The NorCal Cannabis Cup brought many accomplished and talented companies, growers, and innovators to the spotlight. After careful deliberation, the judges have decided upon the winners in the following categories:
BEST BOOTH
1st Place: Exotic Genetix
2nd Place: Eve Farms
3rd Place: Nug
BEST GLASS
1st Place: Jerome Baker, Mellow Yellow Bong
2nd Place: Smoke Cartel
3rd Place: iDab Glass
BEST PRODUCT
1st Place: Mint Chocolate ChipSeeds by Exotic Genetix
2nd Place: Loaded Pre-Roll by Golden State Banana
3rd Place: Papaya Flower by Eve Farms
BEST EDIBLE
1st Place: Strawberry Express Edible Tincture by Val’s Organics with the Weed Studio City and Critical Minds
The judges said: “The taste was great; very subtle strawberry that wasn’t overpowering. The texture wasn’t too thick like others. The effects were great, too. Would highly recommend.”
2nd Place: Milk Chocolate Nug Bar by NUG
3rd Place: Origin by Atlas Edibles
BEST TOPICAL
1st Place: Hawaiian Cream by Val’s Organics with the Weed Studio City
The judges said: “It was creamy, smooth, and smelled great. [We] loved the packaging and pump, but some people with arthritis might not love the pump. It provided instant soothing and lasting effects.”
2nd Place: Smarties Cream by Connected in collaboration with Carter’s Aromatherapy Designs
3rd Place: Relief Balm made with Sherbert and AC/DC by Native Humboldt Farms
BEST CBD EDIBLE
1st Place: Caramel CBD Dark Chocolate by Chill, the Highest Chocolate
The judges said: We loved the smoky, deep dark chocolate caramel taste. It was the best of the competition samples and had very high-quality creamy cocoa. The high was sleepy and stony.
2nd Place: Liquid Dreams CBD 20:1 25 mg Capsule by Day Dreamers
3rd Place: Sour Tsunami Micro Dose Elixir by Chad Smith with Receptor Nectar
BEST CBD VAPE PEN CARTRIDGES
1st Place: Pineapple Tsunami by Talking Trees Farms in collaboration with Blue River and Gold Drop
The judges said: This smells and tastes like soil; earthy with a soft sweetness. It had a pleasant aftertaste and a very nice calming, mellow THC effect.
2nd Place: Lemon Penny CBD Vape Cartridge by Gold Drop with Blue River and Lemon Tree
3rd Place: MediHaze by Chemistry
BEST CBD FLOWER
1st Place: CBD OG by C.R.A.F.T.
The judges said: A+ flavor and smoke which we felt behind the eyes and backs of the ears.
2nd Place: Pac-Man CBD by The Kaiser Select with Urb Delivery and The OG Collective
3rd Place: Sour Cyclone by Skunk Tek presented by Fig Farms
BEST CBD CONCENTRATE
1st Place: Kosher Jack CBD by Pearl Pharma with Terps on the Rocks
2nd Place: Black Mamba by MGOT with Terps on the Rocks
3rd Place: Raspberry Sherbert CBD Sauce by Fleur D’Elite in collaboration with Guild Extracts & DH Estates
BEST MEDICALLY INFUSED CANNABIS
1st Place: THCA covered Solventless Geodes with White Buffalo Flower, Gorilla Glue Rosin, and Red Dragon White Buffalo Kief by Sovereign
The judges said: This was so potent that [we] questioned [ourselves] what [we] had planned for the day after the first pull. This was by far the strongest of the samples. The flush was really nice. It burned an almost blue smoke like a temple ball would. The spicy hashish taste and aroma was with [us] the whole time. It burned slow and rested at a low temp until we inhaled again.
2nd Place: Loaded Preroll Blunt by Loaded in collaboration with LA Kush
3rd Place: Pomegrante by Next Level Prerolls
BEST PREROLL
1st Place: Loaded Preroll by Loaded in collaboration with Critical Concentrates
2nd Place: Kimber Cannon by Garrison Lane
3rd Place: T.I.T.S. Preroll by IC Collective
BEST VAPE PEN CARTRIDGES
1st Place: Big Lemons Vape Cart by Gold Drop with Lemon Tree
The judges said: Very clean. Mellow but uplifting high. It had a good, subtle taste—not too harsh.
2nd Place: Mimosa Live Resin Sauce Cartridge by Moxie with the Village
3rd Place: Pineapple Express Vape Cart by The Bloom Brand
BEST NON-SOLVENT HASH
1st Place: Sherbet Live Rosin by Eve Farms in collaboration with Ahti
The judges said: Very appealing to the eye; looks like a glossy Laffy Taffy. It has a softer texture than #3, but that same taffy-like consistency. Nice banana smell and taste with a strong hashy finish. It melted clear, no clear dome, no ash/char on the nail. Very strong and heavy.
2nd Place: Cuban’s Strawberry 90 micron Whole Plant Fresh Frozen Rosin by Critical Cannabis in collaboration with @Eldaggy and Cuban Tech
3rd Place: Papaya Live Rosin by JDI Farms in collaboration with Str8 Organics and Frosty
BEST INDICA CONCENTRATE
1st Place: Albert Walker by First Class Concentrates
The judges said: Larger diamonds in an amber-orange translucent sauce. Pungent, sweet tangerine and fruit aroma. Tangerine flavor with strong cherry undertones and notes of tropical fruit. The effect was a more balanced high—it was very relaxing, but also a bit motivating. It was clean and smooth.
2nd Place: Strawberry Banana by Synergy
3rd Place: Zkittlez by Terp.n.time
BEST SATIVA CONCENTRATE
1st Place: Forbidden Fruit by Gas House with Synergy
The judges said: Looks like a saucy live resin and smells like Tangie and peaches. It has a great taste and a quick, sharp, focused high.
2nd Place: Rebel Sour Live Resin Sauce by Rebel Grown with Humboldt’s Finest Raw and Uncut
3rd Place: Sour Diesel Live Resin Diamond Sauce by Fresh Off the Bud in collaboration with Moxie
BEST HYBRID CONCENTRATE
1st Place: Candy Nova by Team Elite Genetics
The judges said: These are not the largest or most tightly formed crystalline solids in the field, but they possess transparent clarity, which is accentuated by a glimmering, yellow-gold “sauce” that has a thin, fluid quality that lends itself to spreading on blunts and joints. The aroma is overwhelmingly dominated by an aggressive burst of a-Pinene with an undercurrent of cool peppermint.
2nd Place: Strawberry Banana Sauce by Guild Extracts in collaboration Bon Vivant
3rd Place: Lemon Sugar Kush Live Resin Sauce by Rebel Grown with Humboldt’s Finest Raw and Uncut
BEST INDICA FLOWER
1st Place: Creme De La Crème by Team Elite Genetics with OG Collective
The judges said: This had a light green color, covered like a dense forest of clear to cloudy trichomes. It had a pleasant, skunky aroma with sweet undertones and a nice, sweet, skunky flavor with grape undertones. There was a clean, smooth smoke with a light grey ash. A nice high, and not too couchlock-y.
2nd Place: OG T.I.T.S. by Diamondback Genetics
3rd Place: Gelato 41 by Connected
BEST SATIVA FLOWER
1st Place: Gelonade by Connected
The judges said: This had a tangie, floral and gassy scent, and had a citrus, floral, and soapy taste. It was strong and stoney.
2nd Place: Mimosa #A5 by Atrium Farms
3rd Place: Master Blaster by Purple Frost Genetics
BEST HYBRID FLOWER
1st Place: 40 Elephants by Garrison Lane
2nd Place: 365 Lemon Tree by 365 Canna Farms in collaboration with Dying Breed Seeds and Compassionate Heart
3rd Place: Peanut Butter Breath by Dubz Garden
