What to Look for in the Best Cannabis Flower

Massachusetts is home to some of the finest weed in New England, and we don’t just say that because we’re one of the growers. It’s true! But here’s the thing, you won’t get the best flower every time you go to the dispensary.

Any frequent dispensary visitor will tell you sometimes, you get home and get ready to fire up and realize that freshly bought cannabis has nothing fresh about it. Talk about a letdown! But it doesn’t have to be this way. The key is to know what to look for in the best flower before you buy it.

How to Find the Best Flower Every Time

1. Who grew it?

This is important and can be more important than some dispo customers ever really consider. All weed under a certain brand name is grown by a different cultivator altogether. Speaking from our own experience, not all growers in Mass are created equal. Some focus on top-shelf strains, some do it for the money.

If you spot a strain you want to try and want to make sure it will be the best flower, grab your phone and hit up Google to see what they’re all about. Check out:

• How the brand grows its flower
• Awards the brand has gotten
• What kind of strains they focus on
• How much love they have for the plant
• Whether they focus on craft growing or larger cultivation processes
• The brand’s about us page

2. TAC, THC, CBD, and Terps

Check out the numbers and profiles. TAC (Total Active Cannabinoids) gives you the full picture of potency, while THC shows how strong the high will be. CBD is your go-to for the chill vibes without the high. And don’t forget terps—those are what give the bud its unique flavor and effects. Aim for a balanced mix that fits your vibe.

Check out our blog: TAC and Cannabis – Are number hunters onto something?

3. Eyeball the Nug

Look closely. The best buds are colorful in shades of sage, jade, and evergreen. You should even see some colorful orange or amber pistils woven through the flower clusters. The bud should be covered in shiny trichomes, and free from seeds or excessive stems. Trichomes are the sparkly goodness that contains the bulk of the cannabinoids and terpenes, so if you’re not seeing any sparkle at all, something’s amiss. If it looks good, it probably is.

4. Squeeze the Nug

Give it a gentle squeeze. Fresh nugs should feel a bit squishy, not too dry but also not too soggy. If it crumbles or feels too mushy, it might not be up to snuff. Dry weed tends to be old and has likely been exposed to too much oxygen to have much left in it to give. Cannabinoids and terpenes evaporate and break down with oxygen and light exposure.

5. Sniff the Nug

Take a whiff. Some dispensaries have deli-style service where you can actually get up close and personal with the buds before you lay down your dollars. Good weed has a strong, distinct smell—fruity, spicy, earthy, or skunky. If it smells bland or off, it might not be the freshest. If it smells like old hay, pass on it—it’ll probably taste about the same. If it has a strong musty smell, and it’s a little squishy to the touch, you could be dealing with a moldy specimen.

6. What do people say?

Get the skinny on a certain strain grown by a certain brand from a good weed lover like you. Anyone who appreciates cannabis will openly let you know which strains hit just right, which cultivator had dry nugs, and what brand always has that bud that’s coated in more diamonds than Rick Ross.

7. How does it burn?

Last but not least, how does the bud burn? This is something you may not get the chance to evaluate until post-purchase. If possible, check how the flower burns. Quality cannabis should burn evenly and cleanly, without too much ash or harshness. But how a flower burns is always a good indicator of whether it is the best flower. If it’s uneven or harsh, it might indicate poor quality or improper curing.

Find the Best Flower from Inferno

That’s right, we said it: If you want the best flower in MA, finding Inferno will give you just that. We know high-quality flower, and we know what a bummer it can be to have high expectations of fine flower and get mid-grade or worse. Therefore, we work especially hard to make sure every flower that leaves our cultivation center lands in a customer’s hands in only a way that we would appreciate.

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