Lemonade Sweet Stones

The purchase I made during this trip was Lemonade Sweet Stones, produced by Encore Edibles. These hard candies come individually wrapped in a 10-pack, and each piece contains 10mg of THC. The specific strain is not specified, nor is it stated whether the cannabis is from a sativa or indica variety.

Appearance 4/5
The Sweet Stones came sealed in a black plastic tin, with a large gold label. The back of the container offers ingredient information, and there was a sticker on the side that listed more information about the THC content, though no strain was given. I didn’t find that the container had much shelf appeal, to be honest.

The 10 Sweet Stones came individually wrapped in plastic wrappers, which bore the Encore Edibles logo and a THC warning. I liked that these came individually wrapped because otherwise I could see the candies sticking together on a hot, humid day.

The Sweet Stones were a very attractive amber-yellow color, and held a sort of hexagonal shape. They were stamped with a triangle on top, which added some visual flair, as well. Although they were uniform in shape, they had an artisanal look that was simply undeniable.

Aroma 4/5
Being a hard candy, the Sweet Stones didn’t carry a strong scent, but I did pick up on some lemon and cannabis aromatics. Of course, there was no scent until I opened the container and unwrapped a piece, but that probably goes without saying.

Taste 3/5
While I liked the taste of the Sweet Stones overall, they were not a standout edible for me, flavor-wise.

I tasted the lemon right away, but it had an artificial quality, in my opinion, similar to a Lemonhead candy. Even more prominent was a honey flavor, though I was surprised to not see “honey” anywhere on the list of ingredients. Instead, it looks like the primary sweetener is corn syrup.

The Sweet Stones take a long time to dissolve in your mouth, which is a good thing – if you enjoy the flavor, that is.

Effect 3/5
I took a full dose (10mg or single piece) for my first experience with the Sweet Stones. I don’t know if it was the slow-to-dissolve nature of the candies or what, but they seemed to take quite a while to kick in. I usually feel the effects of an edible within 45 minutes, but with these, it was taking about an hour before I started to notice anything.

When it did come on, I felt the high to be fairly mild, peaking at around 2 hours. I felt some mild euphoric feelings, and a tinge of body high. So, if I had to guess, I’d say these were some type of sativa dominant hybrid. But again, no indication was given, so I’ll never know for sure.

The high didn’t seem to last as long as it might with other edibles, particularly chocolate-based ones, which was disappointing. A second experience with one-and-a-half pieces did give me a better high, more akin to other 10mg edibles I’ve had, but I don’t want to have to use more product for a result I can get more efficiently elsewhere.

Product price: $30

I wouldn’t recommend the Lemonade Sweet Stones to experienced users, or to those seeking a potent dose for medical use. These edibles simply didn’t pack the punch of others in their class. New users might appreciate the very gradual build-up, and relatively clear-headed high you get, however, the difficulty in breaking up a piece into smaller doses could be an issue.

Encore Edibles Lemonade Sweet Stones seem to be a pretty average edible. The packaging could definitely be more eye-catching, though that isn’t the most important factor, of course. The taste is good enough, but I’ve tried edibles that were great tasting in their own right. Most importantly, the high these produced just came up short for me, especially when compared to other 10mg edibles. I may try other Encore Edibles products in the future, but these Lemonade Sweet Stones are not getting a callback.

Address: 1816 S Arlington Heights Rd. Arlington Heights, IL 60005
Phone number: 847-755-2992
Hours: Sunday 1 PM – 5 PM
Monday Closed
Tuesday 9 AM – 8 PM
Wednesday 9 AM – 8 PM
Thursday 9 AM – 8 PM
Friday 9 AM – 8 PM
Saturday 9 AM – 8 PM

Verilife is a medical-only cannabis dispensary located in Arlington Heights. The dispensary is nestled in a strip mall off Golf and Arlington Heights Rd., just a bit north of a Jewel-Osco.

From the outside, it’s not immediately apparent what Verilife is. In fact, the first time I saw it, I didn’t realize that it was a dispensary. It has a very clean, modern storefront, and the name was ambiguous enough to not give it away. I thought it might have been a spa, cryogenic facility, or chiropractor.

Though strictly medical, Verilife does allow those without medical cards to enter its main lobby. This was really nice on my visit, as I was with my wife, and for once, she didn’t have to wait in the car.

Verilife’s lobby is sparse, but comfortable, with people at the front desk who are extremely helpful and friendly in answering any questions customers have. There are several tables laid out with information on all sorts of cannabis products and strains, and they’ve also printed out several menus so that customers who haven’t pre-ordered can browse.

Since I had already pre-ordered, I was able to enter the main sales area, which is visible from the lobby because it’s encased in glass. The sales attendant was great — he told me of his experience with one of the products I had purchased, which made me pretty psyched to try it. They also hooked me up with a 15% discount on my first purchase, which was awesome.