The cannabis industry has undergone numerous changes over the years, but one aspect that has remained largely untouched is the blunt. Blunts have become a favorite among cannabis users, but the lack of innovative products in the market has left enthusiasts craving more. One company that has taken the challenge of reinventing the blunt is Gentleman Quinns. This pre-rolled blunt company is taking the market by storm with their unique use of hemp wraps to create some of the fattest bleezies on the legal market. In this article, we catch up with co-founder Jarell Wall to learn more about the story behind Gentleman Quinns and the power of the blunt.
The Birth of Gentleman Quinns
Jarell Wall, one of the co-founders of Gentleman Quinns, explains that they met their now-partner, Austin Plumm, in 2015 at Chronorado Medical, where he was hired to do marketing. Wall and Plumm clicked with the actual “Gentleman Quinn,” a budtender who was hired around the same time. The trio did a team-building smokeout, where Gentleman Quinn rolled a blunt that looked like a tree branch. It was crazy-fat and smoother burning than anything Wall had seen. Wall and Plumm instantly thought it was unique compared to anything they had seen in dispensaries. Back then, blunts were not available in the Colorado market due to the tobacco issue, and dispensaries didn’t bother. Wall and Plumm thought if they could crack this, they could drive in more customers to their shop.
The trio put their heads together, figured out what would work and how they could sell it to the company’s owners. They eventually met with a prototype blunt and packaging that Plumm hand-made, which impressed the owners, and they were allowed to try the product out. Thus, the High Class Big Ass Blunt was born.
In 2015, a forty-blunt limited release dropped, which sold out within a couple of weeks. Wall and Plumm did some marketing on Instagram, a Culture magazine product review, and a web series they did with Denver music producer Leon Kadillak. The owners allowed them to try another run of blunts, which also sold out quickly. This turned into a series of meetings with [an infused-product manufacturer], where they got a look at what it took to be licensed and compliant. An offer was presented to bring them in mid-2016, but the offer wasn’t good, so they chose to go on their own.
In their attempts at licensing costs, they settled on a crowdsourcing campaign. They were able to get some attention from a couple of ladies at Mass Roots, who blasted their campaign on an email newsletter in fall 2016. A few interested parties contacted them, but one guy talked to them about their vision, his understanding of the cigar market, and how this could be something. That’s how they got their first angel investor and mentor, Jeff Finch. From then on, they navigated Colorado’s compliance, met with lawyers, regulators and property owners to find a zoned property that would work. In late 2019, they got all the necessary licenses to be operational, and here they are.
What Makes Blunts Cooler?
Wall explains that blunts and joints are the preferred method of smoking marijuana where he’s from. It’s how he got familiar with the culture, from music to the people he’d meet. Therefore, the blunt, to him, is more synonymous with marijuana than edibles or goo-pens. He thinks it has less to do with being cool than it does with the significance it has to pre-legalization and one of the only ways to enjoy your flower back in the day. Wall grew up on Snoop and Black music, so blunts have been in his lexicon for years before even smoking.
Gentleman Quinns: What Sets It Apart?
Gentleman Quinns’ blunts are hand-rolled and guaranteed to have the best flower in the state, period. The company uses hemp wraps because Colorado state law bans dispensaries from selling tobacco products. Wall explains that they went through a ton of research and development to ensure the product had every detail right, including the material they chose for their wrap. They had talks with places that made completely green cannabis wraps, palm wraps, rice, and mint wraps, and they tried them all. However, they eventually settled on the hemp wrap, which gave a familiar look but none of the tobacco, additives, numb lips, throat scratch, or the terrible back taste you get when re-lighting. The hemp wrap and the sealing fruit pectin never impeded the taste of the flower.
The price point of a Gentleman Quinns blunt may surprise some, with a dispensary listing it at over $38 before tax, about the same price as an eighth at most dispensaries. But Wall explains that customers are getting something that can’t be replicated. They have taken the time to roll thousands of blunts and get every detail right. Customers buying these as wedding gifts or to show a “new to cannabis parent” know they can count on a GQ for a serious and high-class smoking experience.
The Future of Gentleman Quinns
Gentleman Quinns has come a long way since its inception in 2015, but Wall says they are just getting started. They plan to expand their business into other states and continue to create innovative and high-quality products. Wall’s advice to anyone looking to enter the cannabis industry is to think big and be ready to navigate a complex and ever-changing legal landscape.
The Power of the Blunt
Blunts have become a staple in the cannabis culture, and Gentleman Quinns has taken the blunt game to the next level. With their use of hemp wraps, attention to detail, and commitment to quality, Gentleman Quinns has set itself apart from the competition. As the cannabis industry continues to evolve, we can expect to see more innovative products like the ones Gentleman Quinns is producing.
