2016 Champions: Dinafem's Prize Winners This Season

February

• Critical Cheese
• Third place in the "Seed Banks Strains" at the Secret Cup 2016, held in Naples (Italy)

We kicked off the year traveling to Italy, where the Dinafem team received an award from the organisers of this cannabis cup, now in its second edition. Spanish seed banks also won several additional honours. Among these was a third-place finish for Critical Cheese, one of those plants that could be classified as "special reserve" within Dinafem's range of cannabis offerings. The result of hybridisation between the legendary Critical + and Cheese, with such genes it is hardly surprising that it has become one of the most popular strains in our catalogue.

The plant's sturdy and open structure, with a large distance between nodes, and thin leaves tinged with green and orange hues, offers the grower heavy buds that are hard as rocks and coated in resin. In fact, according to the expert grower Skunk-mad, Critical Cheese buds "are the hardest, densest and most compact that I have seen in my 15 years of cultivating and smoking cannabis." The quality of the marijuana, then, is beyond question, thanks to a scent and flavour that dazzle the taste buds: "At first you are hit by a potent taste of wild berries, followed by cheese, with a dash of hash," says this expert grower. One irresistible genetic.

May

• Bubba Kush Autoflowering
• First Prize in the "Hash" category at the 2016 Alacannabis Cup held in Alicante (Spain)

On May 28 the 14th edition of the Alacannabis Cup was held at La Marchosa, which hosted a delightful day of cannabis coexistence, featuring music, talks and an awards ceremony spanning different categories. Our autoflowering version of Bubba Kush won in the Hash category. Just three years ago the first version of our Bubba Kush Auto was released, the result of crossing a Bubba Kush Pre-98 (according to many, the best Indica in the world) with one of the most outstanding Autodinafem autoflowering lines: White Widow Auto. We still consider the result one of the best autoflowering varieties we have ever produced.

The judges agreed with us. Not only is Bubba Kush Auto an Indica that is very resilient and easy to grow, compact and stout, but also a pleasure to savour too. Its buds boast a distinct aroma and flavour, with clear notes of oil and tinges of coffee. Its effect when smoked is potent, relaxing and long-lasting, making it very suitable for medical use. In fact, it has recently become the most popular painkiller (analgesic) at US cannabis dispensaries.

June

• Industrial Plant CBD Auto
• Second Prize in the "Autoflowering" category at the High Life Cup 2016 in Amsterdam (Netherlands)

The Flevopark in Amsterdam hosted the 8th edition of Cannabis Liberation Day, at which Soft Secrets celebrates the traditional Highlife Cup, which recognises the top strains of the year. In this case another of our autoflowering varieties took a second prize, impressing the judges with its quality. Industrial Plant CBD Auto is designed to achieve, in the most practical way possible, high-quality buds that are rich in taste and CBD. A very simple strain to grow and that really thrives, rewarding growers with a great harvest boasting commercial properties and full of flavours, with hints of sweet fruit intermingled with notes of citrus, Skunk and even spices.

The strain offers what is, without a doubt, very balanced combination for fans of these kinds of CBD-rich strains. Its main upside, however, is its effect. For those who cannot take the side effects of cannabis rich in THC (red eyes, dry mouth ...) this strain is ideal. They will find in it a great resource for consumption that is both more sustainable and, at the same time, easier on a day-to-day basis. With a balanced effect, both physically and mentally, many people recommend using it not just to relax, but also to soothe joint pain and get to sleep.

August

• Critical Jack
• First Prize in the Outdoor Sativa category at the UCLA (Latin American Cannabis Union) Cup held in Chile

In the middle of the summer we received news of this First Prize at the Latin American Cannabis Union Cup, which Soft Secrets Latam organised for the second consecutive year at its headquarters in Santiago de Chile. Next year it will become the Highlife Cup, like the Soft Secrets event in Europe. This edition brought together 60 competitors: 40 in flowers and 20 in extractions. The Critical Jack that won the award for Best Outdoor Sativa was presented by the St. Peter Growshop in Santiago de Chile.

There are many cannabis lovers who are truly devoted to Critical Jack, one of Dinafem's crown jewels. They love it for its amazing production and its powerful and balanced effects, not to mention its taste. It is, without any doubt, one extraordinary genetic.A genuine machine, producing buds of very consistent size, spread over very homogeneous branches, thanks to its Critical+ ancestry, along with the Sativa influence added by Jack Herer. What more could you ask for?

September

• Sour Diesel Auto
• First Prize in the "Autoflowering" category at the Lift Toronto/Vancouver Cannabis Expo 2016 (Canada)

We crossed the pond to swell with pride and satisfaction upon witnessing the warm welcome given our genetics by the Canadian public, which we confirmed with a double prize at one of the most important events on the continent: the Lift Cannabis Expo, split into two events, held in the cities of Toronto and Vancouver. At both we emerged winners in the Autoflowering category, with our beloved Sour Diesel Auto. According to the grower that took our champion to the top of the podium: "Sour Diesel Auto has one of the spiciest and most expressive aromas that I have ever experienced, and I thought that Canadians would appreciate that familiar gas-like, diesel flavour." He got that right.

• Blue Kush Auto
• Second Prize in the "Autoflowering" category at the Lift Vancouver Cannabis Expo 2016 (Canada)

At the same edition of the Lift Cannabis Expo held in Vancouver, this same grower took a second prize too, also in the Autoflowering category, with another Dinafem strain: in this case, Blue Kush Auto. "I presented Sour Diesel Auto and Auto Blue Kush at both cups. I wanted these genetics to speak for themselves and for people to realize how autoflowering plants have really improved in recent years."

Well, he pulled it off. In fact, many of the judges could not believe that the buds entered were from automatic plants. "The quality is so high that many people in Canada had never seen anything like it." It should be noted that both entries were yielded by plants grown using organic, probiotic methods, which maximise aroma and flavour, and are a breath of fresh air for many people who are used to consuming cannabis cultivated using chemical fertilisers.

October

• Critical +
• First Place in the Outdoor Growing category at the Cannabis Growers Cup in Buenos Aires (Argentina)

Another podium for Critical+, this time in South America. On October 29th the judging for the sixth edition of the Cata Copa de Cultivadores Cannábicos was held in Buenos Aires. In the Outdoor Growing category a beautiful specimen of Dinafem's Critical+ won, presented by Emmanuel Faccini. Since Critical+ was released officially in 2005, it has continued to rack up stellar reviews and to garner success.

Its best-known phenotype features a Sativa appearance, with sharp and narrow leaves, thin stems and abundant branches, but it blooms with a speed typical of the fastest Indicas. A complete and very effective strain in every way, guaranteeing great results at any level. It is one of those plants whose taste directly matches its aroma; that is, it tastes like it smells, with sweet, fruity and persistent touches, and hints of lemon that captivate the palate and linger in the memory. A classic amongst classics.

November

• Pure CBD / Purple Orange CBD
• First Prize in the "Flower" category at the 1st CBD-Rich Cup. Cádiz (Spain)

We ended the season in an unbeatable way, the perfect finishing touch for this 2016 that we christened as that of the CBD explosion, winning a specialised award from the CBD-Rich Association, a non-profit organisation dedicated to the conservation of strains containing CBD. CBD-rich.org organised this Cup after four years of cultivation, selection and the exhaustive crossing of strains rich in cannabidiol. Its Plant Strain Conservation Association currently harbours more than 40 different genetics, with different ratios.

This exclusive contest for strains rich in cannabidiol issued its awards on November 19 in Cádiz. Dinafem won 1st Prize in the Flower category for its Pure CBD strain, and also took a 2nd Prize in the Extraction category with Purple Orange CBD (Bubble Hash Full Spectrum) strain, for an entry produced with "ice, water and lots of love," according to our technical team.

Rich in CBD, Purple Orange CBD is an excellent choice for those seeking to take full advantage of the therapeutic qualities of cannabis, and care less about its psychoactive effects. "Pure CBD" is one of Dinafem's star releases for next season. What is clear is that this new seed, bound to make a splash in 2017, has really come out of the gates strong, already recognised as the best CBD-rich strain at a contest as specialised as this one, which recognises these genetics, increasingly popular with consumers for whom cannabidiol is the most important ingredient.