Juicy Blunts: Mango Papaya
November 14th, 2006 by Alex
It’s been too long since a product review has dropped, so let’s get’r done. Juicy Blunts is throwing a twist into things with their Mango Papaya blunt wrap.
Following the trend of their latest releases, the packaging is eye catching and each contains 1 leaf. The tapered edge makes rolling the blunt smooth and easy. Leaf smell is great, Juicy did a good job combining the smells. The mango slightly over powers the papaya, but you can tell both aromas are present. The wrap burned smooth even if there wasn’t any taste added to the smoke. Also, a slight mango aroma was given off by the blunt while it burned.
Overall, this is a very solid blunt that just needs a little more personality to take it to the top.
Price: $1.50
tFS Rating: 7.0/10
aLeda: Transparent King Size Papers
November 7th, 2006 by Alex
We’d show pictures of a leaf, but the damn things are see-through…
There’s some buzz online about see-through papers appearing in the smokosphere. Science hasn’t figured out how to cure world hunger yet or create clean water sources for all but the rumors are true - we do have cellulose based, transparent rolling papers. Ahh, technology at its finest.
aLeda Papers is the Brazilian company behind this innovation. Made from natural vegetable cellulose (and completely gumless) - there is absolutely no taste, smell or odor in any leaf. The manufacturing process leaves out chemicals like lead or arsenic, making it a much healthier smoke. Box graphics are unique with bright colors and actual embossing of the logo. Only problem is a set of stupid little tabs that are supposed to keep the box shut, but really do nothing at all.
aLeda’s description says King Size, but the leaves are narrower than you might expect. Also, they’re slightly more difficult to roll because there is no crease and the entire paper wants to stick to itself.
These guys light very easily, the cellulose naturally wants to burn. Unfortunately, a few issues do surface once the papers are lit - the cherry doesn’t stay lit consistently. Airflow can also get restricted once you start approaching the end of each leaf - they just don’t breathe as well as hemp or rice based papers. This contributes to the nice, slow burn for the first 75% of the papers but hinders it after that.
Basically, these papers are pretty bad ass. They’ve got some positives and negatives, but damn will your friends trip when they see an invisible wrap. It just takes a couple of tries to learn how to roll the aLeda’s and then you’ll be digging them for everyday use.
Price: $3.50 tFS Rating: 8.0/10Royal Blunts: Passion Fruit
November 1st, 2006 by Alex
Royal Blunts delivers some of the best flavors on the market. Just like other major players, their line-up is heavily filled with fruit based flavors - Mango, Peach, Strawberry and more. Passion Fruit is in the same category, and delivers like RB knows how.
First point, the wrap wasn’t dry, which is the only real drawback from Royal. If you spot any package designs with the see-through square be warned there’s a high chance it’s gonna be brittle as hell.
The smell is good on this wrap, not pinpoint accurate, but close enough to work. This wrap hits the usual notes after that - good to smoke, doesn’t add much flavor but the burned smoke does leave a good aroma. Royal Blunts has put together a solid product but it’s nothing that sticks out from the crowd.
Price: $1.50 tFS Rating: 6.5/10Juicy Blunts: Peach Cognac
October 30th, 2006 by Alex
Dipping into Juicy Blunt’s newest line of flavors, Peach Cognac is a wrap that promises the whole package. It’s always a pleasure to roll JB’s because the high leaf quality and tapered edge (for good adhesion) are a constant.
First thing you notice is the smell and how it’s pinpoint accurate. Juicy is starting to get damn good at recreating almost any aroma. I guess practice makes perfect.
This wrap doesn’t add any flavor to your smoke but does fill the air with a deep peach smell. It also smokes smooth and burns even. Overall, this blunt is solid and worth trying out.
Price: $1.50 tFS Rating: 7.0/10Juicy Blunts: Coconilla 100% Natural Leaves
October 26th, 2006 by Alex
Hard as it is to imagine, mankind was rolling joints and blunts long before LLC’s were dropping strawberry-flavored wraps. How did they do it? By taking a natural leaf, wrapping it around some crushed herbature and smoking the hell out of it. It was never rocket science, but today’s technology makes enjoying the green leaf easier than ever.
Enter 2006 and Juicy Blunt’s 100% natural leaves. Our staff was looking forward to something more interesting than the everyday blunt wrap. Not sure what to expect, the ziploc-esque bag was ripped open and a strong coconut smell released. The vanilla in these wraps is understated compared to the overpowering aroma of coconut.
Unfortunately, after the smell, things turn South. The leaves are wrapped in a big, gooey clump. They are covered in a brown, sticky substance that stains your fingers. There is no glue, so these take some real craftmanship to keep together. It’s probably a good idea to let the leaves dry for a couple of hours before using them.
A main aspect to point out is the shape of these wraps. Obviously, leaves aren’t made with perfectly straight edges, neither are these Juicy Blunts creations. The shape of your blunt is going to heavily rely on the shape of the leaf. Straight out of the packaging, getting the greenage tight inside its wrap is close to impossible.
Fortunately, there is an upside, and that’s smoking mother nature’s products. Post-rolling, these wraps smoke like a dream. Light, smooth and full-flavored - you’re going to find a hard time getting a better burn. Overall, we found that the 100% natural wraps are both more work and more reward. I don’t recommend them for the beginner smoker but can definitely see the appeal of these wraps to those willing to put in the work.
Price: $2.50 tFS Rating: 7.0/10Sante Neo FX Eyedrops
October 24th, 2006 by Alex
An essential and often forgotten item in the smokers’ toolbelt are eyedrops. Few people, including myself, have taken the time to think about what brand we buy or what other options are available.
You all know the drill - go to your closest Rite-Aid, make a bee-line for the Visine and drive home happy. That was me also, until my Japanese friend introduced me to the eyedrops to rule all eyedrops.
Sante FX Neo - produced by Santen in Japan - are one of the most refreshingly powerful experiences you will ever encounter. Santen, who makes an extremely wide range of drops, rates their products on a cool scale of 0 - 5. The labelings have been made easy to understand, even for us Westerners.
The office favorite, and by far the most powerful stuff Santen makes, is definitely the Neo FX brand. First, you must be careful not to go straight to the level 5 drops. These things are powerful, and skipping the first 4 levels of coolness will leave you in for a rude awakening. It’s much better to start at level 3 or so and work your way up.
So, what are the benefits? Other than bleaching your eyes white, these drops make colors seem brighter and the air crisper. Putting in eyedrops becomes more of an experience instead of a chore. Imagine diving into a freezing cold lake with your eyes wide open. That’s the best way to describe the Neo FX - it’s a wake-up call like no other.
The only catch with this product is the availability. Made and sold exclusively in Japan, it’s extremely hard to find importers. Luckily, after some old school Google digging, an online store that stocks Neo FX has been found! So if you’ve got it in you, drop the Visine and try something different.
Price: $14.50 tFS Rating: 8.5/10Blunt Wrap: Blueberry Burst
September 14th, 2006 by Tim
As usual, Blunt Wrap delivers on leaf quality - serrated edges and perfect moistness. Right when opening the blunt you get an intense serving of blueberry. During the roll, you’ll notice it’s more of a confused blueberry scent. Blunt Wrap have mixed something in there that’s hard to identify. Unfortunately, the smoke added no smell or taste, but the leaf itself had a sugary coating on it.
Overall, I liked this wrap. Not too much on the flavor but a solid buy nonetheless.
Golden Wrap: Peach
September 12th, 2006 by Alex
When it comes to smell, taste, smokeability and any other category you can think of - Golden Wrap comes through. Gummed leaves make sure you get a strong, even seal when rolling. The peach smell is on target, but not too strong. Everything smokes smoothly and generates a really nice aroma.
When I’m able to say something negative about Golden Wrap papers, tFS readers will be the first to know. Fortunately, today is not that day.
