PORTLAND, Ore. – Shango Premium Cannabis took the highest honor in the top growers category at The G.O.A.T. Cup inaugural cannabis contest that judged entries primarily on testing specifications.
Shango of Oregon took first place in the High Range of THC category (28% and above) in the Indoor and Mixed Light division for the exclusive Shango strain Alien Banana Candy. The Shango entry tested at a whopping 35.45% THC level. The next closest finisher tested at 31%.
The contest was judged on three levels, with 70% of the score determined by the highest THC over three testing runs, along with 30 percent for presentation and taste.
“I can honestly say without being biased that Shango was definitely the best in the top category,” said Alex. Hoggan, director of business operations for Chemhistory, the title sponsor of the contest.
Chemhistory is one of the top three labs in Oregon as far as volume.
“Shango is one of the top-tier growers in the state,” Hoggan added. “The state THC average in our lab testing is 18 percent and all Shango strains always test above 20 percent.”
But Shango’s Master Grower, Shane McKee, warns that the winning THC level was no fluke and higher test counts can be forthcoming in the future.
“It doesn’t stop at 35%,” McKee said.
Alien Banana Candy is a top-shelf attraction at the Shango’s Harold Street dispensary as well as numerous other Shango retail partners in the State of Oregon.
“I can’t keep it on the shelf; it’s hot off the scissors and flies out the door,” McKee said.
“At Shango, our lead grower, Mikal Osborne, did exactly what he was supposed to do. With key guidance over the years, this strain is a fine example of his handiwork. Mikal prides himself to produce fire with every crop.”
McKee also was pleased with the terpene percentage that came in over 3 percent. “We’ve had some product that’s almost 5% but everything north of three percent is noteworthy,” McKee said of his 3.05 rating.”
“Shango spends a lot of time and money breeding, hunting and acquiring cultivars where most guys just get a clone from somebody and they’re only focused on making money in production,” McKee said. “We sometimes spend literally years testing and hunting before we move a cultivar into production. We’re doing extensive testing of phenotypes multiple times to make sure it’s gospel that we have chosen the right phenotype of each cultivar.”
The process begins with the all-important selection of seeds, McKee says. “We’ll try to go through 100 or more seeds to find that unicorn cultivar.
“We pay attention to every detail from mother plant to packaging to ensure we are always putting out the best flower possible,” McKee added. “One guy can grow the same strain and have 18% THC and another guy can have 26%. Attention to detail can be the difference between poor and amazing THC and terpenes as well as end-user satisfaction.”
The G.O.A.T Cup is a cannabis growers competition created and designed to highlight and promote the best growers in the cannabis industry in Oregon. The contest is based in science and works with Chemhistory, an ORELAP accredited Laboratory, to perform the testing.
“I like the G.O.A.T. Cup approach of being judged on statistical analysis combined with end user satisfaction,” McKee said.
This event will be held every two years.
“It will grow even larger over time,” Hoggan said. A video of the awards ceremony is available on Instagram.
All entries into The G.O.A.T. Cup were tested blindly by laboratory in triplicate with the following scoring weight:
- 70% of score: Total Cannabinoids (10 Cannabinoids) and Terpenes (52 Terpenes) and averaged for final score
- 20% of score: Presentation, Trichomes, Trim, Aroma
- 10% of score: Consumer Vote
Other THC categories for the contest included Mid High Range 21 to 27.9% (Indoor), Mid Range 15 to 20.9% (Indoor) and Mid Range 15 to 20.9% (Greenhouse).
Shango will be featured in the Oregon Leaf, the Daily Leaf, as well as on the G.O.A.T. Cup Trophy. Shango also will be able to use the licensed G.O.A.T. logo on products and digital and/or published marketing materials for 2 years.
Alien Banana Candy is available for purchase to the public at Shango Harold, 8056 SE Harold St., located at 82nd and Foster, Portland as well as our premier partners listed on www.goshango.com.
Entries for The G.O.A.T. Cup were tested for Full Compliance Testing (Potency, Pesticides, Water Activity and Moisture) as well as Terpene Profiles. Potency will be tested in triplicate and Terpenes were tested in duplicate.
Chemhistory is a dedicated QA/QC laboratory providing analytical screening services for farmers, product producers, distributors and consumers.
“Our laboratory meets and exceeds all requirements through analytical testing methodologies, state-of-the-art instrumentation, and highly trained scientific personnel,” Hoggan said.
“This makes the G.O.A.T Cup a level playing field for all entries,” Hoggan said.
About Shango
Shango is an established vertically integrated cannabis brand offering a full range of award-winning products, including flower, extracts and cannabis-infused edibles, in Oregon, Michigan and Nevada. The Shango brand has multiple full-service recreational and medical cannabis dispensaries in Oregon and Nevada, as well as a medical cannabis provisioning center in Michigan.
Shango will open a second provisioning center in Bay City, Michigan, on Nov. 19. A state-of-the-art cannabis distribution operation in Southern California will be opening soon and the company is also set to open the first of three Missouri dispensaries in 2021. In Q2 2020, Shango’s Michigan operations will add a third provisioning center located in Hazel Park, as well as two extraction facilities, a commercial kitchen and an indoor cultivation facility.
A recognized leader in the cannabis industry, Shango sets the standards for product quality, consistency and business conduct. Shango is committed to cannabis education and is a fierce advocate of the safe and responsible use of cannabis products. For more information, go to www.goshango.com.
