Tag: GWB

SHOWCASING CANADA’S BEST DRIED FLOWER PRODUCTS 

Welcome to the Good Weed Board on StratCann, part four! Before diving into the ratings, I want to address the ongoing debate about lab testing and COA results. My readers should know where I stand on this issue. In my opinion, the advertisement of THC and terpene percentages is a marketing gimmick. Check out Part Two for more on this topic.

In regard to estimating potency, I would be happy if the THC percentage for dried flower was labelled as a range. The following three ranges would suffice: low (under 10%),  medium (10-20%), and high (over 20%). This would effectively undermine THC as the dominant marketing strategy and encourage stakeholders to prioritize more relevant quality metrics.  

As for quality grading, I tune out when a reviewer starts listing the THC or terpene percentage. THC does not equal potency, and terpene content does not equal intensity of aroma and flavour. They are only contributing factors. 

Underneath the surface, the formula for any given cultivar is more complex. There are often compounds at work that aren’t just terpenes. Compounds like thiols,  esters, and flavonoids all combine in different ways to produce an end result.  

Terpenes can be the primary influence behind some expressions of cannabis—profiles such as citrus, floral and spice. But more often, terpenes play a supportive role in the background. 

For example, the skunk gas aroma is a common characteristic of cannabis. Yet this attribute exists fundamentally because of a thiol, not a terpene. The same goes for many non-citrus fruity aromas. Blueberry, grape, banana, and cherry, to name just a few, are all the results of different esters.  

In my opinion, cannabis flower is never about just one compound. It’s always about the combination, the synergy. Now let’s look at the Part Four ratings. 

The first entry is Blueberry Yum Yum by Cake & Caviar. These flowers were produced by Habitat Life in Chase, British Columbia, using the nutrient-rich waters of Habitat’s aquaponics technology. 

This 3.5-gram product was packaged in an adequately sized glass jar, well proportioned to the buds inside. And the buds were gorgeous! They look similar to the Platinum Grapes by Organnicraft. Frosty, light green on the outside with lots of orange pistils, and layered with dark purple hues.

My first whiff smelled like grape juice or a bag of raisins. An Integra Boost Pack was placed at the bottom of the jar. The flower seemed cured to perfection, nice and squishy. A subtle blueberry aroma wafted out from the inside layers as I chopped the buds. 

The first smoke was delicious, boasting a molasses flavour reminiscent of dessert cultivars. Subsequent smokes revealed an earthy blueberry flavour. I was reminded of enjoying a glass of cognac. To me, this is sipping weed, a contemplative weed with a very clean burn and light-coloured ash. OG Rating = 83/100. 

The second entry for Part Four is Master Kush Ultra by Smoker Farms. Cultivated in Beaverdell, this product was packaged by Joint Venture Craft Cannabis under the BC Black banner. 

There was an Integra Boost Pack inside the mylar bag. The buds were a tad dry on the outside but adequately cured on the inside layers. They were small but dense, typical of old-school kush. 

I was overwhelmed by a dank, earthy, citrus profile at first open, complemented by skunk-like fuel. Chopping the flower revealed a combination of lime over lemon, blending into mint. There was also that lingering vintage MKU incense characteristic. 

Smoking the first joint brought a smile to my face. The flavour boasted loud fuel complimented by a peppery aftertaste. The burn was supreme, with a potent hit in the chest. This is relaxing weed. OG Rating = 84/100. 

The third entry is Funky Banana by Simply Bare Organic. This product is part of the Gas Series 28-gram rotating SKU in Alberta. I purchased this ounce bag from a Canna Cabana in Calgary for $195 after tax. 

Inside the package, I discovered medium-sized, dense buds. Despite being packaged more than two months prior, they still had decent moisture content. There wasn’t a humidity pack, but a little air was left inside the bag to protect the buds from being flattened. 

The flower exhibited a forest green colour. I was reminded of banana runts as I cracked open the bag. Then gas mixed with banana as I diced the buds up, along with a little bit of spice. 

A robust gas profile surfaced in the flavour, with banana subtle in the background.  The smoke packed a punch, rich but with a very pure aftertaste. OG Rating = 84/100. 

Last for Part Four is Crushed Velvet by Sweetgrass Cannabis. Cultivated in Ymir,  British Columbia, this flower was grown in living soil and is FVOPA organic certified. 

A fruity cereal aroma exploded out of the bag, reminiscent of dried cherries and cream. Inside was one solid 3.75g bud exhibiting a bit of foxtailing and an abundance of crystals. 

A savoury aroma wafted out from the inside layers, almost like roasted chicken. The flower broke up in hard bits, not completely fluffy, indicating low moisture content. 

But the first smoke was serene. It was highlighted by a very unique floral rose profile complimented by a hint of soap. The session featured a super smooth burn and complex flavour until the end of the joint, and a mild but very pleasant effect. OG  Rating = 82/100. 

That’s all for Part Four. I hope you enjoyed reading about these products as much as  I enjoyed smoking them. My next column will showcase four more products from the Good Weed Board. Stay tuned to find out if any of them break the current record score of 86. Happy blazing!

Marty Wig is the cofounder of Overgrown Gardens, and creator of the OG Rating Guide. He has been grading cannabis since 2003.

SHOWCASING CANADA’S BEST DRIED FLOWER PRODUCTS 

Welcome to the Good Weed Board on StratCann – part three! In Part One I touched on the origin story of the OG Rating Guide and explained why the grading system was developed. In Part Two, I ranked the most important quality metrics for grading cannabis and described how these metrics influence the OG Rating Guide.

Here in part three, I showcase four more products from the Good Weed Board. I also speculate about why good weed is so hard to find in the regulated market. 

Before diving in I want to make an announcement. The OG Rating Guide does not engage in pay-to-play. These are genuine ratings from a guy who loves good weed. I encourage producers to offer free samples, but the Good Weed Board is not for sale. My honest assessment of products will never be swayed.

I also want to give some advice. Don’t believe everything you see posted on Reddit. In my quest for good weed, I’ve graded an abundance of mediocre products: so many examples of hyped flower that was truly overrated. In my estimation, more than 90 percent of the products promoted on social media are of ordinary quality at best.

To put this into perspective, only twelve products have qualified for the Good Weed Board. If the bar was lowered to 70, the standings would be chock full. 

Why are there so many unremarkable products for sale on the regulated market? One reason is the 3.5-gram category, the dominant category for dried flower in every province across the country. The issue with 3.5-gram products is that the flower is almost always over-dry by the time it reaches the end consumer. 

The 3.5-gram category makes sense in a deli-style consumer market, where cured flower is stored in bulk until an order is placed, and is then consumed within a few days of purchase. The 3.5-gram category does not make sense in a wholesale distributor market, where flower is pre-packaged and stored for several weeks before consumption.

One way to increase the average quality of dried flower on the regulated market is more bulk offerings. Craft producers should have more 28-gram products available for sale. In a pre-packaged market, 28-grams of adequately cured flower is more likely to keep fresh until it reaches the end consumer. 

But there is a catch. The only way more 28-gram packages can become a reality is if regulators agree to adjust excise tax policy to account for the discounted price of a bulk sale. In my opinion, the excise tax policy should become the lesser of $1 or 10% per gram, not the greater as currently structured. It is not feasible for craft producers to pay $28 of excise tax on a product that should retail for around $150. 

Another way to increase the average quality of dried flower on the regulated market is direct distribution. Direct distribution would allow producers to ship directly to retailers and avoid the wholesaler warehouse. Not only would this encourage more local trade in the industry, it could also reduce the time of delay from when a batch is ready for sale until it reaches the final destination.

Now let’s look at the part three ratings. 

The first entry is Grape Cake by Joi Botanicals. Grape Cake is the third product by Joi Botanicals to qualify for the Good Weed Board. I purchased a 3.5-gram offering from Lake City Cannabis in Lincoln Park.

The buds are packaged inside a heavy glass jar. Their profile is layered with sweet fruit and cream, comparable with another Joi Botanicals offering, Purple Punch Mints #11. The Grape Cake buds are bigger and denser with less uniformity. They are also frostier than the Purple Punch Mints #11 with deep purple hues and an abundance of long orange pistils. I am pleased to report that the burn was supreme: tasty, potent, smooth, and even. OG Rating = 81/100. 

The second entry for Part Three is Animal Face by Carmel Cannabis. Carmel is a craft cultivator based out of Oro Medonte, Ontario, specializing in small-scale cultivation and unique genetics. 

I love Carmel’s packaging. The best part is the back label. They include information about the cultivar, breeder, lineage, aroma, flavour, and appearance. They advertise that the buds are hand-trimmed, hang-dried, hand-packaged, grown in small batches, and never irradiated. Carmel also gives credit to other growers if the product was sourced, not grown in-house. 

The Animal Face buds are light green and frosty with lots of orange hairs—usually a good sign. The OG Kush influence is clearly visible. The flower has a dominant profile of pine mixed with lemon and cake. Pockets of diesel are released near the stem. Once again the burn is supreme. OG Rating = 84/100. 

The third entry is Drew’s Pheno, also by Carmel Cannabis. I purchased both Carmel offerings from one of my favourite stores, the unfortunately now defunct Peak Cannabis. Drew’s Pheno features a rotation of limited drops grown by Carmel’s partner craft growers. The batch I sampled was Hippie Headbanger, grown by Magi Cannabis on Salt Spring Island in BC. 

There are predominant Sour Diesel traits in this Hippie Headbanger. The flower has a pungent sour lime fragrance with notes of gas under the surface. Just like the Animal Face, this batch was dried and cured exceptionally well. OG Rating = 80/100.

Last but not least for part three is Banana Cake by Crystal Cure. Crystal Cure is a licensed producer of hand-crafted small-batch cannabis farmed in certified organic living soil in Shediac Cape, New Brunswick. 

Crystal Cure also has one of the best packages in the game. Their back label provides information about the growing method, breeder, and parent genetics. The label also advertises the flower as non-irradiated and provides both a harvest & package date. 

The batch of Banana Cake I sampled was cultivated by one of Crystal Cure’s partners, Golden Peak Cannabis in Moncton, NB.

Although over-dry, the buds are still sticky and coated in trichomes. There is a dominant Cake profile with grape and pineapple fragrances on the outside and banana mixed with cheese on the inside. One whiff reminded me of Banana Starburst. The next puff tasted like soda pop with a chocolate aftertaste. This is flavourful smoke that provides a potent hit and reaches deep inside the chest. OG Rating = 80/100. 

That’s all for part three. I hope you enjoyed reading about these products as much as I enjoyed smoking them. My next column will showcase more products from the Good Weed Board. Stay tuned to find out if any of them break the current record score of 86. Happy blazing!

Marty Wig is the cofounder of Overgrown Gardens, and creator of the OG Rating Guide. He has been grading cannabis since 2003.