Best of the Year: 2024-2025
Hey folks! It’s July which means we’ve officially reached Circa 1818’s fourth year of being Cobourg’s only locally owned cannabis retailer, a feat which we couldn’t have accomplished without the love, care and support of the community of Northumberland.
This has been a great year for weed: with changes coming down the pipe related to packaging, the tightening up of testing requirements and so much more. So, to celebrate the best year in legalized ganja thus far, let’s take a look at some of what we consider the best products that you can find when you shop for cannabis on the regulated cannabis market. I’m not going to necessarily hit every category, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t fantastic products coming out of those categories: it’s because we can only consume so much cannabis. Anywho, on to the list which was written up with the help of some of our fine budtenders here at Circa 1818.
Flower
Frost’d Flakes, Lowkey by MTL Cannabis: When I asked the team what flower they liked, our budtender Liam threw this one out there and it was immediately seconded as the best flower in the store for its cost.
Lowkey has been putting out consistent bangers ever since they first came to market, with Frost’d Flakes being the most popular by a pretty wide margin. It is a cross of Cereal Milk and MAC 1, both absolute gangbuster strains themselves. The end result is a high THC, trichome heavy, terpiliciously (yes, I just invented a word) delightful strain that tastes like your two favorite desserts had a lovechild. Plus the price for the quality is unparalleled. If you haven’t already tried the Lowkey line, get on it! You won’t be disappointed.
Gary Satan, 67 Sins: Again, a pretty easy choice, this suggestion coming from our newest budtender, Jordyn and was backed up by several budtenders who have spent an enormous amount of their time consuming this strain.
If you’re looking for craft level quality in your flower, you need not look any further than 67 Sins. They are consistently one of the most requested brands in our store and for our money their combination of Jealousy and Gary Payton is their best offering so far. With a flavour that features blasts of earthy, spicy goodness, its high potency and the fantastic growing practices behind the brand make Gary Satan a store favorite.
Pre-Rolls
Northern Tropic, Carmel: This pick comes straight from the owner of Circa 1818, Brandon Hartmann.
Carmel is a company we proudly carry and adore, so it’s no surprise that one of their products made our best of the year list. Northern Tropic is a delightful cross of Tropical Gelato and Pure Michigan, both of which are top shelf strains that you’ll usually only find from the best growers. Thanks to the quality of grow, the terpenes on these bad boys are nice and high and the roll style of the joints are *chef kiss*.
The Hash Hole, Pistol and Paris: This pick comes from yours truly, because he who holds the pen has the power.
I recently smoked it while on a camping trip and let me tell you: this thing is pure fire. It’s easily the bougiest joint I’ve ever seen let alone smoked. It’s a two-gram, titillating, titan of a pre-roll that is made with organically grown flower which is lovingly wrapped around a line of delicious hash and featuring a glass tip to keep the whole thing smooth from start to finish.
Pink Goo (aka Barbie Joints), Pistol and Paris: At the risk of looking like we’re playing favorites, here’s another pre roll from the good people at Pistol and Paris. Hey, they stop putting out killer weed and we’ll stop praising them. Our budtender Emily can’t say enough good stuff about this joint, making it one of if not her favorite pre-roll on the market. It has a classic flavour, great potency and smooth smoke.
Vapes
Venom OG Liquid Diamond, The Loud Plug: For those looking to couch lock themselves into submission subtly and quickly, there is very little that compares to a good vape; and Venom OG Liquid Diamond is a good vape. It comes in both 510 thread cartridge form as well as in a disposable and in our opinions, is one of the more effective vapes in it’s cost spectrum in either of its hardware forms. Our manager Natasha (aka the Vape Queen) couldn’t think of anything recent that she’s had that compares to this, and that’s saying something. She is the queen after all.
Edibles
The whole dang lineup, Teapot: To clarify “The whole dang lineup” is not the name of an individual product. It feels weird that I have to clarify that but naming conventions in the cannabis world can get…interesting to say the least. But I digress. Teapot is a beverage company that makes infused (you guessed it) tea! And boy is it a breath of fresh air in a category occupied largely by carbonated sodas and sparkling waters. Teapot produces beverages that run the spectrum of dosages, which means whether you’re looking for CBD, low THC or to go to space, they’ve got something in their lineup for you.
And that is going to be a wrap on this years roundup of some of the best products we’ve tried this year. There are tons of other amazing brands and items that we want to give a shout out to; however this is a blog post not a novella. Which means you’ll have to come into the store to pick our brains! Which is something we love, we’re pretty obsessed with weed in case you couldn’t tell. Stay cool!