We’re spreading the news. Connected Cannabis has officially landed in New York, and Torches NYC is proud to carry the first-ever drop at our Midtown shop. For anyone who’s followed the West Coast cannabis scene over the past decade plus, this name needs no introduction. Connected built its reputation in California by setting a standard for quality that competitors have been chasing ever since, and now that same flower is sitting on our shelves at 12 E 42nd Street.
On top of that, we linked up with the Connected team to make this launch feel like the moment it actually is. That meant putting together an exclusive capsule collection of merch, hosting the brand in our Midtown shop, and giving New York heads their first real shot at top-shelf Connected flower in the legal market. Here’s the full breakdown of the brand, the merch drop, and what’s currently in stock.
The Connected Cannabis Origin Story
Connected Cannabis traces its roots back to 2009, when Caleb Counts opened his first medical dispensary in Northern California. Those early years gave him a front-row seat to the realities of operating in cannabis during a time when the rules shifted constantly and federal enforcement loomed over every legitimate operator. His first shop got padlocked by the feds, a setback that would have ended most people’s runs in the industry. Counts took the hit, regrouped, and came back even stronger.
By 2013, he was ready to make another move and co-founded Connected Cannabis with his friend Luke Coleman. The two split the workload in a way that played to their strengths, with Coleman building out the foundation and Counts focusing on structure, deal-making, and bringing the right people together. That partnership turned into one of the most respected cultivation operations in California, and the brand grew based on the simple principle that good flower speaks for itself.
The early Connected years saw the team putting out cuts that quickly earned cult status among connoisseurs. Strains like Gelonade, Guava, and Biscotti put the brand in conversations alongside the most respected flower names in the country. Connoisseurs and competitors alike recognized that Connected was running phenotype hunts at a level most farms couldn’t match, and every cut that made it into a Connected jar earned its spot through serious selection.
The Alien Labs Acquisition
Then came 2019, when Connected acquired Alien Labs and brought Ted Lidie’s brand under the same umbrella. That move united two of the most respected names in California cannabis in ways previously never done. It also set up the kind of cultivation operation that’s now bringing premium flower to markets across the country, including New York. What kept Connected at the top through all of it wasn’t just the genetics. It was the discipline behind the operation, the proprietary cultivation methods, and an obsession with the details that separate good flower from great flower. That same philosophy carries over to the New York launch, and we’re honored to be one of the dispensaries chosen to carry the first drop.
Why Torches NYC Was Chosen
Connected didn’t pick retail partners at random when planning the New York rollout. The team got selective and looked for shops that matched the brand’s standards in terms of curation, culture, and customer experience. Not every dispensary made the list.
Torches NYC earned the spot because of what we’ve built at 12 E 42nd Street. It’s no secret that our Midtown location gives Connected access to the foot traffic that runs through the heart of Manhattan every single day. We’re also fortunate to have staff that possess product knowledge that makes a difference when customers want to understand what they’re buying. Add in our reputation for carrying premium brands and our connection to the city’s culture, and the partnership made sense from the jump.
First Smoke Of The Day Podcast: The 4/20 NYC Episode
We had the chance to host Malique, the brand manager for Connected Co. and Alien Labs, down in our private space below the dispensary for an upcoming episode of First Smoke Of The Day. Joining the host, Blackleaf, was Malique and Ted Lidie, founder of Alien Labs, along with Jose Polanco and Jonathan Santana from the Torches NYC team. The conversation went deep into what this New York launch means for Connected, and why 4/20 in New York is a moment in and of itself. Anyone who cares about the culture is going to want to tune in for this one.
Malique broke down the thinking behind the New York rollout and why Connected waited until the timing felt right to make the move into this market. He talked about what goes into picking retail partners for a launch of this size and pointed to our cultural stamp of approval and prime Midtown location as part of why Torches NYC made the cut. Jose and Santana shared their perspective from the Torches side, including what it takes to earn that kind of recognition from a legacy California operator and how the team builds genuine relationships with brands that share the same values around quality and curation.
The episode drops soon. Keep an eye on our social channels and the Torches NYC blog for the release date so you don’t miss it.
The Exclusive Capsule Collection
To celebrate the launch, Connected put together an exclusive capsule collection of merch with us, and the pieces came out looking undeniably fire. The capsule features custom hats, t-shirts, and sweatshirt designs that pair the Connected aesthetic with Torches branding in a way that genuinely feels intentional. Every piece was designed specifically for this drop, with no plans to release the same designs anywhere else.
You can only grab this merch at our Midtown location while supplies last. Stop by the shop to see the collection in person, try on the fits, and pick up a piece that marks one of the bigger brand launches the New York market has seen this year.
Hustle and Hospitality: The Story Behind the Capsule
Every piece in this capsule carries a phrase that means something to us: Hustle and Hospitality. That’s been the motto at Torches NYC since day one, and it traces back to the Polanco Brothers team and the way they built this shop from the ground up. Hustle is the work ethic, the long hours, the refusal to settle for anything short of excellent. Hospitality is how we treat every person who walks through our doors, from first-time visitors to the regulars who stop in every week.
The Polanco Brothers team built Torches around that combination because they understood that running a great dispensary takes more than just stocking the right products. It takes a team that grinds and a team that cares. When Connected came to the table for the capsule collaboration, we shared the story behind those words, and the brand brought it to life through the apparel designs. Wearing a piece from this capsule means carrying a little piece of the Torches ethos with you, whether you’re rocking a hat on the train or pulling on the hoodie for a cold morning in the city.
What’s Available at Torches Right Now
Here’s the part you came for. Torches NYC is carrying the first drop of Connected Cannabis flower in New York, and we’ve got both top-shelf 3.5g flower and 1g whole flower pre-rolls in stock. Both formats feature the same premium indoor flower the brand has built its name on, with no shake, no trim, and no shortcuts.
The current lineup includes some of Connected’s most iconic strains, with rotation expected as new cuts come in over time. Two of the strains we’re hyped to have on the shelf right now are Tropical Z and Biscotti, both of which represent the brand at its best.
Tropical Z Strain
On the nose, the Tropical Z strain hits with a punch of sweet tropical fruit, citrus zest, and a creamy candy note that lingers in the background. The flower comes dense and frosty, with bright green calyxes peeking through a thick coating of trichomes and a few orange hairs threaded throughout. On the inhale, the flavor leans into mango and pineapple with a sweet candy Z finish that makes the smoke go down criminally smooth. The effects might lean toward an uplifting, euphoric headspace that some users find well suited for daytime sessions or social settings.
Blowin’ Biscotti Strain
The Blowin’ Biscotti strain puts a fresh spin on the classic Biscotti lineage, and the jar lets you know right away. The aroma comes through with sweet cookie dough up front, layered with hints of gas, citrus zest, and that creamy nutty undertone the Biscotti family is known for. The buds come dense and chunky with deep green coloring, purple accents woven throughout, and a heavy frost of trichomes that catches the light. Smoking it brings forward those same sweet, gassy notes on the palate with a smooth finish, and the effects might settle into a relaxed, mellow feeling that some users find potentially well suited for evening sessions or winding down after a long day.
The 1g whole flower pre-rolls give you a chance to experience these strains in a ready-to-go format without sacrificing quality. Connected rolls these with the same flower that goes into the eighths, which is something most pre-roll brands can’t honestly claim. Whether you grab the 3.5g jars or the pre-rolls, you’re getting the real Connected experience.
Taste A Piece Of History For Yourself
Any member of cannabis culture can agree that Connected Cannabis touching down in New York is a real moment, and Torches NYC is proud to be carrying the first drop. Between the flower, the pre-rolls, and the exclusive capsule collection, there’s plenty of reasons to swing by 12 E 42nd Street and check things out for yourself.Our budtenders know the products, know the brand, and know how to point you toward the right pickup based on what you’re looking for.
Come through, grab a piece of the Hustle and Hospitality capsule while supplies last, and welcome Connected Cannabis to the city the right way. Sign up for our FREE Rewards Program so you never miss a new drop and start earning points you can redeem for dollars off future purchases.