With the personal mission to sample as many products as possible, one of my complaints about limited license markets, such as Illinois, is that the level of product innovation and change is simply slower than elsewhere. So anything new or different gets my attention. Daze Off is a new label from the cultivator producing Aerīz products, offering a new concept for the Illinois market: blends of two strains sold together in one jar. I recently picked up Daze Off’s Once In A Lifetime blend as a quarter-ounce “smalls” jar at Trinity Compassionate Care.

Once In a Lifetime is a blend of two strains, Florida Oranges and MSG. Florida Oranges is an indica leaning hybrid cross of Orange Daiquiri and Triangle Kush Bx1, and this version of MSG is an indica leaning hybrid cross of GMO and Creme de la Chem. The jar indicated testing was at 1.58% Delta-9-THC, 19.28% THCa, and 21.63% total cannabinoids. The primary terpenes were indicated as β-caryophyllene, limonene, and terpinolene.

ILNJ photo

It was easy to tell as soon as I opened the jar that this was a blend of two cultivars. The flowers were completely different in both structure and color. The Florida Orange came as bright turf green flowers with faint orange hairs and a very complete trim. The MSG presented as thinner flowers with darker, deep purple hues and quite a few sugar leaf pieces left.

The ratio wasn’t an equal split with about 3 out of every 4 flowers being Florida Orange. There was a glistening trichome frost to both strains, and overall, I was surprised with the robust size of the flowers. This jar labeled as “smalls” had several flowers that could have been sold in standard eighths from many Illinois cultivators.

The nose upon opening was a blast of fresh oranges, like the sweet air of an orange grove. That sweet scent turned sharp and tangy once I got my nose into the jar, taking on an Orange Glo cleaner-style aroma. It’s easy to understate how dominant this orange aroma was. I didn’t detect much of anything else from the Florida Oranges or anything from the MSG, until I separated the flowers and let them sit in separate jars for a bit.

After that, the MSG revealed savory garlic, diesel, and something I thought was missing from modern cannabis, a truly “skunky” note. I smoked this as a blend, and while the Florida Oranges may have dominated the aroma, the two paired remarkably well together with the sweet orange taking the top end, supported by a mélange of savory garlic, sage, and skunk. On the surface, the flavors didn’t seem like they would work together, but they created something better than the sum of their parts.

Daze Off labels this blend of two “indica” strains as “indica,” but as I’ve seen before, the term can be quite nebulous. Smoking these flowers together left me with an energetic, thoughtful buzz. The effects set in quickly after smoking, opening up my headspace and allowing me to focus on work easily. This one worked great as a mood booster as well, putting a smile on my face at the beginning of the day or tamping down an anxiety attack before it fully set in.

The blend concept worked here nicely, making for a complex flavor profile and mood boosting smoke. It’s also just nice to see something different coming to the Illinois market with these blends allowing consumers to sample a couple cultivars for the price of one. For more Illinois News Joint reviews, visit here.

ILNJ photo

To learn more about cannabis-friendly events in Illinois, visit here.

For more Illinois cannabis industry news, visit here.

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.