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Ohio Medical Marijuana Strain Review:
Riviera Creek's Chocolope
Choco...little or Choco...lot?
Review & Photos by: Randy Shaffer
Packaging: First Impressions
Riviera Creek medical marijuana hails out of Youngstown, Ohio. We’ve already discussed their packaging in our review of Riviera Creek’s Garlic Cookies. Pouch design is simplistic and sleek, with a nice logo.
The name of the strain itself, found in the top corner, is a little tough to read. And patients can’t see the cannabis they are buying with this pouch. Patients with pain in their hands may also want to have a caretaker open the bag. I recommend cutting the top and opening the pouch by pulling the silver ends of the pouch in opposite directions. That seems self-explanatory on the surface, but inside the pouch there are two ends — the outside silver end, and an inside plastic lip. Pull on the silver one and the pouch should open without any trouble.
Cannabis Look: Out of the Bottle
Chocolope impresses with a dazzling mixture of amber pistils and creamy trichomes. The pine green leaves are absolutely covered here, barely visible beneath the dreamy sea of pearly white.
Bud colas in my pouch were about the size of a quarter. They were sticky to the touch and perfectly cured. This is one of those strains that’s just nice to look at, like a pine tree after a fresh snow.
The heavy layering of pistils suggests this should be a potent strain, and the equally heavy mixture of trichomes should deliver a nice one-two punch.
How Does It Grind?
Colas here grind up with about a dozen good turns. I found this strain to be a little sticky to grind. As such, it required a few extra turns to get the right consistency for vaping. Patients with hand pain should be aware of this and plan for it. Five quarter-sized colas yielded roughly three bowls of ground cannabis.
Smell Before Vaping
Subtle is not a part of Chocolope’s vocabulary. This is a dank, lemony strain through-and-through. Like a punch in the face, this one hits you hard with a pungent scent that can fill a room in mere minutes. I’m not joking. As I wrote this review, I had the pouch open. I left the room for a few minutes and when I returned, my entire room smelled of Chocolope … and continued to smell that way for several hours.
From the second I opened the bag, all the way through vaping — Chocolope emits a powerful citrus scent — almost like the scent of a fresh fruit smoothie. There’s also a subtle diesel undercurrent that adds a dank, moist aroma.
If you’re looking to be conspicuous with your cannabis use, this strain isn’t going to be for you. But for anyone looking to awaken their senses with one of Ohio’s strongest smelling strains, Chocolope should be a fruity, striking wonder to behold.
The Taste Test
I vaped this medical cannabis with an Arizer ExtremeQ vaporizer. I like to start my first bag at a lower temperature to open the terpenes, and work up to a higher temp to vaporize the cannabinoids.
Not unlike Garlic Cookies, I was half-worried about what this strain would taste like. Would it lean closer to chocolate … or cantaloupe? And would that mixture be worth combining? Thankfully, just as Garlic Cookies didn’t really host a garlic flavor, Chocolope doesn’t really taste like chocolate or cantaloupe. Rather, I noticed a subtle coffee flavor with each inhalation, followed by a floral, fruity undercurrent as I exhaled. There is also a beautiful minty finish. The combination is both refreshing and unique. Not unlike the aroma, Chocolope catches you off-guard and disarms you with its charm.
I was reminded of this drink my wife and I like to make, in which we brew a fresh cup of coffee using brewed black or green tea. This gives the coffee a rustic flavor, followed by a subtle herbal aftertaste. Plus added caffeine. As you drink this brew, affectionately called Sega, the two flavors mingle together and slowly change as you finish the drink. This strain provided that same sensation, slowly beginning to intertwine, almost meeting in the middle, as I further vaped this strain.
Some chocolate would go great with Chocolope. Or even a fruity yogurt to bring out more richness. I would also recommend a cup of your favorite morning brew.
Medicinal Benefits and Side Effects I Noted
The medicinal benefits noted below are for educational purposes only, and are not a substitute for the advice of a medical practitioner or licensed budtender.
This strain contains 29.97% THC. It also contains 0.30% CBD. Note: Chocolope is a high-THC strain. While this is beneficial to many patients, those sensitive to higher THC strains should use caution.
I awoke with incredible pain in my left foot – a sure sign of an arthritic attack. As fall sets in, my joints and muscles tend to have flareups like these, especially after running or yoga. And this year is no different.
I tend to go with indica strains, like Sundae Driver, for pain and inflammation relief, but my patient consultant at the dispensary suggested I give this strain a try.
I was not disappointed, either. Within minutes, I was feeling significant relief in my foot. Moments later, I was exercising and enjoying my day, free of the pain that plagued my morning.
The headband effect was also quite strong with this strain. I felt a mild cognitive delay after my first vape bag as well. This dissipated after a few moments, but felt rather refreshing and relaxing throughout. Those sensitive to this type of effect may want to take it slow with this strain.
I was shocked by how relaxing this strain felt. It’s the sort of sativa that will get your heart pumping, but keep you calm at the same time. Nervousness is kept to a minimum, while creativity and energy are readily available.
Final Thoughts on Chocolope
This sativa delivers a wild headband effect that did wonders for relieving stress and anxiety while relaxing the muscles and joints. Thus far, this is my favorite strain from Riviera Creek, and a new go-to sativa for me. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s next from this Ohio cannabis cultivator.
Have you tried Chocolope? If so, let us know how it worked for you in the comments below.
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I was shocked by how much flavor was packed into just one drag!
