I bought it, I smoked it, now let’s talk about it!
Strain: White Runtz
Breeder: Compound Genetics
Genetics: Gelato x Zkittles
Price: $80 / 14g
Intro:
White Runtz is a sought-after cultivar and a forerunner of the ‘runtz-mania’ of the late 2010-2020’s. It crosses two wildly popular strains, Gelato and Zkittles, and the genetics hail from the powerhouse breeder, Compound Genetics. This is the first time that I’ve tried this strain, as most of the iterations I’ve seen in MD or DC are wildly overpriced because of the name recognition that Runtz crosses carry, and I’m fundamentally against paying $60 for an eighth just because it comes in a fancy purple bag.
Terp profile:
This batch of White Runtz has very balanced terp profile; with almost equal amounts of relaxing and uplifting terpenes. 0.44% of Caryophyllene, 0.25% of Linalool, and 0.24% of Myrcene provide relaxation and anxiety and/or stress relief. 0.4% of Limonene, 0.21% of Pinene, and 0.21% of Humulene could provide a mood boost, increase in focus, and possible appetite suppression
Look:
The nugs look like they have decent bud structure and feel fairly dense and well-cured when squeezed.
The bud coloration is a mix of medium to dark green and purple, frosty with good trichome coverage and substantial amount of orange hairs accenting. The bud size isn’t giant, larger than popcorn buds I’d say, most are about the size of the marble, which can be a positive or negative depending on your preferences. some people prefer smaller buds because more of the weight is taken up by surface area with trichome coverage rather than the inside material of the bud and heftier stems contributing towards total weight of large nugs.
Smell:
White Runtz is revered for its smell and taste. Immediately after opening the bag, you hit with its aroma. The first note I had was that it smells fresh and natural. The terpene profile is really doing its thing here, the limonene is providing the upfront citrusy smell, caryophyllene, the dominant terp, is giving it some peppery notes, and the lower but still significant amounts of myrcene and linalool are adding floral and earthy undertones. Combining all of those provides an aroma of what I imagine a lemon farm smells like.
Taste:
Upon inhale, you taste sweet citrus first, followed by a floral earthiness with hints of pepper on the exhale. You can tell that it’s a Gelato cross with its smooth, creamy inhale while smoking and lack of harshness on the throat or lungs. The Zkittles parent brightens the smoking experience, making White Runtz feel like a lighter smoke than other Gelato crosses. The only negative I found while smoking was that the joint went out a couple times, faster than the average joint, which could have been my fault when grinding and/or rolling the flower or it could have something to do with the cure.
Effects:
Body:
I noticed some light body relaxation and tingling sensation in the neck and back. The body relaxation felt more like it was releasing tense muscles than a couchlock effect and getting up and moving around after smoking didn’t require a lot of effort.
Mind:
The mental effects are the real star here. Within 10-15 minutes, I noticed a distinct clear head feeling, like my mind was quieted to the usual rat race of thoughts and was able to concentrate on the present moment. I didn’t feel any paranoia or anxiety after smoking and felt very lucid, like I could still be a functioning member of society. I think this would be a great daytime strain for anyone looking to manage their anxiety without feeling over-impaired. Personally, I have always struggled with the intense fatigue that often accompanies treatments for anxiety, whether it be pharmaceutical or cannabis, but this strain was able to pause the racing thoughts while allowing for focus and concentration on the important things. I think the well-balanced terpene profile combined with the lower THCa % allowed for the terpenes’ individual effects to work in harmony without being overshadowed by the depressant qualities that high levels of THC can have.
Conclusion:
I’m a big fan of this strain and for my personal use, give it a 4/5 stars. The smell and taste are great, the effects are enjoyable, and the price point feels very reasonable. I think this is a great option for an easygoing daytime smoke, for day-to-day stress and anxiety management, but if you’re looking for a super heavy hitting, couchlock strain, this probably isn’t the best bet (maybe try the other recent DC drop, kush mints testing over 30%).
