“And when I say it had a strong aroma, I mean my partner was able to smell it from another room.”

The first thing to note about this particular kit is the packaging. I mean, wow. The fact that the packaging for a roll-your-own kit itself “rolls” open tickled me in such a way that I was suddenly brought back to all my graphic design classes in college. Once you unroll the box, you’ll find a powerfully aromatic, pungently peppery, sweet, and sour scented jar of Wedding Cake with a playful silicon cover that resembles dripping paint. And when I say it had a strong aroma, I mean my partner was able to smell it from another room. Along with the wildly fragrant flower, you’ll also find rolling papers and a set of glass reusable filters. Altogether, it’s a delightfully designed kit. Now enough ogling, it’s time to get rolling.

As I scraped it off my grinder, I found the flower to be very sticky, and thus, very promising. I rolled a lovely little joint, probably the best one I’ve rolled so far as a budding new J-roller. The thick filter did look a little comical in my not-particularly-fat joint, but it didn’t affect the integrity or smokability. And oh, was it smokable. Despite its earthy and sour scent, the flower filled my mouth with sweet, vanilla flavors. I still detected some peppery notes, but somehow it all worked together. After a few incredibly smooth drags, I settled into a peaceful euphoria, ready to relax and, much to my surprise, do a little reading.

Like I said before, generally speaking, I struggle to do things like study or learn under the influence of marijuana. I prefer indulging in things like music and movies, or cooking and cleaning. Information retention is nearly a nonstarter, which is why in college I pretty much only enjoyed cannabis after finishing any and all work that needed to be done. But as soon as this high started to hit, I felt a wave of curiosity and intrigue. With this curiosity came a new level of focus and patience, so I pulled up my ever-growing article queue and decided to dive in. Focus and curiosity are sort of a funny pairing. While I found myself engaged in what I was reading, I would frequently find a fact or anecdote particularly intriguing and get lost in a Google search that sent me deeper and deeper. I’m not sure who needs to hear this, but coriander and cilantro come from the same plant, and the reason you might think it tastes like soap is a result of your genetics and how you detect specific aldehydes.

So yeah, this weed made a stellar option for a study sesh. Wikipedia rabbit holes and all. As the high progressed, the patience and serenity I felt grew, and the euphoric curiosity hung strong. If I had to name a favorite effect from smoking cannabis, it’d almost definitely be euphoria. And Packwood’s Wedding Cake’s is as rich and long-lasting as my love for their “roll out” packaging (gosh I love a visual pun). This is a great high for taking things slowly and enjoying the process. Even though I felt a very relaxed body buzz, it still had a headiness to it that left me energized enough to teeter about my house and get things done. That is, between my Google searches and shouting out interesting facts to my partner in the other room.

“As the high progressed, the patience and serenity I felt grew, and the euphoric curiosity hung strong.”

As the high began to fade, the buzzy energy transitioned to more of a lazy lounge vibe, almost as if it was a reward for my productivity. I put my feet up and got lost in a series of interesting Vox videos (if you’re not familiar, they’re pretty much the best explainer/informational videos on the planet) while enjoying my general state of zen.

Ultimately, beyond the fun packaging, pleasing aroma, and inviting taste, this strain proved to be the perfect companion for a self-initiated study session. My only regret is not getting to know it sooner, say, when I was still in college and learning was less of an activity to unwind and more of a requirement. It turns out even a space cadet like me can find a flower that will bring me back to earth, and let me learn some things along the way.