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Dutch coffeeshops - post your latest reviews here!

NotYourSaviour

Well-known member
@The_Zientist

Lovely report!

Back from Amsterdam.

This time I decided to focus on traditional Moroccan hashish since one of my most favourite private contacts let me down for the very first time as reported last month and apart from that because of boredom obviously.

[Background interlude]

I usually visit all parts of one city often either this or an other across the country. In the last years, especially since Covid19 in 2020 and the lack of material on the black market I pretty much focussed on obtaining said traditional gear privately while I always keep my eyes open for other sources but one can't force anything, especially due to their consistency while coffeeshops during that time mostly offered watered down versions of traditional Moroccan landrace hashish.

Every now and then I picked up good quality at coffeeshops but mostly at well established ones having strong ties to certain contacts in the Rif since ages to some degree.

That's why I thought it would be funny to try some wares from more popular coffeeshops in the city centre as well as the so called community shops often managed by Moroccan people serving their merchandise to some degree to local people and as well as lots from Maghreb area. Latter coffeeshops or in general local spots seemingly are still a somewhat insider tip as they supposedly provide quality for a better price than the more touristic city centre ones[the same goes for coffeeshops outside of Amsterdam]which in my experience is not true at all.

What I experienced is that local shops are more aimed at regular customers and price policy is well more important than at so called tourist coffeeshops. Basic economy is more important than for more tourist shops: if there are too many price fluctuations for their wares their loyal clientle looks for other places pretty fast while tourists tend to have a different mindset.

The local shops may have a focus on price-/performance ratio but they rarely have standouts.

Which means they may have not many menu changes and a solid selection of certain strains even for indeed a bettter price as they tend to pay less for rents outside the centre, may have less staff and so on but they usually don't have the latest hashish or exotic strain from whereever. Their clientle tends to look for price-/performance ratio rather than the current up-to-date strain and often is less informed about the diversity of strains..

So one's White Widow or Amnesia is 1,5€-2€ cheaper here if one's lucky but the anal cunt I am is not interested to go there and paying with easily 30-45 minutes or what ever of my lifetime to get there when 1,5-2€ would have saved my lifetime as I could just pick it up at immediately at any touristic coffeeshop for said higher price as I indeed pay for convenience as the quality isn't as different as chalk and cheese ; naive fallacy, anyone?
My lifetime is just more precious than this in my humble opinion since I can't buy time back but I can save time.
Though this is only directed at people wanting to 'save money' as you pay anyway. So if one is about exploring a city in all parts and picking up gear along the way that is a different story!

Personally I can understand local people want to spend less money especially when consuming daily but as a tourist it isn't important to me as I want the up-to-date stuff respectively 'the future' because as mentioned before the newest hypestrain from the tourist shops will be, if successful, around in the community shops months/years later when it is most probably 'outdated' as new strains coming up everytime. Needless to say I don't go to Nederland exclusively for hashish but it is a bonus beside mates and some holidays ; wouldn't anyone advise to go only for that as well but who am I to jugde?

Let's put it this way: innovation is a sorta challenge cup as e.g. Tweede Kamer once was a local shop way back which turnt into a chain with pseudo-brands like Rifman hashish and other exoctics aimed at a tourist crowd when roughly at the latest when damn Covid19 kicked in they recollected themselves and now for a good while are carrying about locals a lot more is my impression with a rarely changing menu seemingly focussed on price/performance ratio.
Now the likes of Plug, Terps Army and others 'took over' the tourist market and being the new innovative ones now before hopefully others will come up and the game restarts - very, very roughly put! Consistency doesn't often come up with innovation but risk does if you get my drift.
Basic market psychology me thinks:biglaugh:.

A certain circle of patrons of the local shops would break this 'vicious cycle' via 'In the end my not up to date gear from the local coffeeshops does the trick as well and that's what everyone wants, isn't it’[often accompanied with a smile and a wink when stating this]which is difficult to disprove but in the end a knockout argument. Though again and most importantly in the end breaking this all down: each to their own[Wait, isn't this just another knockout argument, lol?]
[End of background]


Flashback


Despite my guts feeling bought something of their very blonde Moroc for 12€[put up a picture here ] as not often seen in recent years and was hoping for a certain type.

Texture was evenly what I ignored coffeeshop and past considered because still had hope as it was more solid and almost powdery(not too dry though).

Unfortunately while smelling flowerish and promising it pretty much apart from being smooth lacked taste. For 12 € and failing on the usual tests merely a midgrade quality.

Real disappointment since I expect better from them considering purchases in the past[good price/performance ratio back then and until sorta crisis started around 2020 with Covid19 it was 9€ per g and good quality if not very or exceptional of course] and this being their only offer hashwise as usual it is a shame sorta as those types of coffeeshops for hashish were one of my favourites as focussing on one or two offers for hashish instead of too many with marginal differences - no bullshit! Let alone the price was often good compared to others[ though also local shops in general can't perform miracles again and I wonder why :biggrin:?}as probably buying in bulk too so even more a scandal they raised their price but in the end shows market situation possibly.

Mr K

Budtender recommended Mulberry for 15 € and something else. Went for this as it indeed reminded of Mulberries when I nosed the tub.

I know about stupid names and the idea of suggestion, psychologically speaking, let alone the marketing of the stupid name game but in this case the name was adequate.

Got told it is 90u and even indeed 'only' double filttered and not their best product still as good as many so called Frozen Sifts at the minute and being from a section I have heard many things of since a good while but had yet to experience.

So a no brainer I had to try it. Smell was interestingly enough pretty much tranfered to the more or less one dimensional very taste along with some smoothness.

If there isn't something odd there I'm impressed by the taste itsself as I had well grown organic homegrown Blue Cheese(Big Buddha)for years from our crew and many subpar Blueberry variants from coffeeshops but never in this intensity of 'sorta berries'. The Blue Cheese we had an own selected cut for years which had strong notes of berries while the stuff from coffeeshops, Blueberry and so on, was mostly rubbish not containing such intensity , merely light notes.

Almost too good to be true but I had similar intense moments with peaches as reported before in recent months with samples of so called drysifts though this here was a touch heavier. Too I'm familiar with dabbing concentrates and the intensity of that flavour which in my humble opinion is unbeatable if one is lucky to dab or vape a high quality product, very thick flavour similar to a sauna infusion. Saying that this Mulberry is not that type of pungent flavour[or compared to static ones I reported about]but distinctive, what ever this means, haha.

Just saying as among others discovered the use of artificial taste more than 15 years ago at coffeeshops ; they started to spray White Widow[insert some strain] with strawberry taste and sold it for a few € more these cretins[ though there is a certain circle of customers still wanting this seemingly to this very day so who's to blame here? ],

Apple and Blueberry followed later[ I never used it but reminds me of the same procedure at hookah lounges and flavoured tobacco, yuk. Probably a similar clientle going to both establishments.] Also I remember I heard from others Popeye shithole in Amstedam used to give their Vanilla Kush batches a drop of vanilla tincture or what ever more than ten years ago(or still? These wankers!), disgusting.

Either this is just a new flavour or I'm out of date[definitely to some degree:laughing:!]. This is more intense than the peach flavour which as said carried many in recent months but to a natural degree. This here is either just new to me or indeed even stronger in intensity but on the other hand leaves no too long or short aftertaste on my palate which I heard is a sign of additives as this supposedly happened in the past too but I gladly have yet to experience(respectively hopefully never).

So I give it the benefit of the doubt and say a good high grade product overall , especially considering the price these days and potency on par with many of that range so a lovely price-/performance ratio but still not the most intense flavour ever so all in all good but not very good or exceptional to be totally anal again. 'If this is natural though should make the majority of smokers happy'.

Since 'name and shame“ as well as 'Credit where credit is due' is my philosophy when rating stuff I despite not liking those pseudolabels will name this section for said reasons: 'they' operate under the label 'Drytech'. I take this discussion to this lovely Import thread and will ask there.

The Plug

Here I got me some more darkish Tidghine for 13€ which had some flowery notes but spicyness dominated in my humble opinion.

Because of the bit different taste it is the second best tradtitional this time but even though a high grade these days borders on being a commercial one as intensity of taste leaves room for improvement despite a lovely aftertaste.

Massawa

Shame their so called best is now sold too under the inflated term Beldia I personally among others find silly here for 12,5€ since recent years and other visits but I wanted to give the current batch a go since the darkish, fudgey lump looked tempting.
A good example obviously for current so called high grades as the smell, burn and so on was promising flowery but only came up with subtle notes tastewise. Good point was its strength but otherwise just a commercial high grade to me then, bummer.

Hashtag

They took over Barney’s Lounge a few months back which is remarkable somehow ; pseudo original and stupid name for a shop again me thinks by the way though I get the joke to some degree.

Howver, tried some nice enough foreign genetics before here and since knowing some of their suppliers from personal experience are relatively known for quality I decided to give their traditional version named Honey Hash for 14€ a gram a go.

From all tries this trip this darkish piece looked the most appealing to me as resinous and having a flowerey smell and taste.

Sadly the latter one is too weak again and so all in all still a commercial high grade to me even though this might be exaggerated but for 14€ I expect something more from that way.

Reefer

Lemon Bean[23€ per gram] by my second favourite section it was then. Another suggestion as it had a citrussy sour moment along a pronounced kush taste? Strength was delivered to my satisfaction as well. Another fine product from them. Good high grade with foreign genetics I would like to have at home any time[still room for improvement BlahBlahBlah, sorry couldn't resist!]

Greenhouse, Family First, Bulldog( maybe their Beldia for lovely 16€ would have hit the right spot?Not totally impossible but doubt it – it certainly would have did the trick, lol ), Green Place, Balboa Family, De Bommel, Solo,
Resin(
These Rip-Off-Merchants now have a new menu after so many years of stagnation and also offer Dry, Cali and stuff. Next!),Terps Army(think they or somewhere else had this overhyped 'Piatella' ice-o-lator on for around 100€ from Spain if I remember correctly? Their Gmo and Forbidden Fruit both looked tempting in their own ways but passed since I was after the tradtitionals they couldn'`t come up with), Old Church,
Barney's, Siberie ( should have went for their darkish Caramello for 14€ a g which would have been the first purchase in a good while for some reasons), Kashmir(their King Hasssan for 16€ looked nice enough but overpriced as usual here but while I'm on it they had about 4 other hashes from Asia: Nepal, Malana, all 22€ / g each and both at least looked nice enough but in general still not much interest as mentioned a thousand times before myself),
The Store, The Dream ( in retrospect too should have chosen their best Moroccan Dream Delight for 13 € which looked more blondish and had a lovely shiny texture!), Het Gelderse, Kadinsky (need a new menu update as well badly as so outdated in terms of hashish), El Marssa(another mistake as I either should have accepted the call of their darkish Super Marssa for 12€ or their blonde Tidghine for 13€), Bushdocter, Tweede Kamer ( Tbisla for 12€ looked nice enough ; too sold something Silver Haze Dry which was whitish, crystalline, crumbly and 120€ a gram, never seen such stuff in real life yet)and Original Dampkring ( that was a real bummer as for some reasons I only could throw a glance at their traditional Super Tbizla for 12€ which while nice enough didn't jump at me and known Dosidos for 15 €] were visited without much success, too.

Summary:

On the whole time this trip was except for pouring down weather and other reasons which forced us to rescheduleing as well as moving up north on site an enjoyable treat with mates and people haven't seen for some time!
Due to originally more days planned in town before eventually saying good bye to the North Sea for this season at least some local places couldn't be visited as planned[De Pijp area with the likes of Roxy, D & L and so on]but there will always be next time and probably wouldn't have made a change at all.

In terms of tradtional Moroccan hashish I was definitely not satisfied but I don't regret trying to get some and in the end I saw what was on offer; wonder with all those watered down versions still around I got if the producers really only mix original landrace with other genetics to some percentage to satisfy a demand as really the majority is growing western hybrids these days[still cannot believe it as those sections producing high grade foreign genetics are only the tip of the iceberg as I think the majority still wants cheap hashish but perhaps I am just wrong].
I made some choices I normally wouldn't have as I wanted to try blondes and darkish wares from Morocco knowing they differ in taste but can be on the same high grade level if done right in my experience.
Also it shows too what to some degree happens at tourist or local coffeeshops[let alone trade in general apart from drugs]: you get what you pay for too often as if one is not willing to pay more for the same quality, either at local shops you get a different product for the same price or at touristic ones you pay more - all again a tendency and I am talking here about traditional Moroccan hashish!

Even though this is still only rough it cleares up things to me and I will still keep an eye out for it but not at all costs as I can't force anything and I still also like the foreign genetic approaches as well ; there is much more to say about that situation though.

Originally I wanted to only look for traditional Morocs and so passed many very tempting foreign genetics which is a bummer in retrospect and not finding proper Moroc but due to this decided spontanousely to try some foreign genetics as a solace which was an good idea in the end.

And not to forget: in the end I still got high and that is what it is all about, innit:biglaugh:?
 
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goingrey

Well-known member
t.jpg


t9.jpg


Siberie - Tropicana

9e/g, 25.9% THC, 3.4% CBD

Was hoping to buy some of their Purple but they were all out. No other outdoor weed on the menu either. You'd think October would be the best time for scoring some fresh sun grown buds but seems like that's not the case.

So instead I went with the Tropicana hash. Chose it because it's supposed to have a bit of CBD, for better health or whatever.

Pretty strong. Put a chunk in your morning coffee and you're stoned until next morning. But something is off. It is very malleable even cool but not sticky at all. Crumbly like a muffin. Dissolves unusually well into hot water.

Not super aromatic. Only smoked a bit one time and there was an exhaust fumey unpleasantness so the rest was eaten/drank. Worked well eaten. Maybe it is older and has decarbed but lost its terps over time?

The hash eater's choice. Smokers can find better bang for the buck or better quality even on Siberie's own menu.
 

goingrey

Well-known member
s.jpg


Cookies Lounge - Super Silver Haze

12.50e/g

Cookies Lounge is part of the Greenhouse chain so I wanted to try their SSH.

First of all I must say this bud burns beautifully and is real a delight to smoke. A+ on the growing and curing. Not always the case, well I guess anywhere but certainly not in Amsterdam coffeeshops so it really left a positive impression.

Not super potent, or at least the high is very functional. Smoked a big joint first thing in the morning and was fine, no one could have told I was high. But I def was. It's a strange kind of clinical/sterile feeling, hard to explain.

Aromatically, well, it reeks through the bag so everyone next to you knows you have some but still the taste when smoked is somewhat muted. A lot like most "hydro" weed used to be in the past really.
 

Terppalooza

Well-known member
View attachment 18909823

Cookies Lounge - Super Silver Haze

12.50e/g

Cookies Lounge is part of the Greenhouse chain so I wanted to try their SSH.

First of all I must say this bud burns beautifully and is real a delight to smoke. A+ on the growing and curing. Not always the case, well I guess anywhere but certainly not in Amsterdam coffeeshops so it really left a positive impression.

Not super potent, or at least the high is very functional. Smoked a big joint first thing in the morning and was fine, no one could have told I was high. But I def was. It's a strange kind of clinical/sterile feeling, hard to explain.

Aromatically, well, it reeks through the bag so everyone next to you knows you have some but still the taste when smoked is somewhat muted. A lot like most "hydro" weed used to be in the past really.
lekker :)
 

GrayZone

Member
In terms of tradtional Moroccan hashish I was definitely not satisfied..

When I was there in summer, Boerejongens at Utrechtsestraat 21 had some excellent hash, White Choco block, Moroccan. Now I don't know if it is traditional enough for your liking. However, at 8 eur/g it's a steal. For a light smoker like me, it hits like a sledgehammer.

White Choco block is somewhat of their signature hash and it has been around for like 15 years. Also, Boerejongens in general keeps their standards pretty high, with a solid reputation.

Not mine pic, found it online, but as far as I remember that's how it looks.

Screenshot_1.jpg
 

GreenAndFast

Well-known member
Lastly, about the glory days of Dam, what it once was, you should take look over at the ACD forum site, somewhere buried in there, there's a thread for all the old timers to post their stories of the debauchery of Dam in the 70s, 80s, 90s and even early 2000s, and it is an excellent read - if you're in search of a bit of Amsterdam nostalgia that's your place, does not disappoint!
Any idea on what the thread is called man? Would love a read 👍🏻
 

bibi40

Well-known member
Just back from a good week end at Dam ,

time to report ...

first to mention is a visit to Rock-It coffee , first try , was just on the way and time to get a break ,
didn't plan to buy anything but since they got red libanon on menu i take a gram for try it ( 12€/g) ,
good view from the second floor ,
the " red " libanon was black and looks "unpure" ( weed contaminent ) , nothing i was aptempt about this ,
but be honest ,
despite the look was very good , spicy and original taste ,
and very good mellow bodystone ,
you really feel it in your body ,
and it' s non incapacitant ...

great find !

did try a few more and will report later with pics ...
 

Solarbridgefarm

New member
Coffeshop in Amsterdam that are worth the money are very few…
Since 1998 I’ve visited the city barely 20 times and things changed quickly from the Barney golden era (2005) to the last years were European discover that the “Californian weed” have more difference and terpene range from the Dutch Neville haze terp ever present on every cross they made;now the 90% that sell “American strain” are from Spain at 30 euro/gram on some shop or you must pay homage to the greenhousecookiestrainhunter empire if you don’t know the few that have good products at the right price like The Family first for example
 

Fibber_Magees

Well-known member
Veteran
@Solarbridgefarm

I remember when I first visited amsterdam in 2007. We went to barneys and it was the old shop with the orange kind of tables. Had white widow and it was such a cool experience. The barney nowdays is not nice and I was a bit sad to see in what they turned the place now. What would you say is a good shop now besides the ones selling "american" weed. I dont want to pay more than 13€/g.
 
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Solarbridgefarm

New member
@Solarbridgefarm

I remember when I first visited amsterdam in 2007. We went to barneys and it was the old shop with the orange kind of tables. Had white widow and it was such a cool experience. The barney nowdays is not nice and I was a bit sad to see in what they turned the place now. What would you say is a good shop now besides the ones selling "american" weed. I dont want to pay more than 13€/g.
I loved the old Barney and the weed too, what you are looking for it’s like look for a white lion, it’s extremely rare to find good weed at that price now but the boerejongens could fit
 

Wnikk

Member
Barneys don’t even try anymore, it’s sad. They used to be a must visit when in dam!
I was there a few week ago looking for old school strains.
Their blue cheese used to be unbelievable, it’s still on the menu but it’s garbage! Standard cardboard smell to it, so I said no thanks. I tried asking why it’s not what they used to sell as blue cheese! He said this is the best example he’s seen and Im mistaken, I told him he was wrong. Then he asked me for ID!.. I’m nearly 40 total jokers
 

Solarbridgefarm

New member
Barneys don’t even try anymore, it’s sad. They used to be a must visit when in dam!
I was there a few week ago looking for old school strains.
Their blue cheese used to be unbelievable, it’s still on the menu but it’s garbage! Standard cardboard smell to it, so I said no thanks. I tried asking why it’s not what they used to sell as blue cheese! He said this is the best example he’s seen and Im mistaken, I told him he was wrong. Then he asked me for ID!.. I’m nearly 40 total jokers
At some point they lost all the genetics or who that whitelabel for ‘em fucked up everything and they named something that is not, for me was the vanilla kush, suddenly was totally different… but you find a volcano on every table😂
 

Wnikk

Member
At some point they lost all the genetics or who that whitelabel for ‘em fucked up everything and they named something that is not, for me was the vanilla kush, suddenly was totally different… but you find a volcano on every table😂
Yeah it’s a shame, you would have thought they would looked after the strains that made them the company they are today.
I don’t understand the marketing, we clearly know the flower has changed. And dumb arses like me keep buying the same beans in hopes that we will find them classic tastes
 

goingrey

Well-known member
Hey ya
Read about the Katsu coffeshop here in the thread, supposedly nice sativas.

Do you know the place @Solarbridgefarm ?

Katsu is a nice shop.

This is their Mango Haze. 15e/g. It felt pretty weak. It's ok though, everything doesn't have to be strong. But maybe there are better options for tolerant tokers.

mh.jpg


This is their Jamaican. 15e/2g. It was stronger. Or maybe my expectations were just lower and it's a case of my mind playing tricks on me. And maybe a similar sized joint just holds more, it kinda crumbles up like that. Anyway, super smooth smoking with a fantastic euphoric high. Highly recommended.

ja.jpg
 

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