Strains & products

The Avid Dabber: Best Dabs at the 2017 Emerald Cup

Published on December 28, 2017 · Last updated July 28, 2020

Welcome back to another edition of The Avid Dabber. This week I’m sharing some of the best dabs I encountered on my trip to the Emerald Cup earlier this month. The Emerald Cup is an annual competition and festival held in Santa Rosa, California to celebrate the autumn cannabis harvest in the Emerald Triangle. Some of NorCal’s best growers and hash makers enter their creations for a chance to claim the prize as a cup winner. The party kicks into full gear once the sun sets, giving way to performances from artists like The Roots, Portugal The Man, Gramatik, and many more.

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If you’re curious about what all goes on at the Emerald Cup, check out the recap video at the bottom of this page and stay tuned for my exclusive interview with Emerald Cup founder Tim Blake on Leafly’s “What Are You Smoking?” podcast. But for now, let’s get to the dabs!

Purple Starburst Hash Rosin by Voodoo Melts

This might have been the best hash I dabbed all weekend. But to be fair, I’m a little biased. Voodoo Melts is a close friend of mine and a top-notch hash maker. His six-star hash rosin always has such amazing clarity and a phenomenal terpene profile no matter what strain he’s working with. This Purple Starburst did not disappoint. With such a sweet mix of fruity terps, you can understand how it got its name. The dab was smooth and left a candied coating in my mouth long after the vapor dissipated.

Raspberry Purple Punch Sauce by Raw Garden

In my opinion, the Sauce from Raw Garden was second to none at this year’s cup as far as hydrocarbon extracts go. They had a diverse lineup of fruity and gassy flavors available as both solventless live rosin and a golden sauce extract that was gooey in the best possible way. The flavor from Raspberry Purple Punch is an intricate balance of sweet fruit flavors and subtle earthy undertones.

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Pink Lemonade Hash Rosin by Ahti Hash

There’s no way I can leave out the much-deserved, cup-winning solventless hash from Ahti Hash. I dabbed their Pink Lemonade as a pressed rosin, and it was an amazing mix of sweet fruit and tart citrus flavors. Beautiful color, soaring effects, and its robust and complex flavor profile helped this dab take home the prize as the Top Solventless Hash at the 2017 Emerald Cup.

Gas House OG Live Resin by Gas House

Gas House submitted many different strains of their sauce at the cup. All carried such pungent terpene profiles that it was a hard decision when it came time to drop some in a hot banger. They shared a few different OG cuts, and I chose their Gas House OG live resin and was not disappointed. The fuely, diesel terps provided such a strong flavor, they lingered on my tongue for the better part of the afternoon.

SFV OG Live Resin by Legion of Bloom

SFV has always been one of my favorite strains, so when I stepped up to the Legion of Bloom booth for a dab, I zoned in on their SFV OG live resin right away. It was an exclusive offering at the cup this year, and I was glad I had a chance to dab it before it was gone. The terpene profile on this live resin was a spectacular blend of piney earthiness and pungent skunk that created a pleasant swirl of kushy flavor. Legion of Bloom had a lot of other awesome dabs at their booth, but I kept coming back for another taste of their SFV.

Related
Leafly’s guide to live resin

Avid Dab of the Week

This week I simply haven’t been able to put down this amazing Limonata six-star hash rosin grown, washed, and pressed by Voodoo Melts.

Limonata is a cross that mixes the gassy profile of Grease Monkey with the sweet citrus notes of Clementine. The resulting combination is a candied lemon flavor that leaves your mouth watering for more.

The Emerald Cup 2017 Recap Video

Have you ever been to the Emerald Cup or any cannabis competition before? Share your experiences in the comments below, or share your favorite dabs with me on Instagram using #aviddabber. Check back next week and I’ll show you my rig set up I use for daily dabbing. Until then, ONLY DAB THE BEST!

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Will Hyde
Will Hyde
Will is a brand builder, product expert, and storyteller with 2 decades of experience in the cannabis industry. The former co-host of Leafly's "What Are You Smoking" podcast has dedicated his life to sharing his passion for cannabis with anyone who will listen. Follow him on Instagram at @the.avid.dabber
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