IN REVIEW: Each Blackberry Lemonade Jello Shot from Complement contains 10mg of THC and 15mg of Delta-8, meaning just like their boozy brethren, they hit hard. Though with delicious notes of berry and citrus and a lack of alcohol, you might find these to be a bit more of a refined version when compared to what you remember. You can expect the effects to come on quick and provide a sustained, euphoric high, making these a fun addition to any backyard barbecue or party...be you still in college or simply reliving the glory days.

Prior to this weekend, the last time I had a Jello Shot was when I was a senior in college, and I remember spending the night sleeping in the bushes. Those were different times, and while I like to think I’ve changed some, I was still planning on spending the night in the bushes when I came across this product. Though this time on a much less drunken note. I decided to revisit my love of Jello Shots while spending a night camping with some friends. We were deep in the Angeles Mountains and it was one of those classic starry nights that just felt ripe for an edible trip. This was soon the consensus among the entire camping party, so we decided that we’d all embark on a higher state together. After gulping down two of Complement’s Blackberry Lemonade Jello Shots, I was primed for a memorable night in the SoCal bush with good company and the healing embrace of nature.

“All systems were go for this tranquil, if not heavenly, buzz.”

As someone who intensely loves all berries and favors citrus as if it were my lifeblood, this flavor was right up my alley. Its taste highlights both blackberry and lemon in a balanced way that feels refined, and it finishes with a nice note of sour. The intake experience also offers a pleasing mouthfeel, and even though I took my max of 20 total milligrams of THC, I did not get any of the usual cottonmouth I sometimes have to suffer through. The onset was very quick. Like spooky quick. I could feel flutters of a happening within the ten-minute mark, and by minute fifteen I was already riding a slow boat to Chill Town. When the thirty-minute mark came around, I was fully engulfed in a loving field of energy that encircled my woodsy clique and wound its way up to the constellations above our heads. All systems were go for this tranquil, if not heavenly, buzz.

At their most basic level, these Jello Shots are just a fun way to get high in a social setting. I mean, one could do jello shots by themselves, but I somehow feel like that goes against the nature of brightly colored gelatinous molds. Especially if one is into brooding alone. It’s hard to feel bad for yourself when you’re digging your tongue around a small plastic tub filled with jiggling blackberries. All I’m saying is I feel like Jello is an inherently childlike food, so why not grab a gal pal or an amigo and toast each other to never getting old?

The robust sense of euphoria I got off these Jello Shots further lends itself to a social atmosphere. This high was defined by an open-hearted sense of wonder. I could feel myself getting lost in the twinkling lights of the distant stars or the blazing heat of the campfire we all encircled. Conversations flowed freely, and you got the sense that you were finally in sync with your surroundings. The best way I could describe it is that I was being deluged with generosity from all around me, and I was no longer putting up a fight. Any edible high that can bring me to such a deep place of acceptance is one to reach for time and time again.

“This high was defined by an open-hearted sense of wonder.”

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As someone who generally shies away from going big with edibles (10mgs being a decent high for me, and 20mgs pushing the bounds of what is comfortable) I found this foray to the far ends of my tolerance range to be almost entirely anxiety free. (There was a moment I swore I could have heard the guttural snarl of a prowling Grizzly Bear, but it turned out to be my friend’s chihuahua coughing). Besides, that brief glimpse of paranoia I felt was immersed with positivity well into the night, and I could hardly recall the last time I laughed so much. Ultimately, this was a welcome respite from the frenetic grind of an unforgiving work week. A fun way to commune with your tribe, out in the elements, and free from the trappings of being a grown-up.