Yellow Zushi from The Ten Co on 3/19/2021 (Huge shout out to @roldbyg for making it happen). No testing info available on this batch. This was gifted to me and I’m not exactly sure what it would go for in a shop if you could find it. I imagine it’d be somewhere in the neighborhood of 50-60 pre-tax. It’s coming up on two years since I first reviewed a Ten Co strain (Blue Zushi) so when RoldbyG offered up this Yellow variant I was more than on board to check it out. 

The surface of these bulbous buds are a mix of sage, hunter and fern greens with occasional specks of midnight blue, complimented by bursts of rusty orange pistils, all of which is hazed over in a coat of parchment white triches. 

The nose out of the bag initially hit me with a wave of fruity candy, very much like Skittles, but also has a savory almost soy sauce-like quality lingering in the background.  Busting open a bud the citrus really opens up and brings an acidity with it. It’s been a while since I’ve had one but it’s very reminiscent of a Pamplemousse LaCroix with the flavoring kicked up just a notch. Breaking it down by hand was challenging as it was fairly squishy in nug form, but dense on being deconstructed, and it did not want to break down as easily as most of the herb I typically come across. There’s a bright sugary citrus that lingers on the fingertips while the grinds themselves have that amped up Pamplemousse LaCroix scent with a distant mint pine freshness in the background. 

A dry pull on the joint comes through with the grapefruit uptop but has a grungy edge and a fresh undertone that repped a little harder than it did in the grinds. The inhale is smooth, and on the joint has a subtle sweet freshness, whereas the bong had that sweetness as well but leaned more floral than fresh. The exhale from the joint is a sweet floral mustiness at first, but the Pomelo makes itself known although muted and has a touch of freshness underneath, whereas the bong is a lighter grapefruit with a fresh mint pine backing. Cross checking the flavors on my GhostVapes MV1, at 170c I get a sweet fresh floral with a hint of citrus and a pine that lingers momentarily, whereas at 185c I get a fresh sensation on the way in and on the way out it’s more of a light citrus floral. 

The headchange comes on quick and brings with it an immediate calm. With a single bowl the anxieties of the week that existed mere moments earlier completely vanished, washed away by a wave of chill soothing energy, the type that makes you want to take a seat and just start contemplating life. I was impressed with its staying power as it managed to last through a walk to the store and back to grab a last minute veggie for dinner. As I cooked it felt like I was on some sort of autopilot, present enough to navigate through an easy dish, but my mind constantly wandered from one topic to the next without me being fully cognizant of the fact. It stayed with me for an hour or so even after dinner, and it wasn’t until then I was able to muster enough power for a follow up bowl. I decided to spend a full day with it, starting with a wake and bake, and by about 11:30am I was scarfing down an early lunch followed by a 3 hour nap. I woke up again only to smoke more, and found myself ordering dinner even though it was really early and I wasn’t all that hungry, but the munchies had taken hold and I was fiending for a Bionico so I pulled the trigger on Uber Eats with priority delivery. 

All and all I really enjoyed this batch of Yellow Zushi, and while it may not win any bud beauty contests, the long lasting effects and fairly unique flavor make up for it in spades. I could definitely see myself copping this again if I found it at the right ticket. Great work once again Team Ten!

Levels from #thetenco on 3/19/2021 (Huge shout out to RoldByG for making it happen). No testing info available on this batch. This was gifted to me but it’s if you know you know status, I am not aware of a store with this currently on it’s menu. It’s coming up on two years since I first reviewed a Ten Co strain (Blue Zushi) so when RoldbyG offered to hand off some fresh Ten Co flavors I was more than on board to check them out. 

These big bulbous buds are a mix of tea, lime and hunter greens that frequently dip into deep rich aubergines, coupled with abundant bunches of marigold colored pistils, all of which is iced over in a thick blanket of bone white triches. Looking at the buds under bright light with the naked eye, there’s also this warm amethyst glow that the camera fails to pick up on no matter the angle I try, but it’s something that doesn’t fail to catch my attention in person every time.  

The nose out of the bag is a fresh floral and sweet syrup with a minor perfume edge, and what I’d describe as a medicinally herbaceous background that smells similar to sarsaparilla.  Busting open a bud that sweet fresh floral amps up with a slightly fruity vibe, while a savory or spicy element also emerges, but it’s hard to pin down as my nose’s perception keeps flipping between muted chocolate, root beer candy, or maybe even a vague baked good. Breaking it down by hand, I get a minty floral with sugar sweet syrup in the background on my fingertips which ended up coated in a sticky trich grime, while the grinds themselves come hard with that root beer candy, which morphs into something heavily savory and a bit confusing. It’s a complex mix of soy or beef jerky up top but also has that very sweet floral backend which at times has a faint touch of lemon. Every time I sniff I feel like I take away something new, sort of like when I re-watch episodes of Arrested Development, I notice some new subtle detail that enhances the experience over all. It’s rich and sweet and savory, almost to the point where if I came across it in a food I’d wonder if it’d gone sour or if it was supposed to smell this way, but it’s unique to say the least. 

The dry pull on the joint is a deep rich freshness that has a minty yet savory aftertaste. The inhale is smooth but hits with a hearty smoke, it comes with a fresh sweet floral on the bong whereas the joint is essentially the same, but finishes out with a musty tang. The exhale from the bong is a musty fresh floral with a vaporous quality and a touch of anise and an occasional light chocolate finish, while the joint is a fresh floral similar to the inhale, but the tang comes off more savory, even to the point where it hits slightly sour but it’s very mild and distant. Cross checking the flavors on my GhostVapes MV1, at 170c it’s an extremely fresh floral whereas at 185c it’s not as extreme, but the fresh floral still dominates while a sweet quality makes itself known with a carbonated edge that gives it an overall “sweet flower soda” characteristic. 

The headchange comes on quick with a solid hazy eyed slap and some happy go lucky energy, but as time marches on, that energy peels back as a more chill, laid back vibe starts to settle in. While I found myself easily distracted, even to the point of forgetting what I was just doing, I also experienced a minor bout of creative euphoria that was very beneficial in getting through some tasks I’d been putting off for some time. Even though a weight was settling in over my body, from my forehead down into my shoulders, I still found myself working at my standing desk swaying to the beat of some music I had on with the purpose of helping me focus. As more time passed the chill vibe intensified to the point it bordered on sleepy while my motivations became much less task oriented and much more food oriented. Overall I have to say I enjoyed my time with this batch of Levels. It packs an enjoyable hard hitting punch that works well for those late afternoon seshes where you still have some chores to knock off your To-Do list but are ready to start unwinding for the evening. Be forewarned though, if you’re at all tired, you may end up looking at the back of your eyelids for the rest of the night before you even know what hit you. Nice job on this one Team Ten, it was no doubt a solid showing, keep up the great work!