REVIEW: Doja Pak’s RS-11

Every year there are a few strains that break the mold. Whether it be the terp profile, the high, or sometimes just the hype behind it, over the past few years these ‘hype’ cultivars have grown far outside their community reach, developing reputations across the country, and sometimes even the world. 

RS-11 is one of those strains. For the past few months the most common question I’ve been asked by consumers is “Have you hit the RS-11 yet? What’d you think?” Well friends, the time has come for a complete and thorough review.

Doja Pak’s RS-11

Known across the state for having the best cuts available across the most coveted cultivars, Doja Pak is the brainchild of Ryan Bartholomew, a California local who made his name not through his grow techniques, but by his sourcing abilities. Having helped promote and spread the hype around some of the biggest varietals in the space—from Gushers, to Mochi, to Biscotti—Doja Pak has a reputation for pushing the headiest of the crops, and with better cuts than you’ll find literally anywhere else. For example, while you may be able to find some good Biscotti at a store near you, it’s not quite the Doja Pak. 

While his bag has traditionally been more around dealing products than creating the genetics, Doja has now moved onto producing and branding their own exclusives with the help of some of the most legendary breeders in the game. Bred by Deep East and grown by Wizard Trees, RS-11 (which stands for Rainbow Sherbet 11) has quickly become one of the most in-demand cuts on the market despite its limited availability. While popping up in Cookies Melrose, and across other leading distributors in the state, Doja Pak is a prime example of how the fire moves the market—people are regularly flying in from out of state and visiting multiple stores just to bring a bit of Cali firepower home.

The Buds

These are the type of buds you expect to see in our centerfolds—the fruits of the RS-11 plant are nothing short of photogenic. With flowing orange hairs sprinkled across a sparkling deep green bud with dark purple and light green splashes, cracking one of these nugs open and you’re instantly punched in the face with a strong, deep aroma. Seriously, the smell of these buds will fill your room almost as soon as you pop the bag, but just wait until you grind it up…

As if the scent wasn’t enough to hook you, the bud structure on this cut is damn near perfect. With solid, dense nugs that break up perfectly, allowing for optimal consumption no matter the method, RS-11 will be a sure favorite for glass and paper smokers alike. I will admit, these buds were thoroughly cured, so I was a bit worried it may be a bit dusty once broken down in a grinder, but I’m happy to report that it retained a fluff that was optimal for rolling.

One important note for this smoke is that these buds are packed with resin, so expect an oil drip that may require a crutch (I don’t normally roll with filters), but rest assured that you’re in for one hell of a ride.

The High

Considering the volume of these buds, the high was a much more comforting and chill vibe than I expected. Usually with the rapper weed of late the game has been straight knockouts, which while not complaining about getting couch-locked, is hardly ever as clean as this. This was the kind of buzz that completely relaxed my body, but kept my head clear enough to hold meaningful conversations and even handle some drama more appropriately than I probably would have otherwise. That’s not to say the high was light—far from it. If anything it was almost nostalgic of how I felt in my early years smoking Sensi Star, which was for years the only bud that I could work on. Unlike my OG Sensi, the RS-11 feels closer to your favorite sweater—hugging you close, and keeping you warm, without slowing you down—yet not the type of coffee-fueled buzz that would come from what the market considers a true sativa variety. Of course we know that verbiage is mostly inaccurate, but the RS-11 is a true hybrid, providing the best effects from both ends of the spectrum.

Overall, I’ve got to say, I totally see what the buzz is about around RS-11. Unlike some of the other hype strains, I knew going in that since it’s a Doja Pak it was going to hit, but this first venture into cultivar ownership has me super excited for what’s to come. RS-11 will for sure leave a mark on the California scene, I wonder what else they’ve got up their sleeves…
For the real-time rundown on where to cop this elusive cultivar, head on over to Doja’s IG account, @Doja.Pak.