By pancakenap in Data Summary — Dec 19, 2024

2024 Year in Review - Whole Flower Cannabis Offerings

This year, I reviewed cannabis offerings across the medical, recreational, and traditional markets, focusing on both price and quality. By analyzing these products in the context of variance from average benchmarks, we can identify the standout performers in each category. Below, I’ve outlined key averages and insights as a foundation for highlighting the best offerings. For a deeper look at price and purchase stats over the year, check back to yesterday's post.

Market Benchmarks

Here are the benchmark averages for cannabis purchased and reviewed in 2024, broken down by market:

Medical Market

• Total Purchased: 87.5g

• Total Spent: $529.30

• Average Price per Gram: $6.87

• Average Rating: 8.9/10

The medical market consistently delivered high-quality cannabis but at the highest cost per gram among the three markets.

Recreational Market

• Total Purchased: 213.5g

• Total Spent: $1,147.61

• Average Price per Gram: $6.53

• Average Rating: 7.2/10

While offering competitive prices close to the medical market, the recreational market’s quality lagged behind, reflected in its lower average rating.

Traditional Market

• Total Purchased: 112.0g

• Total Spent: $427.42

• Average Price per Gram: $3.82

• Average Rating: 10.0/10

The traditional market stood out as the most cost-effective and consistently high-quality source. Every product reviewed from this market received the highest rating.

Annual Rating Trends

Throughout 2024, product ratings varied, with a maximum score of 9.8/10 awarded in January and a minimum of 6.8/10 in April. The average rating for the year was 7.9/10, reflecting a generally favorable experience with most offerings.

• Highest Quality Month: January, with an average rating of 9.8/10.

• Lowest Quality Month: April, with an average rating of 6.8/10.

Average rating awarded to whole flower cannabis products rolled up monthly.

The medical and traditional markets contributed significantly to the higher-rated months, while the recreational market often skewed lower.

Now, let's narrow our focus to look at expenditure on medical and recreational cannabis brands in Canada.

Brands Purchased: A Breakdown of 2024 Spending

This year’s cannabis purchases were distributed across a range of brands in both the recreational and medical markets. While the medical market dominated in quality, recreational brands offered a wide variety of options, often at competitive prices. Here’s a closer look at where the money went.

Top Brands by Expenditure

Endo, a house brand from Mendo in the medical market, accounted for the largest share of spending at 14.0% of the total. Its consistent quality and availability made it a reliable choice throughout the year.

Baked followed as the second-highest expenditure, comprising 7.8% of the total. This was largely due to a single high-priced purchase: an ounce costing $171, which stands out as one of the most expensive purchases of the year.

Other notable brands in terms of expenditure included:

• Tuck Shop (7.3%)

• The Loud Plug (7.2%)

• Victoria Cannabis Company (5.1%)

These brands combined accessibility with quality, offering consistent performance across multiple product lines.

Value and Variety from Smaller Brands

Lower-cost purchases from smaller brands like Cheers, Coterie, and Rocket Factory comprised a smaller percentage of total spending but contributed to variety. These brands, each making up around 3% of the total expenditure, were selected for their unique offerings and competitive pricing.

Good Buds and Partake had the smallest shares of total spending, at 1.6% and 2.5%, respectively. While these brands didn’t account for much of the overall budget, they both represent brands offering good value at their respective price points.

Highs and Lows: Price and Expenditure

At the higher end, Baked’s $171 ounce stood out as a premium purchase although I wouldn't repeat often at that price.

Next, we’ll look at the all reviews with detailed price points, and I'll provide comment about the qualitative scope.

Cannabis Reviews of 2024: Price View

Below is the complete list of cannabis products reviewed this year. The table includes the product name, brand, producer, package size, price, and price per gram (excluding tax). To provide more context, I calculated the variance from the average price for each package size and applied color coding for easy reference:

Green highlights products priced significantly below the average.

Red highlights products priced significantly above the average.

Far right column shows variance from price average for that package size.

The Minimum End: Budget-Friendly Cannabis Offerings

Here, we focus on products that achieved a variance of greater than 20% under the average price per gram for their package size. Whether it’s an ounce, an eighth, or a quarter ounce, these represent the most affordable purchases of the year.

Tribal’s Bubble Up and Neon Sunshine: These two offerings stood out among the low-cost selections, delivering excellent quality at a fraction of the average price for their package size. Tribal’s ability to balance affordability with consistent quality makes these products noteworthy.

D. Burger by Fraser Valley: This ounce, priced at just $2.68 per gram, represents the best value by volume.

Gluegrangutan by Good Buds: A 7g package priced at $3.82 per gram is notably low and quality was satisfactory for that price point.

The High End: Premium Offerings

Now we turn to the products that exceeded the average price per gram for their package size by more than 20%, representing the most expensive offerings reviewed this year. While some of these high-cost items delivered exceptional quality, others struggled to justify their price tag.

Billy’s Pheno by Carmel

This eighth was exceptional and stood out for its rich terpene profile and potent effects. Though it was one of the pricier eighths I’ve purchased this year, its quality makes it a product I would gladly buy again.

Baked Ounce

Priced at $171, this ounce from the recreational market delivered impressive quality, but the high cost makes it unlikely for me to repurchase. For a more balanced price-to-quality ratio, I preferred Tuck Shop’s ounce, which offered similar quality at a more reasonable price.

Exotic Gas and First Class Funk Ounces

These ounces were notably expensive compared to the average, typical for premium recreational market offerings. While they delivered solid experiences, their high price tags may make them less appealing for regular purchase unless you’re seeking specific flavor or potency profiles.

G Wagon by Victoria Cannabis Company

Though costly, G Wagon was worth every penny. The exceptional quality and distinct profile make it a standout among premium-priced products, ideal for special occasions or when quality is the top priority.

Full Review List of 2024

Next, we’ll review the full list of ratings for the year. This includes all 28 whole flower products I purchased, their vendors, and my ratings out of ten. Below, we’ll highlight the 13 top-rated offerings.

Far right column shows qualitative rating out of ten.

Best Rated Cannabis of 2024

As mentioned, 13 offerings received a perfect 10/10 rating this year. Achieving this score isn’t particularly difficult within my three-dimension rubric, where each element—visuals, feel, and olfaction—is evaluated as bad, neutral, or good.

These 13 offerings excelled in all categories, delivering good visuals, feel, and olfactory experience:

Here are the standouts for quality among this year’s top-rated products, all of which scored a perfect 10/10.

First on the list is 10 G’s from Rocket Factory. This offering was truly excellent, and I have very fond memories of it. Rocket Factory has consistently impressed me with its quality, though I’m uncertain about their grow operations, which always makes me cautious about consistency. Despite that, I’d happily revisit this one.

Billy’s Pheno from Carmel is another standout. I’ve already mentioned my appreciation for it, and I’d definitely buy it again. It’s a great example of high-quality cannabis worth its premium price, even though it's a rotating offering. Similarly, Simply Bare made the list twice with Bridesmaid and Fruit Loopz. While I’m not a die-hard fan of their offerings, they always deliver on quality, and both deserved their perfect scores.

One of my favorites this year was G Wagon from Victoria Cannabis Company. It’s a product that left a lasting impression on me, even as the year came to a close. Its diversity and quality make it one of the more memorable experiences of 2024.

Another notable mention is Laker Kush from Papers Craft Co., sold through the Endo brand. While pricier than I typically pay for medical market cannabis, it was worth every penny. Fans of Lindsay OG might find this strain to be a unique twist on that lineage, offering something familiar yet distinct.

Lemonatti from Cheers also made the list. While it was slightly dry if memory serves, it delivered a solid experience. Similarly, Mutant Tire Fire from Next Friday stood out, especially for fans of sulphurous GMO profiles. It hit the mark on flavour and was offered at a great price point.

Neon Sunshine from Tribal deserves mention too. With a vibrant flavor profile and a price of just $23 for the package, it’s hard to beat for value and quality.

At the same price-per-gram level but in a larger package, Purple Cookie Punch from Baked was another highlight. I enjoyed the entire ounce and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it, though the price has since increased.

For a more cost-effective option, Purple Fuel from Tuck Shop was exceptional. At $130 for an ounce, it competes strongly with the black market, offering convenience and quality at a reasonable price.

Space Funk by Supernova Farms is one I’ll continue to revisit. I’ve purchased it twice now and plan to buy it again—it’s that good. Finally, Unicorn Poop from Partake rounds out the list. This offering exceeded expectations, delivering impressive quality for a price below the average, making it a great value.