How good is the flavour and grow quality of this new, non-psychoactive cannabis strain by Dispensr?
By Herbert M. Green
I’m seeing a trend emerging from the first CBD-rich strain I reviewed for Dispensr to this one, the Red Rattler; a trend with an upwards trajectory. It’s clear to me that the quality of Dispensr’s range of CBD flowers is getting better with every iteration.
I still can’t fully wrap my head around the fact I’ve now become a CBD dry herb aficionado, where I was not so long ago a fervent nay-sayer of CBD-dominant cannabis.
I guess that with this intro, dear reader, it is obvious that I like the newest CBD strain by Dispensr. But, if you want to know how good Red Rattler actually is, keep reading.
From sceptic to CBD-convert
If you’ve read my previous two reviews of Dispensr’s non-psychoactive cannabis strains, Viper Haze and Very Berry Boa, you’ll know that I wasn’t a fan of the idea of weed that doesn’t get me high. I didn’t see the point, to be honest, and I didn’t think CBD weed could ever smell and taste as good as the ‘real stuff’. Yet, after having tried the first two strains for a while, I discovered that I was wrong.
Where Viper Haze was, in my opinion, still a bit of a work-in-progress sort of situation, it was Very Berry Boa that turned out to be a complete eye-opener and game-changer for me.
So, what about this new strain; Red Rattler? Well, let’s dive into the details and find out.
The flavour and aroma of Red Rattler
Sweet! Sweet and pungent as all get out! Just the way I like it. You should have seen my face when I first opened the package, I had a profound sense of “wow”.
The aroma of Red Rattler is very close to that of Strawberry Haze; A stupendously sweet and fruity fragrance of red fruits, like strawberries and raspberries, but with a pungent, almost chemical, undertone of fresh, sweet and sour citrus funk combined with pine needles. Especially that last part, the undertone, is typical of a Haze bouquet.
And it is this typical bouquet that permeates into the flavour as well. When vaping Red Rattler, the citrus and pine flavours take centre stage, but not completely. There’s still enough of that sweet red fruit essence to savour and even an added hint of earthy nuttiness that complements the overall zing.
Red Rattler is masterfully grown cannabis, and this is how you can tell
Another thing I have to mention is that Red Rattler is one of the most expertly grown CBD strains I’ve seen so far. From an interpener's* visual point of view, I can see a multitude of characteristics to get excited about.
The colour of the flower alone is superb. Fresh and light green with beautiful amber coloured pistils (those hair-like protrusions you see on the top of the cannabis flowers, also known as ‘styles’). These are visual indicators that the plant was given all the right environmental factors to grow healthy and strong.
* Interpener: Someone who is trained in judging the quality of cannabis, based on overall looks as well as minute details, flavour and aroma. Similar to what a sommelier does with wine.
A lovely fresh green colour and perfectly formed, brown/amber hairs (Styles) is what you want to see with a well-grown cannabis flower
And if I zoom in even closer, right up to where I can see the trichomes (those little resin sacks that grow all over the flower) I can see that this plant was given ample time to go through its full growth cycle. This, unfortunately, is a rare thing nowadays, where most growers choose to harvest as soon as possible so that they can immediately start a new batch to increase their profit margins.
Usually, when I’m asked to rate a cannabis strain - as a cannabis-cup judge or for a cannabis dispensary - I see a lot of flowers where the trichomes are still as clear as water droplets on glass. But, what I really want to see, is opaque trichomes. They need to be milky or even on the verge of becoming amber in colour, like unrefined crystallised sugar. That is the moment the flower has fully ripened and all the important compounds like terpenes and cannabinoids had enough time to fully form. Only then should the flower be harvested.
As you can see in the image below, all the trichomes on this nug of Red Rattler are nice and milky, some are even getting a bit of amber hue, meaning these flowers were harvested at the exact right time, giving the cannabinoids and terpenes enough time fully develop and create a lovely fragrant bouquet.
Mostly milky white and some ambered coloured trichomes are the indicators that this flower was harvested at the right time
Red Rattler makes me creative and motivated
As some of you may know, the characteristics of Haze-like strains are defined as giving those who consume it a heightened sense of creativity, an uplifted mood and motivational energy. Seeing Red Rattler shares many of the characteristics of Haze-like strains in its terpene profile, it isn’t hard to figure out what to expect from this particular CBD-rich flower, but then without the added psychoactive element.
Final verdict on Red Rattler, a CBD-rich cannabis flower
I can’t express it any other way, I love this strain! The terpene profile of Red Rattler is absolutely breathtaking. It’s a rich and layered bouquet that gets right up to your face, without being overwhelming. I love how long the terps linger on my tongue and how the CBD-rich strain makes me feel.
If this is the future of CBD flower, sign me up! I want more.
Now it’s your turn to tell us what you think about this CBD strain. Have you tried it yet? Did I hit all the right notes? Or is there something I missed? Are you a true die-hard CBD fan or still sceptical? Let us know in the comments below or on one of Dispensr’s social media channels.
Peace out & vape on!
Herbert M. Green
