Soiku Bano Pastelitos de Guava Cold Cure Live Rosin Review
Highlights
Experience
Previously experiencing Black Maple #22 on its own from Soiku Bano beforehand and coming away quite impressed, I had a few curiosities before sampling this blend. Would the flavors pair well together? Could the fruitiness from Strawberry Guava balance the “gas” heavy nature of Black Maple 22? And would the effects clash or blend harmoniously into something of its own?
Luckily, I can tell you that they do in fact pair quite well together, on a number of levels. From texture, to aroma and taste, and finally effect – they all benefit well from blending and provide a unique experience for the end user. Regardless of if they have sampled its ingredients separately, the end result of Pastelitos de Guava is greater than the sum of its individual parts.
Texture
Visually it’s hard to ask for more than this: a wonderful pale golden yellow color with a delectable texture landing between cake batter and apple sauce. Wet with terpenes, cannabinoids, and other gifts from the plant, but it still held a solid micro-crystalline structure that gives and holds its shape. Smashing down the pearl-shaped cold cure releases the inner juices and makes for an easy mixing process, one I highly recommend for a consistent experience throughout the jar. The packaging is clean and simple, with minimal environmental waste. A black slip case with purple and green designs all over, concealing a square black jar with the two gram “lunita” pearl waiting for you inside.
Aroma
The initial scent is a journey from sugary lemon into strawberry candy, then notes of mixed fruit, spices, and gas reminiscent of Sherbanger come into play. There are some notes of white grape in the aroma, but you have to look for it over the rest of the fruitiness. The smell is fascinating after recently finishing some Black Maple #22 from Soiku Bano. This jar being a mix of Black Maple and StrawGuava, I was pleasantly surprised to find the StrawGuava candy strawberry notes holding their own against the heavy gas element of Black Maple. The piercing gassy fumes are toned down and the flavors from the Black Maple blend well with the candy strawberry and white grape.
Mode of Consumption
The majority of this jar was consumed using my American glass rig with a Highly Educated Gavel SE quartz bucket and Zach Brown Glass directional cap. While I did try the Pastelitos de Guava through my Puffco Peak Pro with a 3DXL chamber a few times, it was solely for convenience sake and not from preference. This rosin handled both my purple (480°F) and white (510°F) settings on the Puffco with ease, providing no throat irritation and easy single q-tip clean up.
Flavors & Mouthfeel
At certain temperatures I get an almost waffle cone vibe from the Black Maple, yet this mix leans strongly towards a heaping portion of strawberry jam spread over lightly spiced and sweet shortbread. The sinus-stinging gassy fumes are reeled back into a much more balanced level here. The StrawGuava dominates the inhale and first half of the flavor experience before leaving a candy-like strawberry mouthfeel. That flavor coats your mouth as it transitions towards sweet white grapes, muted spices, and faint pepper, with the touch of vanilla-y toasted waffle cone. Overall, the Pastelitos de Guava has a really enjoyable blend of flavors and is well-rounded in its execution.
Effects
This is a great choice for mid-day or later in the evening due to the StrawGuava’s heavier body stone. You can’t deny the initial punch of effects from the Black Maple in this mix. It was surprisingly more of a focused high for me, where it was much easier to keep my mind set on one thing at a time without distraction. The Black Maple still brings a lot of its social and uplifting energy to the table, but it’s tempered by the StrawGuava. The Pastelitos de Guava is perfect for higher pain days where I needed medication, but not something that would slow me down or put me to sleep.
