There are a fair number of strains commonly labelled as “Now N Later” or “Now N Later OG” or even “Now N Laterz” with a “Z” because of their hard-candy genetic origins.
This particular quarter-ounce of genuine EarthFire Genetics’ Now N Later features Candyland and Blue Power as its genetic parents and is a beautiful representation of what modern candies can be.
Blue Power is held in high regard by both younger smokers and old heads alike because of its classic sour smell, similar to Power and White Moonshine.
Candyland, while making no qualms about who it appeals to, is a popular choice because of its one-two punch of intense effect (courtesy the Bay Platinum Cookies) and juicy flavor (courtesy the Grand Daddy Purple).
This uplifting-leaning hybrid packs a potent punch and is a delight to the senses, testing at around 5% terpenes (compared to the 2-3% average for quality flower), which is evident in its room-filling strength.
Fortunately, the aroma is sweet and pleasant, not offensive, unlike that of some GMOs or skunk-influenced cultivars.
It’s been a while since I’ve smoked a good candy, as I’ve been making an effort to diversify my palette a little more after scrolling through my notebook and realizing I had developed a bit of a sweet tooth when it comes to strain selection.
Some folks love to hate on modern candy-profile genetics, and I enjoy the old-school too, but Now N Later is an excellent example of contemporary “exotic” cannabis done right.
Focus North is a gold standard for me and effectively what I benchmark everything else I smoke against, and I know Now N Later has been in their rotation for some time, so I know I’m getting a perfected product from what are some of the best cultivators in the state of Oregon, and thus, the world.
Appearance: Hypnotizing Depth of Crystalline Purple
Yeah, she may look like a baddie, but don’t be intimidated by the initial sour greeting. Now N Later is a ride-or-die type of girl worth having on your side.
Unfortunately, I had nearly finished my quarter-ounce of review herb before I put fingers to keyboard, so apologies for the limited up-close imagery.
The photos I took don’t look as purpose as the flower did in person, probably because of my janky apartment lighting.
Buds were medium-sized and chunky, with a healthy fat circumference, a rough, gnarled surface, and plenty of resin coverage.
No, they won’t out-purple Grandaddy Purps or Sirius Black, but there is definitely an enticing, deep, dark purpleness that lies just under those deceptively softer green hues.
Overall, this is what nice hand-trimmed craft cannabis looks like, so bag appeal is solid.
Smell: Tropical Fruit Forward Hazy IPA Vibes
If you are a fan of hard candy strains, Now N Later is worth considering. The dark berry sorbet depth of the Now N Later sour fruit profiles jumps up your nostrils and tickles your olfactory with a soft and friendly touch.
That sour fruit has what you could describe as a lighter sweet fuel note, like gasoline, not jet fuel or diesel, but a nice, consumer-friendly, grade-A premium unleaded.
But make no mistake: this is a candy, fruit-forward smoke, where the gas plays a supplementary background role, accentuating the bite of the fruit scent so commonly associated with citric-acid-enhanced hard/chewy fruit candies.
Is that also a tiny bit of star anise I detect? There is definitely a deeper, more nuanced scent here than in some hard candies or Z or Runtz archetypes.
In fact, the sheer strength of this could be easily associated with sour gummy worms or sour punch candy straws, with their sugar/citric acid coating eerily reminiscent of the dense trichome saturation on these Now N Later nugs.
Sticking my sniffer deep into my jar after a couple of weeks of opening and closing it, I notice the bite has receded somewhat, revealing a softer, tropical-fruit-forward, hazy IPA bouquet.
When it comes time to roll up, upon breaking up the bud, there is a resurgence of that Now N Later candy, with strong medicated cherry coughdrops and tart raspberry juice notes permeating the immediate vicinity of my grinder.
Heated gently with a vaporizer, I get strawberry-filled pop tart and sweet canned corn wafting past my nostrils, tempting me to come in for a sampling, which I happily did.
Inhalation is smoother than the hard candy gas notes would suggest, with a relatively fresh sensation on the lungs when vaped, and a cough-free, clean finish when combusted.
Exhale leaves a light, lingering sweetness, more akin to Mike & Ike, with no itchiness or scratchiness, and smokes like a true, friendly candy-oriented cultivar ought to.
Sensation: Bad Girls Just Want To Have Fun
In both the appearance and smell departments, you might be fooled into thinking the sensation when consumed would be an equally intense type of experience.
While the insane terpene content is definitely a treat, it’s much more of a fun, bouncy-house kind of experience than a roller-coaster adrenaline rush that sometimes accompanies cultivars that emit such sour odors.
This aligns perfectly with what I seek in my bud: sexy bag appeal, palate-whetting aromas, and a high that saturates and builds from within, rather than dragging me along as some more classically “sativa”- type strains will.
Terpene monsters are always a joy to consume as they pack the most flavor and generally impart a more complete (body and mind) experience that positively enhances my mood.
So if you’re still shopping based on tested THC percentages alone, I implore you to reconsider your selection methodology and consider looking at cultivation methods (i.e., living soil), harvest dates (fresher is better), and terpene/cannabinoid content (when available).
In addition to being a pleasant treat before writing this review, Now N Later was an equally pleasant companion during grocery shopping, gardening, and movie-watching.
As you can thus deduce, it’s not a sedative smoke nor does it transport your mind into space and leave it there. Instead, it’s like a Bluetooth speaker playing an uplifting soundtrack with you as you go about your day, making the world sparkle in a lighter hue than usual.
Now N Later is a beautiful culmination of Blue Power’s signature sour hallmarks, Candyland’s potency, and Purp’s flavor profile.
What’s not to love, getting both a mouth-watering flavor and an approachably fun sensation all in one sexy looking package?
So, hard candy fans, grab some Candyland x Blue Power Now N Later if you find it. Hippy uncles will also enjoy the old-school homage in Now N Later’s softly sour terpene profile.
Now N Later is a highly versatile smoke that appeals to a wide range of consumer preferences and experience levels, delivering equal strength across appearance, smell, and sensation.
What do you think, though? Are you a fan of Now N Later? How do you feel about candy strains in general?
Let us know in the comments!
