Ten Tigers from Hall of Flowers

Hall of Flowers Santa Rosa chapter has wrapped up another year. There was great weather, smiling crowds, and some incredible finds. From the new onion rings from Snoop Dog and Tsumo Snacks to a rumored collab between Connected and Alien Labs, this year seemed less focused on advancements in packaging and more on the latest products from brands, mixed with the next wave of names coming onto the California cannabis scene.

There was a feeling as if we were seeing sophomores become juniors, and a new class hit the halls as the industry maneuvered through this ever-changing economy and more brands began to cross into the recreational market. Attendees quickly piled in, and many of the most popular booths ran out of sample tickets by the first afternoon.

There isn’t enough space to tell about all the unique offerings I ran into this year. However, I managed to pick out ten things that roared at me from across the room.

Decibel Gardens “Roswell x 47 Watermelon Punch”

Every year I have a “how have I never” moment, and Decibel Gardens was hands-down that choice for 2022. Located out of Santa Cruz, they had a lot of heaters lined up in their display case. While others salivated over the Watermelon Punch (Master Kush + Zkittlez x Platinum Punch) or the Roswell 47 (Jealousy x C-Note), the real heat was hidden in the back, with their next new strain combining these two big timers.

Higher Confections “Raspberry Cream”

My most exciting discovery this year. Higher Confections makes boxes of 100mg chocolates that are so good you’ll wonder if there’s weed in there. Boasting a large variety of flavors and seasonal offerings, this kind of high-quality confection will undoubtedly be the popular go-to this February. My biggest highlight was the Raspberry Cream, which walks all over the popular See’s candy version.

Arcata Fire “Banana Punch Rosin”

After securing awards for their vapes and building a solid reputation for their live resins, Arcata Fire launched their line of solventless products and served up a few jars to give us all an idea of what’s about to hit the market. There were a few to keep your eye out for, but especially the Banana Punch, which had an oily look and intense aroma, giving it a strong lead over the pack.

Binske “Bringing Oni to the Recreational Market”

Visitors to the Binske booth discovered their Peruvian chocolate bars, and a lucky few picked up an Oni preview box. Longtime growers and breeders will already know these trusted genetic providers. In spring, their rich catalog got acquired by Binske’s parent company. With a whole line of flowers and concentrates ready to drop, expect to see a return of the familiar name that brought you Tropicana Cookies.

Timeless Vapes “Skinner Artist Series”

I first came across Timeless in 2019 when they partnered with Micheal Reeder for their artist series collab. The company, which produces hardware and vape cartridges, has created a collaborative series with artists from all over. For Halloween 2022, Timeless worked with Oakland artist Skinner whose work has graced numerous album covers, murals, music videos, and even the meadows of Outsidelands.

Real Deal Resin “The Return to The Ring”

A year after they successfully tag-teamed with Leef to move up into the recreational leagues, Real Deal Resin has removed the luchador mask and revealed the face their old-school fans knew was lurking underneath. Classic wrestling fanatics RDR just launched solventless pens and their “Ninth Wonder of The Herb” merch capsule, which donates a portion of sales to breast cancer research.

Alien Labs & Connected “What’s in The Box?”

The Alien Labs and Connected gift boxes have become one of the most sought-after objects at Hall of Flowers. Right from the start, you’ll see lines forming to pick up one of their bags filled with commemorative t-shirts and the latest products from two of California’s most popular brands. This year, some high points were Connected’s Frenchies (mini joints infused with THCa), and Alien Lab / Kalya’s latest batch of rosin (that Xerbaccio is out of control).

Fiore “Goat Milk”

You smell a lot of jars walking the floor of Hall of Flowers, but the ones they had at Fiore made me stop dead in my tracks. Fiore has developed two completely different phenotypes of their Cereal Milk x Georgia Pie combo: Goat Milk and Cereal A La Mode. Each one is beautiful and loud enough to make you determined to hunt down a jar, but I’d probably go with the Goat Milk if you have the choice.

Doja “Giraffe Puzzy”

Doja’s latest release took three years to bring to market. Named for how high it makes you, the strain was intended for a prior release, even having art and packaging ready to go, but finicky genetics meant it needed more time. Thanks to a partnership with Seed Junky, Doja was able to hunt their favorite cuts and start dropping limited batches in select stores. Keep watch and act fast.

Stuf “Paletaz”

Winner of the “you have to stop by” award. Where someone tells you to check out something, and it turns out to be a total home run. Stuf comes from San Diego and brings jars that easily stack up to what you’d find in other parts of the state. The Paletaz and the Pineapple Glow are top of my shopping list, but also do not sleep on their terpy blunts, 2.5 grams of flower, a half-gram of live resin, and a glass tip.

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Follow on social media:

@actionmattjackson, @decibelgardens, @higher.confections, @arcatafire, @binski, @oni_seed_co, @alwaystimeless.co, @realdealresin__, @alienlabs, @connected.California, @fiore, @stufcanna, @hall_of_flowers, @tsumosnacks, @snoopdogg, @returnofthealien, @jollyroger

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Feature image photo credit: Decibel Gardens