The 5th Annual Karma Cup was celebrated in downtown Toronto this past weekend among cannabis aficionados and friends. If you are from Toronto you may be familiar with the cannabis competition and festival which, like other ‘Cups’ around the world, gets participants to judge cannabis strains, applications, and products from across the country.
Submissions come in almost every form of the plant you can imagine, from solvent-less extracts to cartridge vape pens, pain balm, and canna-biscottis. It’s a weed lover’s dream.
I have been lucky enough to judge the cup for three years now and every year the samples get better and better – not to mention bigger. This year’s kit had more than 100 different samples, some were delicious in flavour others were hard-hitting and fast-acting, my favourites were both.
Each category is judged based on 10 different criteria that include smell, taste, visual appeal and strength, and after weeks of deliberation the first, second and third place winners are tallied and announced at the end of the festival in front of a crowd of anxiously awaiting enthusiasts.
On September 8th and 9th people perused and bought cannabis products and mingled with friends while the awards were given out in the smoke-friendly venue.
While there were definitely lots of samples that I loved which didn’t walk away with any awards, I generally agreed with all the winners. Point is, the kit was lit. Here are some of the Karma Cup 2018’s winners from some of my favourite categories. It was a hard job – but someone had to do it.
Sativa Bud
- Unlicensed Producer – Ghost Train Haze #1 – this super pungent yet bright tasting bud had me feeling really positive about the day ahead. (Yes, I waked-and-baked this particular sample). Clearly a popular strain, a Ghost Train Haze/Wedding Cake cross also won in Solventless Concentrates.
- Phat Pharms – Trainwreck – the Trainwreck in the Karma Cup pack was really bright and citrusy – which is my favourite.
- BlackDawg – Tangie – Tangie was a popular flavour for cup goers, winning in a vape pen category as well. I have to say I don’t disagree, anytime I see Tangie, I’m going in.
Topicals
- Buddha Bar, Roll on Salve – this roll-on cannabis salve is silky and goes on so light. Made with menthol, shea butter and essential oils it has a delicate, piney citrusy smell that I cannot get enough of.
- Bare Coconut Recover, Magnesium & Witch Hazel Enhanced Pain Cream – this cream has a kind of warming effect that didn’t feel tingly – I love it.
- Health Therapy Products, 19 Path Herbal Pain Rub – this CBD pain gel is not for the faint of heart.
Solvent Sativa
- Hystar Extracts, Frodo – sweet and pungent this crystally concentrate was gorgeous looking.
- Beard Bros. Old School Haze Wax – super terpy and delicious. If you needed more confirmation, it was clear from this year’s competition that terps are the future.
- Beard Bros. Thai Stick – earthy and magnificent.
Indiva does not endorse the consumption of unlicensed cannabis products and recommends that consumers choose their selections wisely.
Sarah Hanlon is a communications and culture grad from the University of Calgary with a minor in Women’s Studies. After completing a semester abroad at the University of New Orleans where she studied the culture of the city and its jazz scene, Sarah moved to Toronto to try to break into the media world, and in 2015, she won Big Brother Canada.
Since then, Sarah has hosted and appeared on a number of Canadian shows and outlets including Slice, Global Morning, ET Canada, and CHCH Hamilton. She currently works as a brand ambassador for Leafly Canada. Sarah lives in Hamilton, Ontario with her dogs Annie and Sally and her partner Scott.