Strain: Critical Kushies
Lineage: Critical Berries
Chemotype: CBDA Dominant (Type III)
Breeder: Zoe Therapeutics
Cultivator: Beleafer
Ethics Statement
The Flavor Chase received this flower as part of a paid order. Though we are in contact and do have a good relationship with Beleafer, the company was not allowed to preview this review, nor have they had any influence over its contents. Tyler Shannon of Beleafer is well aware that the quality of any product that comes through TFC must speak for itself. And Tyler is most definitely here to compete. So, let’s get into the review. Side note: I did glass cure this flower for 7 days prior to use.
Appearance
Critical Kushies represents a mixture of phenotypes of Beleafer’s popular Bubba Critical (better known as Critical Berries). Though this pack contains a mix of phenos, it’s actually pretty consistent. Buds in my 1/4 range in size from dime smalls to a few bigger and chunkier nugs. It’s pretty colorful as well, with some lighter and darker green phenos in the mix. Trichome coverage is heavy across the flowers and the cure is mostly on point. There’s some slight squish to the buds, but everything still snaps when breaking it down and it’s not like tearing the flower apart. Cracking a bud open reveals even heavier trichome content. It’s truly a beautiful flower, but part of me does wish the smalls had more density to them.
Nose
As mentioned earlier, this is a mixed pheno pack. When I open the jar I’m treated to a mostly mixed berry smell. My lady told me it reminded her of a triple berry blend. Like raspberries, strawberries and blackberries. I agree with her senses, but I also pick up a stronger note of vanilla. However, after further inspection, some of these buds smell of heavy, stinky kush. It seems like the kush dominant phenos are within the darker phenos and berries in the lighter ones. After breaking down the flower I pick up a heavier kush funk with undertones of berries and spearmint. It’s a good smell without a doubt. I do think it could be louder, but it goes in an excellent direction.
The Smoking Experience (Taste and Effect)
I rolled approximately 1 – 1.5 grams in a joint for the evening. I’d say the blend was about 75/25 of dark/light phenos.The stickiness helps the ground up material shape and hold with ease. The dry hit is like kush and berry salad. Lighting the joint with a hemp wick led to a smooth and pleasant initial hit. Slow, soft inhales are enjoyable, with a bit of a neutral taste. Nostril exhales, on the other hand, are dominantly kush in flavor with a sweet cream after taste. I enjoy this taste, but it does have some competition in the marketplace.
Visually, the flower burns a slightly darker gray ash. As frosty as the flower is, and as good as the cure is, I was surprised when it didn’t leave a resin ring around the joint. It just looks like a highly resinous specimen that would produce a good yield for rosin.
This is a true Type III experience. It’s 11:30pm at the time of this writing. I’m testing this flower out for sleep. At about 1/4 of the joint left, effects come into play. There’s a little bit of a face grab and a body buzz going on, but nothing overpowering. It’s a mild and pleasant feeling that mellows me out physically without experiencing a Type I style head change. If someone was of lower tolerance I’d say 1 – 1.5 grams may be too potent and they may want to consider .5 – 1 gram and see how they feel. However, not everyone has the same body chemistry so someone with a lower tolerance may need more or even less. It differs. 5 minutes after finishing the joint, a headband feeling physically wraps around the head, but I still didn’t experience a heavy cerebral change. Personally, I think that the body buzz is one of the best things about Type III flower.
Final Thoughts and Shelf Placement
Once again Beleafer successfully steps up to the test. Critical Kushies is a beautiful flower with a fragrant aroma and pleasant physical effects that relax the mind and upper body without couch locking you. Big ups to Beleafer on producing this indoor grown living soil beauty. And big ups to Zoe Therapeutics, who created these genetics. In an ideal hemp breeder world, Critical Berries would be crossed to an OZ Kush, Legendary OG, Godfather OG or Pink Panther. For now, that’ll have to remain dream. At $38 for an indoor 1/4, Critical Kushies is an excellent value and a flower that I highly recommend for the newer cannabis consumer, Type III enthusiast or experienced Type I-II consumer looking for a change of pace.
Grades
Appearance: B+
Nose: A-
Taste: B
Effect: B+
Shelf: Good Mid (Great, actually)
The Flavor Chase 