The loudest nose

IC Collective isn’t a brand I discovered in Illinois. My history with Ben and IC goes back to the Bay Area medical and pre-legal cannabis era. I attended the Cannabis Cups where Ben went onstage to collect IC awards. I worked with him and carried IC product at my own dispensary. That history gave this booth real context, but it’s not why this made the guide. This is here because of what happened when they handed me The Other One.

At Flower Expo Illinois 2026, I spent significant time at the IC Collective booth talking with Ben, the founder and head grower, Sam Cadkin, my sales rep, and Katie Fox, brand ambassador. They showed me new strains and walked me through jars of flower.

After smelling flower across the Expo, they handed me The Other One, and the nose immediately blew me away. IC describes the strain as Cherry Lime Gelato × Sour Diesel, and what hit me was the tension between bright fruit and the raw fuel character that runs through their genetics. I don’t need to overstate every terp note. The impact was loud enough to stop me after I had already smelled flower all over the floor. That’s why this feature is called The Loudest Nose.

“After smelling flower across the Expo, they handed me The Other One, and the nose immediately blew me away.”

It wasn’t just a booth moment. I went home with four half-gram concentrate samples: two live resins and two rosins, 2g total. The Other One Live Resin ended up being my favorite of the four. The flower got my attention first. The concentrate backed it up afterward.

— John Hirsch · @ProcureCulture

For adults 21+. Personal experience, not medical advice. Cannabis laws vary by location.