Mutual friends, (Down to Fade) introduced me to Big Ed by laying a “mylar” of his magical flowers on me over the fourth of July weekend. I opened the packet up and the terpenes burst into my workroom, filling the air with spices and smiles. This wasn’t your typical NYC/Washington Square Street weed; it was something much more sophisticated and exhilarating. Something that caught me unaware and therefore tasting notes were certainly in order. Some really fine smoke here which immediately took me down a rabbit-hole. Similar to Big Ed, my tolerance levels deserve a tolerance break, maybe someday down the line… But the sample of GottiGirl is definitely calling my name.
Tasting Notes for GottiGirl, by: Warren Bobrow
Appearance: Sitting in front of me, I have a little nug of the GottiGirl. The curing is gorgeous. Moist and compact, colorful, and tinged with fluorescent green splashes and orange threads. Crystalline in nature, the oils from the flower ooze to the surface in tightly wound rivulets of black to bright green. Diamonds of resin capture my imagination and bring me a knowing smile. Sure, I have a really high tolerance, but GottiGirl smashed that one out of the park. This is definitely cannabis for the well “seasoned” smoker. Something that you can smell all over the backyard, even on a windy day. Wow. Impressive.
Nose: Spicy notes of cardamom bitters, brown butter-soaked hoecakes, caramelized quince and snippets of tarragon scattered over the top.
Palate: This is perfectly geared to my wine conscious palate with richly textured smoke that fills my mouth with droplets of Barrell Bourbon, a quality, not quantity-like alacrity.
Finish/Stone: Because of the masterful curing, I’m not compelled to cough, not even a tiny bit, nice work. Part of this is the pipe that I selected for the tasting. A 503 Liberty glass piece that has special meaning for me because the former owner is now gone and it gives off beautiful, healing energy of times past. I think it is important to resonate with glass smoking implements. Especially ones with so much craftsmanship, just like the craft cannabis held within.
GottiGirl works her magic through the implementation of vitality and passion.
Tasting Notes for GaryPayton x FishScale
Nose: David Austin old garden roses, dew-drop,peach scented with beads of sweet cream and Jersey “late-summer” corn pudding. Crushed peppercorn, Incendiary Thai chilies, orange zest and brown butter come into view. Snipped field grass in the back of my throat. Good stuff!
Palate: Texture of freshly turned loam, sod grass, husked corn and droplets of kerosene and hot, synthetic motor oil. (In a good way). Each hit is met, not with resistance- but with calm acceptance of your fate. And that would be the desire to take another, and then another. Similar to the art of drinking a Ti Punch. A vexing amalgamation of Rum, Demerara sugar, and lime. It’s all in there. I taste it still. And I haven’t had a drink in five years.
Finish/Stone: There I go again, down the rabbit hole. With Instagram next to me on my phone, it’s only the pang of hunger that says get back to work and finish these tasting notes. The finish is gassy on the nose, and it jumps like a gazelle across my whatever is left of my mind like your expensive fishpond koi attempting an escape from that errant, hungry racoon. Cannabis like this is the good stuff and great fun for my mind. It stimulates intellectualism and makes me want to reinvent the lightbulb. Ok, maybe not the lightbulb, but it’s been a long time (ok, about a week) since I’ve had so much fun writing!
Thank you, Big Ed, for the inspiration.
Warren: Please tell me about your relationship with the plant? When did you discover it? Who were you with? What strain?
Big Ed: I first tried cannabis in 1991 I was 11years old at the time. Cannabis being smoke around me was normal. My older cousin who was 21 at the time let me hit his joint. Back then most of the cannabis around was Mexican brick weed.
Warren: When you smoke, what is your favorite strain? Why?
Big Ed: Right now, my favorite strain is GottiGirl. I like it because I hunted through about 60 seeds to find it, and from the first time I smoked it until now it still tastes the same and have the same effects. My tolerance levels are sky high, so I usually know by the second pull if it’s a keeper. It’s a cross of BlueGotti (by Backpack Boys) x SHORTiER by FrostyMcNosty & Miracop. I believe SHORTiER is a LemonTree and Gelato cross he said. It also tested at 29% THC and 5% terpenes. Any tips I can give is if you have the space, and you want to find the best of the best you’ll have to run the whole pack of seeds. Also, patience I have discarded more plants than I have kept looking for a unicorn.
Warren: What makes your product different, therefore better? Do you admire the work of others? Who?
Big Ed: I believe my love for the plant makes my product better. A lot of people get into cannabis for money. I actually love this plant and want to share my love of it with the world. The best way to do that is produce high quality flower. I also realized that fresh cannabis is the best cannabis. I had a grower tell me cannabis is not like wine it doesn’t get better with age, and then he gave me some flower that he just finished curing and that was my first time smoking fresh cannabis. It was a game changer I was like damn so this what I’ve been missing. So, my goal is to give people the freshest cannabis possible. I admire Frosty McNosty he’s a real down to earth guy, and he really looked out for me when he asked me to test some seeds for him. That how I found GottiGirl. I also want to give credit to Dave the head grower at LOWD in Portland Oregon. He was the one who told me about Cannabis not being like wine and most people smoke old cannabis. He also really lit the spark for me to grow. He told me to go for it if it was something I was serious about.
Warren: What are your six and twelve-month goals?
Big Ed: My 6-month goal is to finish up this pheno hunt I’m doing it’s another 60 seed hunt I’m doing for MiraCrop. I also have some crosses I made I’m growing out now. Hopefully I can find something nice for the 2024. Over the next 12 months I hope to expand my grow and network more with like-minded individuals who care about quality and care giving, over quantity and profit.
Warren: What is your passion?
Big Ed: Growing and sharing cannabis is my passion. The look on a person face when you give them some top-quality cannabis and their reaction is priceless. This plant been a part of my life for over 30 years. Cannabis was used to bring people together, and to this day it still does. I have met people I would probably have never talked to over a joint or bong rip. When I think of cannabis, I think of the hippies in the 60’s & 70’s and how they were preaching peace, love, & happiness. That’s what I want to bring back to the cannabis industry. I just recently left the teaching field after 15 years to concentrate on building my brand and growing cannabis. It was a tough decision, but I felt if I didn’t try, I would regret it. I also know when I lock in on something I’m focused and with my 30 years of smoking, selling, & just being around cannabis I could do it. I read my first High Times magazine when I was 12 my uncle had a subscription. I was enamored by the photos and the articles about cannabis. When I was in college that was when my taste buds and standards changed for the cannabis, I smoked. It was a lot more indoor flower available and Purple Haze, Sour Diesel, and Blueberry was heavy on the east coast early 2000’s it was costly but worth it. I started growing during the pandemic. I was working from home, and felt I had the time to do it. My state also was about to come online with decriminalizing marijuana. It was like the stars were getting aligned for me to grow. Once I started, I was hooked (on growing). I started off with one tent and now 8 tents later I still want more!!!
Photo with 503 Liberty Pipe: Warren Bobrow
All other photos: Courtesy Big Ed