Intro

It’s Squid Pants here checking out Frozen Lemons from Msiku.  Here we try and separate the cannabis from the context of the producer.  Mostly.  This review makes me uncomfortable, so let’s dive in and watch me fidget uncomfortably!

Frozen Lemons

Frozen Lemons is bred by Capulator, so it should be no surprise there’s some MAC in there.  The genetics are Freezer Burn X Lemon Fire and the Freezer Burn is where the MAC figures in.

Msiku

Msiku is a brand under Atlanticann and I assume it’s a Mi’kmaq word.  I contacted the email address on the label for some background as after reading the brand’s website I was confused as to degree of First Nations ownership.  They say that the Mi’kmaq people used to be shareholders but aren’t now so all the names and branding this brand is using is to pay tribute to the fact there used to be an agreement with the Mi’kmaq in place before, but the Mi’kmaq have since sold their shares and departed the venture.  I felt it was worth pursuing an explanation from the brand as the wording in their marketing material could possibly confuse one into thinking it’s a majority First Nations owned company.

If it is the case that the words and imagery used are not representative of people and communities involved with the production and marketing of this cannabis then I’m not sure I am ok with this, but of course I do not have the entire story.  I have reached out to representatives from the Mi’kmaq nation and well as other First Nations activists for comment.  As of the time of writing I have had mixed success, so I cannot offer a full analysis here and there could be more to the story that resolves this in a positive way for all involved.  That said, if First Nations ownership of the producer/brand is part of your purchase decision, you are fairly cautioned here.

As I said, I do not know the entire story, maybe everything is actually fine here.  I am not a journalist and have done my best in this case.  (If any journalists want to talk to me about this and what information I have/who I’ve spoken to you can contact me through Instagram or Twitter and I’ll pass on the info and contacts I have.)

Ok, let’s move on.

Packaging

Black plastic jar with, instead of the usual foil lined seal, there is a tight fitting polypropylene inner lid with a tamper evident band.  Basically a wider version of the 2 litre bottle cap.  That inner cap and band are recyclable anywhere in Canada but the black plastic of the main jar body is not everywhere, so check before throwing in the blue bin.  Size fits the contents nicely so not oversized.  Contains a humidicant pack.

Looks

One huge bud with a few smaller buds to fill out the weight.  Colouring is uniformly green and there is nice trichome coverage.  Trim is clearly done by hand.  Hard to get to but obviously potent sugar leaves are still present in a few places.  The rough surface and secondary structures are clearly showcased.  It looks great.

Feel

Nice and dense.  This appears to have more of a classic sativa morphology so the density is surprising but return isn’t perfect.  Really sticky to the touch.  Grinds nicely and great adhesion in the grinds.

Scent

Astringent lemon zest and pine dominate with a secondary note of orange creamsicle.  Scent is far from shy.  I may have not said much here but this composition is wonderful.

Taste

Volcano:  Taste is the same as the scent.  As the cannabis dries down with use the taste fades but doesn’t change.  The fading of tastes is quite slow too, so tastes remain easily detectable right until the end. 

Joint:  The balance shifts mildly in the favour of the pine here, and burns quite nicely, not becoming bitter until about the last quarter of the joint.  I prefer the volcano but wouldn’t turn my nose up at a joint of this.

Price and Value

Before tax (but after a discount) I paid $34.81 for 3.5 grams, which is $9.95 a gram, from Green Merchant here in The Annex.  The container lists THC at 20.6% with negligible CBD.  Price per 100mg of THC is $4.83.  To see this quality one usually has to pay more per gram, especially at what is considered a small package size, so there’s definitely an argument in favour of value for money here.

This was packaged on December 3rd, 2021 and I opened it 80 days later on February 21st, 2022.

Conclusions

Let’s consider this cannabis in a vacuum.  If we do it’s fantastic and as a consumer I would love to see this quality become the standard for this price tier.  On it’s own credentials this is well worth a visit and in a vacuum I do recommend this.  But nothing exists in a vacuum.  As I keep saying I have some misgivings if I look at how the brand markets itself in combination with their statements on ownership.  It’s not the weed’s fault, just, caveat emptor.