started. Shred 22 is part of 22Red, the cannabis business System of a Down bassist Shavo Odadjian’s founded in California. It has since expanded to metro Phoenix (connecting with local cultivator Sonoran Roots), and its products can be found all over the Valley, including dispen- saries such as Curaleaf. Best Cannabis Flower (Indica) BUBBA KUSH Bubba Kush kept coming up in discussions at the Phoenix Cannabis Awards Music Festival in May. The attendees, cannabis connoisseurs of sorts, spoke on the classic and popular strain, saying it destresses them and helps knock them out when feeling restless in bed; the nutty, earthy, slightly sweet taste and coffee-esque aroma add to the calming effect. That sounds great to us. Since Bubba Kush is a perennial favorite — it stems from the Bubble Gum and Kush strains and has been around since the 1990s — plenty of local dispensaries carry it, including Arizona Natural Selections, Sunnyside Cannabis, and Local Joint by Zen Leaf. Best Cannabis Flower (Hybrid) RUNTZ officialruntzstore.com Runtz is a hybrid flower that relaxes adult rec consumers and med patients alike. Originally from California, the difficult-to- obtain strain is now available in metro Phoenix. Local concertgoers able to smoke the meld of Gelato and Zkittlez say it provides a euphoric vibe that supposedly elevates the music experience to another dimension. It not only smells like tropical candy, but it also leaves a sweet aftertaste. The Leafly app awarded Runtz as the Strain of the Year in 2020, and a year later, it took first place at the High Times Medical Cup in Michigan in the Recreational Hybrid Flower division. Runtz is available at local dispensaries such as The Flower Shop, Sunday Goods, GreenPharms, and The Mint Cannabis. Best Cannabis Wax/Dab 22RED 22red.com 256 System of a Down bassist Shavo Odadjian dropped his new line of 22Red concentrates — Papago Punch, Shred 22, Portuguese Kush, and K9 — in metro Phoenix in June. The “top-shelf and rockstar-approved” live resin concentrates are created with starting material supplied by Sonoran Roots, a Tempe- and Mesa-based cultivator. Also known as dab or wax, Odadjian’s concen- trates are sold in 1-gram increments in red- and-black-topped jars at dispensaries throughout the Valley, including CuraLeaf, Nirvana Center, The Flower Shop, and more. Locals say the Portuguese Kush sauce is a slightly sativa-leaning strain that provides a euphoric high perfect for just kickin’ it on the couch. Best Cannabis Gummies ANGRY ERRL The Mint Cannabis 5210 South Priest Drive, Guadalupe 480-749-6468 And other Valley locations mintdeals.com For an upgrade on the traditional fruity pot gummy, check out Angry Errl. The medi- cated candy is made and sold by the folks at The Mint Cannabis, which has three loca- tions in the Valley. The gummies are a blend of pineapple, mango, orange, and watermelon flavors, and are tossed in a sugar and spice mix, bringing a mix of heat and tangy-sweet flavors. Each package sells for $14 and contains 10 gummies in a 100 mg pack. You also get a small pouch of the sweet-spicy sugar mix and a lollipop for dipping. If you like the Angry Errl heat, the company also sells a line of weed- infused hot sauces in varieties like mild and hot buffalo, chamoy, and Sriracha. Best Baked Edibles AMY & AL’S EDIBLES White Mountain Health Center 9420 West Bell Road, #108, Sun City 623-374-4141 aaedibles.com Back before marijuana was legal in Arizona, we experienced plenty of homemade weed-infused baked goods, and none of them were what you could call tasty. So treats by Amy & Al’s Edibles are practically a revelation. Amy & Al’s has been on the local cannabis scene for a while, which has given them plenty of time to hone their baking and infusing skills. The company makes cookies, brownies, and truffles in a variety of dosages, plus other treats such as hard candies, gummies, and cannabis-infused honey. We regularly pick up the bags of mini cookies in flavors including snickerdoodle, choc- olate chip, and peanut butter. At 10mg each, one is just the right dose for us, and all taste great. The chocolate brownie is the standout, though — rich and moist, we can’t even taste the cannabis in the 100mg bar. Amy & Al’s home dispensary is White Mountain Health Center, but you can find their products at dispensaries all over town by checking the website. BEST OF PHOENIX 2022 | WWW.BESTOFPHOENIX2022.C0M | SEPTEMBER 29, 2022
