shows on my IG stories, but what you should really do is just go next year. It was incredible, and worth all the traffic annoyance.

It’s also worth noting that we absolutely destroyed an AirBnB with Gel Blasters in the middle of the night while we were down in Florida. Those things are hella fun but I have no idea why they’d give them out at a weed event – especially in a stand your ground state. They know we’re about to act up with ‘em. We also had a fun run-in with som spray packs – which admittedly smelled way more appealing than I imagined they would. Shit was NOT smoking though – because you know we had to try it, for science. I don’t think any of us got past the first round. Those are not included on this list, and I will not slander the name of the brand we met with because they were actually nice people – and their niche made their game make more sense – but I after getting hands on with some of the buds I don’t think anyone can be mislead with what’s happening over there so I feel better about the whole situation.

Think that’s all I’ve got to rant about this week – as always, don’t hesitate to hit me up on twitter to complain about whatever it is you’re mad at today, or to put me on to something dope. And read WEIRDOS – I don’t know if I’ve said that here before, but I’m really proud of what’s been happening over there lately. If you dig this, you’ll probably dig that more. Farewell for now.

This one’s going to be a bit all over the place as I’ve got a lot I want to shout out around these two. First off, for Wavez latest drop he had Feel Good LA wash a bunch of it and I’ve got to say, for all those of you out there thinking he’s just a meme page, you clearly haven’t smoked any of his work. Y’all know I’m a fan of Zazul, so of course that was my favorite of the crop, but unlike most of the varieties of this on the market his cut has less straight sweetness and more flavor complexity, with an almost creamy candy and yet sharp finish. It’s hard to describe, but that’s often the case with Feel Good’s work – the texture shines. I can say the same thing about his recent Jerry Chelato release, which was far from what I expected. There’s definitely some sort of Cherry Gelato in there, but with far more pine present than you’d guess. While I’m here I should also mention the fresh press that Wavez put out with Passion 4 Hashing – I’m not usually the biggest press fan, but that Ligma Ball Z is definitely something worth bragging about.

Now I know these are polarizing, but I love me some orange terps, and Studio 8’s Mikan is a real citrus burner. With that flavor that will absolutely stain your palate but some gas on the finish that will likely encourage wider appeal than to just citrus buffs, Dan put me onto this one in Miami and I’ve got to say it’s immediately a new favorite. Studio 8’s a new name for me and I don’t know much about them, but since they were put into my hand by Dan I know they’re super hyphy and probably incredibly hard to acquire, but once you know, you’re on the hunt, and I’m excited to see what other magic these guys are brewing.

Pine Park’s back and it’s better than ever thanks to a new partnership with the legends over at Green Dawg Cultivators. Dropping three strains onto the California rec market earlier this month, including Zzz, Black Sherb, and Smartiez, I am pleased to report that all three are smoking tough. Now I know these guys had released a cheaper line back in the day, and it didn’t all receive rave reviews, but I’m here to certify that the new stuff – while still focused on keeping the price low and providing as much value to the consumer as possible – is tops by any standard. Obviously my favorite was the Zzz, which is a Zkittlez cut – not a Zoap cut as the name may lead you to believe, but you can never go wrong with a Green Dawg sack.

This one’s another New York cat I tapped in with on my last trip back east that, while it might have taken me a little bit to crack the jars because I’ve been moving around so much, was a set I cooked through quickly once I realized what I had. Showing out on cuts of Purple Octane Jealousy, Gelonade, and my personal favorite, Z Pie, these jars didn’t just have a great nose, they also looked great, and smoked immaculately. I usually don’t tear through a flavor so quick, I like to savor them, but these had me craving more. I cooked through all three in two days – and that’s not a slight to the effect, it’s a testament to the high quality smoking experience it provides.

While we’re talking about the East Coast, I forgot to mention on the last list the best hash I found that trip. Hailing from Maine, which seems to be a trend for excellent hash, Hidden Forest sold out so quick at the High Grade Confirmed event that I only got to really get hands on with one cultivar, but oh boy am I glad I did, because this was surely special. A cross of Papaya & Piegasm, Hidden Forest’s Berry Fizz smells even better than it sounds, with a nose reminiscent of that Izze carbonated juice drink, and the flavor to match. I understand why these guys got mobbed so quick: the hype is real. They will definitely be one I’m keeping my eye on going forward – and visiting early.

Gelatti’s not a new name to me, but I guess I haven’t been paying enough attention to what has been going on over there because those dudes have some serious heat in their repertoire right now. We caught up in Miami and they showed me some of their Cherry Push Pop, a collab with Major League Exotics, and their Blue Z, again with Major League Exotics and this time with Smoke Up in tow. I’ve got to say, both cuts were highly impressive, with the Cherry Push Pop being one of my most desired smokes right now. Starting the day with Blue Z and chilling out in the afternoon with the Cherry is a formula for success.

Now these guys are staples in the industry so I shouldn’t be putting anyone on to the Cannon Co right now – afterall, they are the creators of the Kimber Cannon, one of the OG fatties regularly for sale back in the 215 days, so they’ve been here for a long time. However, what I do want to talk about today is what they’re doing with their hash hole’s lately that has me hyped. When we caught up at Terp Basel these guys showed me their dual chamber rolls, that is a donut with two hash holes inside, and while it’s not a new concept to me, it was the best smoking one I’ve tried yet. I know they’re playing around with even crazier rolls – some with three and even four chambers, so maybe we’ll get something really crazy in the future. Keep an eye out!

This one’s admittedly difficult for me to talk about, but the team’s been putting in great work down south and they deserve their shine despite me not actually being able to say the brand’s name. They told me it’s okay in this context but… you’ll get the picture. N.W.O really does have it, and across various forms. While the hash is good – in fact, I loved the Banana Splitz I got my hands on – what really excites me is their hot sauce. And not just hot sauce! They’ve got Sweet Chili and BBQ sauce too, and unlike a lot of the medicated sauces you see on the market, this one SMACKS. I may not be able to say the brand’s name, but bet I’m keeping some of these bottles around, so don’t get mad at me if you see this on me in the future – I didn’t brand it!

There are few brands with as much hype behind them as SuperDope, and while that’s of course a good thing for their brand, and those looking for the heat, I tend to look for the less acclaimed brands when I’m out on the hunt for new terps. Sometimes that gets the best of me, as I’d admittedly not paid much attention to SuperDope during their rise to stardom. That said, I got to spend some time with their team while at Terp Basel and I’ve got to say, there is certainly more than hype behind this one. While only sampling their Lemon Popperz this time, I’ve got to say it was a much brighter and flavorful smoke than I expected, and provided a strong, lasting high that kept me lit through the flight back to LA.

Zatix has been all over the place this year. I swear it feels like they were at just about every party I attended in 2023, despite the coast. As a result of their impressive ground game I’ve become very familiar with both their Blue Guava and OG Diesel over the past few months, but today’s mention is actually about the new Z they brought out at Terp Basel in Miami. Dubbed Zaturn Space Candy, the rolls they were handing out at the booth became my daily wake up routine while in Florida. It was the perfect start to the day. The buds were flavorful, the smoke was clean, and the high was right. I’m sure these guys have no plans on slowing down, but if you haven’t tapped in yet, now’s the time.

I’ve been waiting for this collab for literal years, so when I heard the OG Slick x Jason Freeny LA Hands were dropping at DesignerCon you know I couldn’t miss it. Two masters of their craft – OG Slick, the graffiti legend credited with creating the iconic LA Hands, and Jason Freeny, who has dissected just about every pop culture icon under the sun – have been teasing this collaboration since at least 2020. The murdered out edition sold before even I could get there, but I managed to snag a pair of the classic hands, as well as the new Freeny collab. I’ve got a pair of LA Hands in every room of my house now, and I still feel like I need more.

If you’re looking for a fun dive through cannabis history, Malcolm MacKinnon just released his latest book, Pot Shots: The Journey of a High Times Photographer, and it’s a pretty prolific look at the evolution of modern cannabis culture through the eyes of one of High Times’ most notorious editors, Dan Skye. For those who don’t know, Malcolm is Dan Skye, but back when he started writing it wasn’t exactly safe to be out there with your government name, so Dan was his chosen nom de plume. The new book covers his journey across hundreds of gardens over the past few decades, as well as the celebrities and activists he met throughout his travels, and it’s a stellar reminder of just how far things have come. I highly recommend this one, especially to anyone who thinks they’re the first to do anything here. We’re just the latest in a long line of advocates.