As Justin picked a joint out of the countertop display jar and packed it into a big orange prescription-style pill bottle, I asked him about concentrates and edibles. They had a selection of shatter and wax available from Top Shelf Extracts as well as edibles from the few MIP (marijuana-infused products) companies licensed to produce recreational edibles: the (possibly impotent) Dr. J’s line of products; several Edi-Pure varieties; and some Incredibles chocolate bars.
Unfortunately, the concentrates were packaged up in opaque containers as usual, so I couldn’t get a good look at the quality. Justin handed me the joint and my total was $13.51, which was the most expensive pre-roll I’ve encountered yet. Sadly, it wasn’t even strain-specific like the others were. I thanked Justin and left, feeling a bit hesitant about my purchase, mostly because I have never really had a good experience with a mixed strain joint. One thing worth mentioning is High Level Health is one of the few recreational dispensaries to accept credit cards, which they take via an iPad using Square. It was convenient and a nice change of pace from having to get money out of the ATM or carry cash.
Why is paying for pot such a hassle sometimes? More coverage of banking and marijuana businesses
I ended up not smoking the joint until the following day, when I was looking to jazz up my Saturday afternoon with a little bit of sativa energy and creativity. The joint itself was a fairly traditional slim cone style, probably containing about 0.8 grams of cannabis if I had to guess. The first 3-4 hits provided a decent, though slightly muted, fruity-floral sativa flavor that was better than I had expected. Though it burned evenly and stayed lit, the ash was definitely darker than I normally like to see, indicating that perhaps the plants had not seen an entirely proper flush prior to harvest. It didn’t hurt my throat really, though I did find myself uncharacteristically coughing a few times as it burned down toward the crutch. In all, it was a decent joint; not worth the $12 price tag compared with what I’m used to, but it was better than I thought it would be. Still, the desire for a reasonably priced gram of Cataract Kush rattled around in my head, bringing back the previous day’s feeling of being forced to purchase the mixed joint rather than getting what I actually wanted.
The joint’s effects quickly chased that negativity from my mind, and I found myself almost on autopilot, taking care of a few household chores and then settling down for some increasingly rare video game time. My mood was definitely improved from earlier in the day, and it seemed to have helped with lubricating my creaky spine as well as completely eliminating the stomach irritation I had been dealing with that morning. It wasn’t a pure sativa feeling akin to Durban Poison or anything, but again I was surprised at how decent the joint was overall. Many times mixed joints give a “blah” effect that ends up feeling sedative, but this one actually did provide an uplifting sativa effect, which helped to redeem the purchase overall.
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High Level Health certainly seems to grow quality flowers; as a whole, the jars here smelled better than anywhere else I’ve reviewed thus far. However, the selection overall was poor (seven strains is just not enough) and I really don’t like the “eighths only” sales scheme. The staff members were friendly and professional, though a little less talkative and inquisitive than the best staffs I’ve encountered. The location is extremely central and much nicer than the typical dispensary, meaning you can actually go walk to a tasty lunch spot after your purchase instead of just getting back in the car and trying to navigate your way back to civilization. Parking may be a problem at peak times, but it is also easily accessible via public transportation or bike, which is a nice bonus for all those downtown, no-car-having types.
I felt like even though the joint I purchased was probably the worst representation of HLH as a company, it still managed to be above average, and that is a good sign of quality potential. The well-handled and fragrant nugs that filled every single jar made me want to come check them out again once recreational prices have fallen a bit and I feel like I can purchase what I really want, because I think it holds the promise of being a top-10% type of center based on product quality alone. Overall, if you are looking for a conveniently located, classy downtown/Golden Triangle-area dispensary, HLH would be a great choice. Be prepared to spend at least $60, but the quality flowers shouldn’t disappoint.
The lowdown
Well-appointed storefront with a great location and top quality product — if only they didn’t force you to buy an eighth or larger …
The must-try: Their Cataract Kush was one of the best examples of the fairly popular strain that I’ve ever seen.
The lasting impression: I want to go back when prices have fallen and strain selection has increased, as this store holds great potential.
