How Do You Classify and Select Your Dispensary Flower?

[FLelder ent]

Price and THC %

 

[FLelder ent]

Price and THC %

…since I cannot touch, see, or smell the flower before I purchase…

 

[AJS]

I would have thought this had come up before so I searched for "terp" but didn't find anything......

I pay attention to whether its described as a Sativa/Indica, the THC% and the CBD% (When available). I don't feel like I can really depend on the accuracy of the dispensary's definition in terms of Sativa/ Indica. I have a little more confidence in the testing for THC and CBD but wouldn't bet my life on them either.

If I saw a Sativa, with 25% THC and a .09% CBD I would expect a creative and energizing high, mostly in the head and much less in the body. If I saw an Indica, with the same specs I would expect a more euphoric high, equally affecting the head and body and possibly some couch lock.

I never thought the above was state of the art expertise and thought it was kind of hit or miss.

I've recently run into some folks who look at the terps from the strain's test and debate whether it will perform the same as the last batch from the same strain. Some will even attempt to describe the expected difference in the buzz based on the terps.

What's your method for classifying what you expect from a strain?

I'm constantly taking in the smell, the looks, briefly looking at some genetics, trying to notice similarity between strains, recently looking at terpenes to see which ones are prominent in strains I like the smell or effects of, etc. The more I do this, the more I just start to intuitively piece together what I'm looking for.

At the base, I look for hybrid/indica, and maybe 1 sativa if the tender can convince me it's been well reviewed and not anxiety inducing.
I then look for something I currently don't have, but following some proven things I enjoy. Maybe it's a cheese strain, or maybe it's a glue, or maybe it's a stardawg, etc.
Then I just simply ask the budtender what's dank this batch and what have people been enjoying. I mention a few I was looking at, and see their reaction when I bring it up.
Depending on the visit, this either leaves me with a handful of dank like it did today, or it's just an awkward exchange of someone not really knowing what to say to me

 

[BabyFacedFinster]

Just tried a new place that grows organically. I'm enjoying what I bought, but noticed that all the buds are small. Many are dense, but no large buds to be found. The place has all their flower in large Cvaults so you can view the product. All small buds. If you bought a whole zip, you'd just get a lot of small buds out of the same container.
My question is if there isn't a break down of mids vs top shelf, where are the big buds being sold? At the time I didn't want to insult them by asking, but I might actually call them.