The year  delivered a lot of unexpected changes, both personally and professionally. For the first time since I started working with Illinois News Joint, I reviewed fewer products this year than the year before. Industry progress marched on as more craft brands came online, some older medical producers faltered, and cannabis once again came into the federal spotlight. Here are a few of the products that left an impression on me in 2025:

Favorite Vape

I spent a lot more time on the road this year, which meant reaching for the convenience of the vape format more often.

Bitter Orange Rosin Vape by FloraCal

“The combination of the sweet orange and spicy pepper created an orange liqueur note that dominated the exhale, coating the tongue and clinging to the palate for several minutes after a sesh.”

Samba Slapz Live Resin Vape by Revolution

“A sweet fruit blend of candied-orange peel, fresh mango, papaya, and lemon flesh provided a layered opening. Underneath the fruity top-tone notes of coconut cream, ground cinnamon, and a bright green tea provided the undertones and finish”

Favorite Edible

Edibles represented more than a quarter of my reviews this year as I increasingly turned to the category for pain relief and sleep assistance.

Infused Rosin Belts by Kanha

“Cherry Limeade led with a punch of sweet and tangy artificial cherry and a heavy lime peel note that bled into a rounded earthy and herbal hashy finish. Strawberry Lemonade was an almost perfect copy of the namesake with hints of surprisingly natural strawberry coming and going across a puckering Country Time lemonade undertone mixing with the same earthy hash flavor. The Blueberry Lemon Drop was the most citrus-heavy of the three. The tangy lemon took the lead while highlights of artificial candied blueberry followed”

Dark Chocolate Mint, Dark Chocolate Sea Salt, and Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles by Aerīz

“The Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter was a sweet-and-creamy melt-in-your-mouth chocolate, holding a center of crushed peanuts similar to a drier version of Reese’s peanut butter cup filling. Both of the dark chocolate options had a harder outer shell providing a satisfying chocolate “break” when bit. The interior of the mint was a creamy coffee-colored aerated-truffle filling that balanced the flavor of fresh spearmint against the dark chocolate. The Dark Chocolate Sea Salt filling was slightly darker and denser with a moist fudginess that contrasted against the hard dark chocolate shell”

Roll Aways Infused Caramels by Zoi

”Overall, the Roll Aways delivered a luxury-level chocolate experience with an infusion that was stronger than anticipated.”

Favorite Flower

As always, the king of cannabis is cannabis. Flower was once again my most reviewed category. 

Stay Puft by Redemption Botanicals

”Rich, dense, and layered, a blend of hot diesel, fresh pine, musk, dry hops, mustard, onion, and tea tree worked over a sweeter undertone of roasted marshmallow, caramel, and rose. The flavor maintained the complexity of the aroma, delivering tangy diesel and roasted garlic over a creamy sweet marshmallow and caramel blend”

Hawaiian Rain x Permanent Marker by Flora

”The first notes were a blend of toasted coconut, fresh rain petrichor, peanut butter, and hints of banana, followed by warmer undertones of aged cheddar, cut cedar, and hot diesel. A pass through the grinder released earthier notes of hot rubber, freshly turned dirt, and roasting fat. The flavor was fruitier than the aroma with hints of lime peel and papaya leading the warmer tones of cedar, hot rubber, and roasting fat.”

Grape Diamonds by Nature’s Heritage

”Sour notes of green apple, grapefruit, stainless steel, and pear created a sharp top end with a more complex blend of blue cheese, roasting garlic, and creamy vanilla underneath. The flavor carried the same top-end tones of grapefruit and pear, but the undertone of vanilla became heavier and richer, creating a cream-soda note on the finish.”

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FDA Disclaimer: The statements made regarding these products have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. The efficacy of these products has not been confirmed by FDA-approved research. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. All information presented here is not meant as a substitute for or alternative to information from healthcare practitioners. Please consult your healthcare professional about potential interactions or other possible complications before using any product.

Effects & Medical Attributes are based on anecdotal evidence. Individual experiences can be varied.