About a month ago, ILNJ reported that Curaleaf Holdings launched an award-winning line of Select Oil brand products in Illinois. Last week, I finally traveled to Greenhouse Morris to pick up a Select Elite Live Resin .5g cartridge of Bubba Diagonal.

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Before I get into the review, allow me to digress about Greenhouse Morris, which is a visually interesting dispensary with a long history. The centerpiece of the inside of the dispensary is a 14-feet high by 30-feet long oak and brass bar. The bar features three sections of mirrors and colonnades. The front of the bar is lined with a copper foot rail and a marble base. Anheuser Busch Co. had commissioned the bar in 1882 from Brunswick Balke-Collender. Impressed with the design, Anheuser Busch displayed the bar for a year straight at The 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. After the bar was placed inside Trapp’s Tavern in Streator, Illinois, Victor Anderes purchased the bar for $26,000 in 1976 and relocated it to the Rockwell Inn, which is now Greenhouse Morris. It was worth the trip alone.

Now, back to the Bubba Diagonal Select Elite Live Oil cart review. Unless I am traveling or trying to be extremely discreet, oil cartridges are usually my last option after flower, concentrates, and edibles. However, I’d been looking forward to reviewing this cartridge for weeks. Elite Live combines high-quality, high-potency THC oil with live resin extract derived from fresh frozen flower. Select’s innovative cartridge design includes a ceramic core and organic cotton wick (instead of a metal or steel) to help improve the flavor. Select oils are infused with freshly harvested terpenes instead of cured plant matter, which explains the “Live” in its name.

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According to Curaleaf, the proprietary formula of the new Select Elite Live products combine high-quality THC oil and live resin terpenes for a robust flavor that ultimately captures more of the living plant and higher terpene content. Elite Live is designed to capture the essence of the living plant with a higher terpene content compared to a traditional distillate cartridge. Curaleaf touts Elite Live as “providing the feeling of flower with the ease of an oil.”

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That all sounded great to me! I enjoy the taste of flower, and most oils don’t deliver enough flavor or taste completely artificial. In fact, I don’t really by vapes or carts that are not strain specific. So the closer an oil taste like the flower the better.

As mentioned in my Bubba Diagonal concentrate review, Bubba Diagonal is an indica cross between Bubba and Triangle Kush with limonene, beta-caryophyllene, and linalool as three of its most prevalent terpenes. This Elite Live cartridge tested at 72.44% THC levels. Potency for Elite Live strains typically test between 70-85% total THC.

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To finally jump to the point of this review, did the oil taste more like flower than traditional distillate cartridges? The answer for this Bubba Diagonal oil was…yes! Of course, the oil didn’t taste exactly like the Bubba Diagonal flower, but as far as cartridges go, the oil retained Bubba Diagonal’s earthy and sweet pine taste.

Another benefit of Select’s approach to creating a safer and tastier cart was that the oil definitely delivered the classic Bubba Diagonal indica effects that included the relaxing body high and couchlock. So much so, I had to stop sampling the oil while writing this review to keep from going into further thoughtlock.

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Along with the Bubba Diagonal cartridge, I received a Select pen (and charger) that helped deliver the perfect voltage and temperature for optimal vaporization. The exclusive ceramic core and organic cotton wick helped distribute heat evenly to enhance each smooth flavorful rip.

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Overall, Select Elite Live Oil impressed me more than expected. Select improved two characteristics I found lacking in my vaping experience: strain-specific flavors and effects from energetic sativa to knock out indica. I’m more than interested in sampling the flavors of other Elite Live strains, specifically a high-energy sativa or a 1:1 would be nice.

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Select’s other Illinois strains are Ray Charles (indica), Triangle Kush (indica), Miracle Alien Cookies (indica hybrid), Aces High (sativa hybrid), Mob Boss (sativa hybrid). Select Elite is available in 0.5g and 1g cartridges at many of Illinois dispensaries, including Greenhouse’s retail locations in Deerfield, Litchfield, Morris, Mokena, Northbrook, and Skokie.

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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.