Golden Ticket

 Cannabis lovers always seem to be on the hunt for hybrid strains that combine mental stimulation with calming physical effects. Luckily, they don’t need to search as frantically as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’s Charlie Bucket to find the reward they seek. The strain Golden Ticket, created by Portland’s Archive Seeds is a cross between colorful hybrid Golden Goat and heavy indica Face Off OG. Golden Ticket offers a supremely balanced high and a flavor profile that is an appealing blend of citrus and skunk.

Consumers should keep in mind that Golden Ticket also describes a lesser-seen distinct phenotype of TGA Genetic’s potent hybrid Chernobyl. If you spot Golden Ticket for sale, asking a knowledgeable budtender about its exact genetics should clear up any uncertainty.

Golden Ticket is marked by medium-sized flowers that adhere in thick, chunky nuggets. These flowers have a very dense bud structure, with thin leaves packed and coiled tightly around their central stems. True to its name, Golden Ticket’s leaves are pale green with a discernible yellow tint. The flowers are also threaded through with yellow to orange hairs (which are actually pistils, intended to catch pollen from fertilizing male plants). A heavy dusting of trichomes ensures this strain’s psychoactivity and gives it a very sticky texture — Golden Ticket is sure to leave a coating of resin on the fingertips if broken up by hand. The most obvious aroma is a tropical lemon-lime tang, likely passed on from parent strain Golden Goat, which is itself descended from a Hawaiian landrace. This fruity smell is undercut by the musky scent of damp earth. Grinding up or breaking open the dense nugs gives off a faint chemical scent of ammonia. When combusted, Golden Ticket burns with a smooth smoke that tastes both citrus and sweet and may linger on the palate for a while.

Golden Ticket offers a slow, creeping high that may take several minutes before its initial effects are even noticed. Users may detect a slightly altered perception of external stimuli. Colors and sounds may seem more intense, and otherwise mundane concepts may strike the smoker as more interesting. This contributes to a slightly trippy, psychedelic feeling. Golden Ticket is not entirely dreamy, though — users often remain in full control of their faculties and able to maintain lucid thoughts and conversations. As the high wears on, a warm sense of relaxation radiates out from the core and may provoke the desire to sit down and take a load off. Be warned: a little bit of Golden Ticket may make you feel slightly lazy, while a few bowls are liable to render you bedridden like Charlie Bucket’s Grandpa Joe. This multi-faceted high can be put to use however the smoker desires. It can be great for daydreaming or light creative work at home. It’s also an excellent way to enhance an extended nature walk or to facilitate buzzy conversation with friends.

Golden Ticket has diverse benefits for medical cannabis patients as well. It can soothe deep-seated aches and pains, both temporary and chronic. Its anti-inflammatory properties may also take the edge off of annoyances like headaches and stomach problems. In high enough doses, this strain’s thorough sedation can temporarily blunt the harsh symptoms of depression, anxiety and PTSD, and can ease insomniacs into a deep and restful sleep. Because its effects run the gamut from stimulating to relaxing, Golden Ticket is appropriate for use at any time of day.

Archive has made seeds of Golden Ticket available to growers for sale online; alternatively, growers can obtain clippings from mature, healthy plants in order to grow clones. It can be grown indoors or out, although successful outdoor cultivation calls for a semi-humid climate with daytime temperatures between 72 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Plants can show either bushy indica or tall sativa characteristics, depending on the individual phenotype. Golden Ticket flowers within 9 to 10 weeks when grown indoors and offers growers a high yield for their efforts.

Consider yourself lucky if you run across this versatile hybrid. Its balance of thoughtfulness and relaxation is just the thing to help you feel like you could jump over the moon in ecstasy — or to simply unwind at home after a long day.