The minimum dose of Nu’s 1:1 Cannabis Tincture wasn’t quite enough to register on my radar, but that’s because my radar wasn’t tuned in to the vibes this oily mouthful was laying down. The complex citrus perfume—a tapestry of grapefruit, tangerine, and satsuma—was too reminiscent of a sugary nug of Super Lemon Haze, and the skunky nuances led me to erroneous expectations. The familiar terpene immediately lifted my mood and imparted the subconscious suggestion that this sublingual would fuck me right up, despite the modest 5mg each of THC and CBD in a single serving. What I was expecting was not what I received, but, just like the time Amazon sent me a mint-green anime wig instead of a strawberry-blonde anime wig, I liked it, so I’m leaving a positive review.

The breezy citrus is a skillful balance of tart and sweet notes, and though the oily delivery makes for a greasy gullet, the authentic tang of the oil makes the lustrous mouthfeel at the very least tolerable.

Eating a spoonful of warm oil is not appealing, even when it promises an adorable buzz. My initial impression was that I should have used this with food instead of just squirting it directly into my open mouth. The fragrant citrus bouquet of this oil felt like a culinary luxury. It would have been perfectly appropriate served in a dipping bowl with an aged balsamic vinegar alongside slices of fresh, airy baguette, but on its own, it is a spoonful of warm lemon oil. In my opinion, this oil would have been appetizing in an emulsion for a salad, or drizzled on fresh heirloom tomato slices. The breezy citrus is a skillful balance of tart and sweet notes, and though the oily delivery makes for a greasy gullet, the authentic tang of the oil makes the lustrous mouthfeel at the very least tolerable.

My first mouthful was the minimum dose, which I found to be far too ephemeral for my needs. And my needs were considerable. I was deep in the woods of PMS, looking for a psychotropic head lamp to lead me out of this thorny hellscape. The onset was noticeable but only due to my diligent mindfulness. It arrived as an almost imperceptible blurring of all the hard edges of my reality. It was not the swooning space launch the noseful of limonene betrayed it to be, but it quietly developed into something with a subtle value of its own. What I had hoped for was a psychotropic flood light, but this lemon-scented candle would end up seeing me through the wilderness of pre-menstruation just fine.

For my second mouthful of Nu’s 1:1 Cannabis Tincture, I upped my dosage nearly threefold. And I was again immediately disappointed in myself for not incorporating this artisan dipping oil into a salad dressing. The upped dosage didn’t affect the tart flavor—it was just as bright and tangy as before. This onset was as shimmery and sheer as it had been with the minimum dose, but my results were much more creative and focused. There was the crystallized head high that seems to be a hallmark of the entourage effect, complemented by a weighted-blanket of a body high, all of which were soothing to the max. These two disparate highs were, in fact, perfect foils. I was laser-focused on my creative project, and my body was just there to support me. There’d be no urge to hike up a mountain or a take a long-ass bike ride, and for that I was grateful.

There were definite moments I thought, Damn, I am pretty high right now, but it felt like my posh little secret.

The clarity of the high was something I found particularly sophisticated. There were definite moments I thought, Damn, I am pretty high right now, but it felt like my posh little secret. I wasn’t off balance or giggly, and my eyes weren’t bloodshot, nor was my coat skunky with smoke. I wasn’t displaying any outward signs of stoniness, but I was still admittedly toasted.

All of this aside, the most important thing I want to convey is how delicious I think this oil would be blended in a margarita, or drizzled over an apple tart, or a painted across a thick slice of brioche avocado toast. Do this for me, my bougie herbal babies. This oil is remarkably more sophisticated than a sweaty bong rip of Sour Tangie, Lemon Diesel, or Super Lemon Haze, and while this is not a replacement for a smoke session by any means, it did put me in a productive, creative groove. This was an altogether delicious high, with subtle benefits that were easy to build upon. But most importantly, it has the potential to be one of the stars of my next cannabis-themed dinner party.