This week I’m trying a strain from Royal Keys. I have never tried Royal Key flower before but I love trying new strains! The strain I’m reviewing from them today is Riddles which is a Red Pop Pheno. This strain is originally a back cross of strawberries and cream if you have tried that.
Looking at the jar I couldn’t see the flower but I really liked the gap in the thc to total cannabinoids so I knew the focus on the full experience not just high thc numbers. I also loved that Royal Key uses living soil. The other brands that do living soil that I have come across are No Till Kings and Honey Butters Farms. Both are fantastic brands but different styles. So let’s dive into the Riddles from Royal Keys!
First off when I opened the jar it had a musty but sweet smell to it. Not overly pungent but was very nice.
The structure of the bud was so beautiful! It had light green nuggs that almost had a tint of white. Long bright red pistols covering the bud and random few spots of bright purple. When I grabbed the nug it was slightly dense, but so airy and tore with your fingertips so easily. You could tell it was fresh and well cured.
Lineage: Red Pop S1 (Strawberry x Cookies and Cream)
Total THC: 25.32%
CBD: .07%
Terpenes: 2.95%
Cannabinoids: 30.64%
Terpenes: Limonene, β-Caryophyllene and Linalool
Flavor: The grind and pre-pull of a joint smell and taste similar to flower in the jar, but far more bright. You can taste the terpene profile halfway through. Mouth coating, and rich. Smooth and not bitter.
Effects: A very pleasing high. I felt it between the eyes, and it gave me energy after the second hit. It’s a creative, and also found my mind wandering some.
The taste was perfect for my liking. It provided a little spice or funk at the beginning, then a slightly berry cream after taste. I love it because it fits both parties. A little old school funk with a little sweeter after taste that lingers. But what matters the most is the high, and they hit it out of the park with this one!
Have you ever had a strain come to you at the perfect moment? Well I want to thank Russ from San Diego Cannabis Times for blessing me with this one. I’m currently on my way to Denver Colorado For the Mile High 420 Festival at the Civic Center. It’s a huge free event every year so if you are in Colorado check it out, but back to the Riddles!
This was perfect the day before the flight. It rested my body so I was calm while running my last minute errands. It also kept me alert and focused on what I needed to get done. I knocked out everything I needed and never stressed at all. I kept a little nug for the morning before the flight. So a blend of my coffee and Riddles was a perfect blend to get ready, get through security, and be happy and higher than the plane on my flight to a fun filled weekend. I give Riddles 4.6 flames out of 5 and can’t wait to try more flowers from Royal Keys!
Shagwhelin “Shaggy” Bullock has been in the California cannabis industry for 5 years. After toiling in dispensaries, tour companies, an edibles brand, Shaggy has started his own brand, the popular “Shagwhelin’s Way” channel on YouTube. When Shaggy’s not online he’s helming the counter at Cannabist in PB.
