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How
To Judge Cannabis
(from High
Times, hightimes.com/Events/CannabisCup/ccjudge.tpl)
APPEARANCE
- Is
there a thick coating of shining white or light-golden crystals?
- Under
a jeweler's loupe or magnifying glass, are there stalked glands
topped with fat, round balls or resin?
- Lots
of leaf or just a little?
- Signs
that there was a lot of leaf but it was trimmed off?
- If
so, was the job well done or are there a lot of stems lingering?
- Are
the buds tight or wispy?
- Big
bracts?
- Lots
of red hairs? (They are not psychoactive.)
SMELL
- Green,
cured or chemical?
- Musty
or moldy? If so, that's very bad.
- Acrid
and skunk-like?
- Piney?
TASTE
- Does
the “dry-toke” have memorable flavors?
- If
so, describe them: spicy, sweet, industrial, radioactive?
- Does
it break up and roll easily, without being overly dry and dusty, and
does it burn without constant relighting?
- Is
it harsh on the throat?
- Is
it flavorful and inviting, or does it leave a bad aftertaste?
- Do
you want to finish the joint, or move on after a few tokes?
HASHISH
TIPS
- What
color is it after a piece is pressed in your hand? Higher-quality
resin powders turn darker much faster than lower-quality powders.
- Hashish
should be hard at room temperature and become pliable after hand
warming. Hold the piece in your hand for a few minutes. The higher
the percentage of resin, the faster it will soften enough to be
kneaded.
- How
fast does it burn? The rate at which a piece burns is determined by
the ratio of resin to plant matter. Fluffy or spongy hash is
predominantly plant matter. Denser, purer hashish burns slowly and
completely.
- What
does the hashish taste like? If a small piece of high-quality hash
is put in the mouth and chewed, it often produces a peppery
sensation. If hashish tastes like vegetable matter or contains
gritty, sandy dirt, it is “sophisticated”--cut with something.
- How
does the smoke smell and taste? When pure cannabis resin burns it
produces a pungent, spicy aroma, like fine-quality incense. Good
hashish always smells rich and sweet.
- What
color is the smoke? When high-quality hashish burns it gives off
milky-white to slightly blue-gray smoke. If the embers give off
brown smoke, it is a sign of adulterants. If the smoke from the
embers is very dark brown or black, the hash is highly adulterated
with substances which might be hazardous to your health, and the
hash is likely of exceptionally low quality.
—Hash Tips adapted from the book
“Hashish” by Robert C. Clarke.
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