The weed I bought in Amsterdam was consistently good, if not great. In Denver, all the weed I bought tasted like crap, a bad chemical taste I had never experienced before. It gave me a dry cough, and left a bad aftertaste.
From what I've read about Illinois, they have very little weed for dispensaries to keep up with the demand, so that explains the jacked up prices there. That, and the gouging taxes. Grow your own, and fuck 'em.
Similar to you, have tasted herb all over the Netherlands, Portugal and Colorado. I don't like wet weed, hence my handle. "Springy" and lights well is what I like. Yeah, Colorado isn't much to talk about when I lived in SO CO. It was ok, but preferred, as you do, GYO cannabis.
Hope Illinois can work out their shortage. Do they allow home grows? Can't remember.
Taxes are high no matter where you roam. Give in, give em the green backs....