Marijuana Strain Review: Tangerine Man from Leafs by Snoop

When it was revealed in November that Snoop Dogg had partnered with the LivWell dispensary chain to sell his own brand of cannabis products, the announcement provoked two reactions: intrigue and contempt. Intrigue from those who appreciated the shrewd venture and the image of Tha Doggfather legally pushing pot products, and contempt from a small number of purists who wanted their hip-hop icon to sell something he’d smoke himself. Having heard plenty of stories about LivWell and its growing process, I wasn’t sure what to expect when I visited the chain’s shop on South Broadway to check out the new line.

Leafs by Snoop strains are grown by LivWell and are available at its ten recreational locations. As with most warehouse buds grown on a mass scale, the strains all had similar density and structure, but to LivWell’s credit, each had a distinctly different smell — some more inviting than others. Although Lemon Pie’s name suggested something tart, buttery and sweet, the smell was boring, bland and grassy. But the Tangerine Man, which smelled suspiciously like Tangerine Haze, was something like a cross between clementines and Flintstones vitamins. Impressed, I bought a gram for $18 and change after tax.

I couldn’t find anything on Tangerine Man’s genetics online, but a few Internet threads and investigative sniffs led me to believe that it was something along the lines of Tangerine or Tangerine Haze. The heavy, eye-popping scent of oranges was full of thick honey notes and zesty overtones; chalky, sweet after-scents reminiscent of children’s cold lozenges rounded out the odor array. The dense, fox-tailed buds weren’t ugly, but they left something to be desired: Overly ripe amber trichomes dotted my nugs, which were so compact that only a few pistils were able to make it. I like my nugs dense, but not to the point that I need to pulverize them with my thumb just to break off a piece.

Still, a mild bowl at 250 degrees in my vaporizer tasted phenomenal, with tangy flavors of citrus tickling both sides of my mouth. Lining up closely with its artificial-sweetener scent, the Tangerine Man had a Kool-Aid-powder aftertaste and continued to assault my senses until the vapors cleared. My energy wasn’t necessarily lifted, but I was in alert mode — even if I didn’t have a clue what was going on around me. Way too interested in the X-Files reboot to grab a glass of water, I endured the oncoming cottonmouth while Tangerine flavors remained stuck to my taste buds.

It was good to know that at least one of Snoop’s cuts has more going for it than just his name.

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