Apr 2, 20224 min read

Hash Review: Papa's Select New "Sessions" Hash Rosin Badder An Affordable Choice

Updated: Mar 12, 2023

Switching-up from their standard black box we've seen for years to a bright Barney-purple makes a bold statement for their new line of "everyday hash."

Well, The Purple Boxes Look Cool

I really dig the purple boxes to be honest, but I'm not entirely sure about the hash. I was able to try out three of the new flavors coming from High Valley Ranch and Clover Valley Ranch, two new farms for @Papa's_Select. My initial impression, (the unavoidable) visual, was less than enticing, coming from one of my favorite hash and rosin brands all-time.

hash rosin and puffco smoking device displayed with womans hand — Stock Photos of Papas_select's new "Sessions" line of more affordable rosin.

When Papa's Select started dropping rosin badder, which they did from the start in 2019, it was always an incredibly light colored shade of off-white or yellow. They had a reputation for all of those insanely clear and stable fresh press rosins, but those light colored and flavor-packed badders never received the attention deserved. I expected a lower grade rosin badder with the Premium indication appearing on most boxes, but thankfully it never came and the non-premiums remained just as good. Now that everyone is scrambling to supply a mid-range rosin product, @Papas_Select's new "Session" line aims to do just that.

hash rosin badder from 2020 — 2020 Rosin Badder from @Papas_select

Testing Take 1: Smoke

I wanted to give these a chance however, as darker colored full-spec can occasionally cause a stronger high or provide ulterior benefits. This wasn't the case with the Sessions line and they hit and smoked as well as would be expected. The first two I tried were decent, but left little hope for the Mandarin Meringue, which I'd skipped over as the darkest colored of the three in favor of the one Premium Rosin Badder I received.

On a positive note, the new jars look and feel great, without the patent number and other details embossed into the bottom of the jar. If you saw my IG stories, the sticker-less lids have finally arrived and certainly look clean. Let’s just hope they work as well as the original lids.

Affordable Alternatives

While I recognize the need for more affordable solventless options, and I commend this attempt, quality is the one variable that cannot change considerably. It's a steep and slippery slope between the lowest grades of live hash rosin and dead flower-rosin or sift-rosin badders. They all seem to lose anything unique and maintain a very bland and muddled palette, similar to their appearance. I've experienced quite a few jars by now that quickly lose their appeal for these reasons, ending up in my graveyard prematurely.

The Winner

Surprisingly enough, the Mandarin Meringue is the best jar of the group. This was the only jar that stood out or offered a terpene profile really reminiscent of anything flavorful or distinct. It's actually quite good, with a fruity mandarin orange terpene profile on the inhale and a bold and textured gas on it's way out. This one was grown by High Valley Ranch, and certainly is worth a taste.

The Mac1 came as nice surprise, but doesn't deliver much of anything special or unique and carries a similar muddled profile as the Apple Fritter. They are certainly better than some of the other low-end solventless options available, but it's a difficult analysis when I'm used to their best.

No purple boxes in sight? Don't fret. Stick with the Black Box and spend the twenty dollars more. It's always worth it.

hash rosin in a jar — Classic 2019 Fresh Press from @EmeraldQueenFarms and @Papas_Select

Wrong Idea Altogether

For me, obtaining the best cannabis or now hashish, always includes the notion of sharing it with those closest to me (and my followers). It has often been in moments of finding profound quality, that I offer to sesh and share my wares. With that being said, anyone proposing a sesh and delivering inexpensive mid-grade-rosin, will have offended the Hash Gods deeply and will not be forgotten or forgiven anytime soon. In fact, hand over your hashish punch-card for bringing mids to the sesh.

Metrics and Data To Solve Cheap Hash

With the difficulties of achieving high grade products, lesser materials are not the solution. The only way I see happy-hash-consumers, is if high-yielding, abundant cultivars can be sold for less, while lower-yielding, difficult varieties sell for more. I wouldn't be angry if they started selling grams of hash based on the metrics and data of each individual batch. This includes judging the same cultivar depending on the quality of each and every batch grown.

Use Tiers

This was the way the original tier system was proposed and described back when it was first introduced by 710 and why I was so in favor of it. Since then, numerous others have jumped on the tier-system-train for greater access and availability of their products.

The Final Score

As live hash rosin was first coming out in 2019, flower rosin badder and a few inexpensive choices appeared, causing me to write this warning article years ago, titled The Solventless Dilemma. I argue that it is almost always wise to fork over the extra twenty to thirty dollars for a reliable product you know you will love, rather than saving fifteen or twenty bucks and regretting the purchase. A lot of these lower grade/affordable extracts become less than appealing in a hurry. Here's a direct quote from that article:

A quote — Quoted from the Solventless Dilemma

hash rosin fresh press — Papas_Select Sour Tangie Fresh Press Rosin from 2020

Synopsis

It really depends on the price and situation, including what other products or brands are available at your dispensary. I can usually find a solventless brand for a few bucks less than top priced products, while still finding high-quality material.

I long for the old days of @Papa's-Select and hope they focus on delivering more of those watery-clear jars of full-melt, so easily confused as rosin, and those pristine jars of the best fresh press rosin around. The heads have spoken and they want more high quality hash and rosin, with quite literally, everything else devoted to edibles. I'm just relaying the message.

Leave a comment below and let me know what you thought about any of the Sessions line of products or if you just want to be heard. Let's hope to see more hash like the following from Papas Select.