“For the same reason they’re great gifts, they’re also great for sharing.”

When I first took a pre-roll out of the package, I could tell that it had been crafted with the utmost quality and care. I'm also a sucker for nice packaging, and Trout's pre-rolls are nicely packaged in a cigarette-style box with an attractive trout design on the front. You could easily give these as a gift and the receiver would be elated by the branding. For the same reason they’re great gifts, they’re also great for sharing.

If you're like me and are sensitive to sativa strains, you'll enjoy OG Sour Diesel because it's an exceptionally well-rounded and balanced hybrid yielding 16.9% THC and 0.05% CBD. I usually smoke to feel uplifted, creative, and calm, but as a day tripper I don't like the couch-lock that some strains can cause. I also don't enjoy the feeling of being “too inside my head” to the point of anxiety or paranoia, which is why I generally gravitate toward hybrids. This is also likely why Trout's pre-rolls worked so well for me. Trout's pre-rolls (and their OG Sour Diesel blend specifically) is the best of both worlds, providing a subtle induction of relaxation while still keeping the mind alert and without the bad side effects that some sativa strains can cause.

One reason I like smoking pre-rolls is because you get to experience the full flavor profile without outside influences like resin that you get with smoking from a pipe or bong. As a cannabis consumer, scent is really important to me because you can tell the quality of a strain by the flavorful impact it has on your senses. While working as a budtender and trimmer, I've put my nose up to a lot of flower in my day. During the flowering process, the trichomes ooze fragrant resin to the surface of the plant, which is what causes the distinct “skunky” smell. When cannabis is grown well, these trichomes will allow the plant to have a pleasant aroma. I can say with confidence that this joint had a very pleasing, top-shelf aroma, which tells me that it was grown in a top-notch facility.

When it came time to smoke, the pre-roll lit up with ease. Unlike some that I've smoked, this pre-roll burned evenly and I didn't feel like I needed to lick the joint just to slow the process; I could just sit back, puff, and enjoy. The first hit was smooth and brought up a sense of nostalgia for the first time I smoked—without the incessant coughing, thankfully. I smoke a lot of weed regularly so I was surprised to find myself already feeling high after just a few tokes. I was incredibly pleased to find that my high lasted for well over an hour after I'd smoked the whole joint.

“The flavor spectrum of citrus, lemon, and berry tickled my senses and lingered in my nose. ”

The flavor spectrum of citrus, lemon, and berry tickled my senses and lingered in my nose. The buzz came on strong without being overwhelming. Usually I can only handle smoking half a joint at a time, but I was able to smoke the whole thing without it being too overpowering, another factor that likely added to the nostalgic vibes. After I smoked, I put on The Doors album “LA Woman” and felt the music seduce me into feeling like I was walking the beaches of Southern California in the 1970s. The head high combined with Jim Morrison's voice belting out “Mojo Risin” made me feel like I had transcended the space-time continuum and morphed into the proverbial LA woman that Jim sang about. Can you tell this was good weed?

Although I stayed inside and explored the inner depths of my own creative consciousness, this pre-roll would also be perfect for hikes, beach trips, music festivals, art projects, and low-key social gatherings. This strain really helped cultivate the creator inside me and helped enhance my passion for photography. As soon as the effects took over, I felt inspired to take some artistic pictures of the pre-roll and I'm really happy with the results.

Would I smoke Trout's pre-rolls again? Sure. I’d buy a pack or two to have on hand for future photography projects and because, who knows, maybe time travel is real after all.