For the fourth straight year, Michigan cannabis users are going to judge the best flower and live hash rosin in the state as part of Zalympix, a high-profile competition often called the “Grammys of Cannabis.”
I was lucky enough to snag one of the rosin kits, which featured 23 strains in glass jars. The rosin, a solventless concentrate known for its purity and potency, was produced by some of the top growers and brands in the state, offering consumers a chance to sample some of the highest-quality concentrates in Michigan’s legal market.
There were 200 flower and 200 rosin kits for $260 each, and most sold out within hours of hitting dispensary shelves. Some people waited in line hours before dispensaries opened to grab a kit.
Instead of relying on marketing and dispensary budtenders, participants get to compare strains side by side and decide for themselves what deserves to win. The categories are best overall, best looking, best tasting, heaviest hitting, gassiest, best terps, most unique, and best candy. Each person who bought a kit can judge those categories, except for best candy, which is judged by the industry.
Zalympix brings together top growers, brands, and connoisseurs from across the state. The competition is capped with a party on Saturday night, and only people who bought a box are invited.
Zalympix began in California in 2021 and was created by Greenwolf, one of the nation’s most awarded dispensaries. The contest has since spread to Michigan and New York City, and Oklahoma plans to join the fun in 2026.
In Michigan, Zalympix is organized by Exotic Matter, one of the state’s best small-scale cultivators of flower and rosin. Behind the brand is a team of friends passionate about premium cannabis and spreading the word about the standout quality of the state’s top cultivators.
“We wanted to do this out of respect for Michigan’s name as a top weed destination in America,” Ty Decoeur, who handles sales and marketing for Exotic Matter, tells me. “Michigan is in the same category as Cali or New York.”
The contest has become “the Grammys of weed,” he says.
And that shows in the rosin box. I dabbed each strain a few times and was blown away by the flavor, consistency, and potency of most entries.
Exotic Matter also added a free disposable vape from its rosin collection. The vape hardware is impressive and delivers a smooth, strong hit. The strain — Purple Dank — tastes like sour grape candy, with a hint of sweet syrup. Exotic Matter plans to offer these in the near future.
With 23 strains in the kit, narrowing down my favorites was no easy task, but I’d gladly do it again and again. Each jar had its own character, with aromas ranging from sweet and fruity to bold and gassy. Most of the rosin had a wet, pliable texture and was easy to work with. The effects ran the spectrum, from gluing me to the couch to giving me boundless energy.
After too many dabs to count, these are my favorites for each category:
Best overall: Kota’s Kush by Mi Loud
This was the most difficult category to judge. A great rosin should look fresh, smell pungent, and deliver a flavorful dab.
After many dabs and much debate with myself, one stood above the rest: Kota’s Kush by Mi Loud, one of the top tier cultivators in the state.
While I love fruity and candy-forward flavors, dialed-in, fuel-soaked terps are harder to come by. Kota’s Kush has an aggressive, layered nose that opens up with burning rubber and diesel and then mellows into an earthy funk. After a dab, the delightfully acrid taste coats the tongue and throat.
And you can’t have a “best overall” strain unless the dabs deliver potency and depth. Kota’s Kush did just that, with stoney, sedate, and strong effects.
Best looking: Blue Zoap by Eastside Alchemy
When it comes to rosin, appearance matters. A wet, glistening texture or smooth, whipped consistency speaks to the freshness and quality.
None of the jars looked as promising as Eastside Alchemy’s Blue Zoap. When I popped the lid, the batter was light golden, wet, and buttery. It glistened in the light. The texture was smooth and pliable, making it easy to scoop.
The rosin melted clean without residue.
Blue Zoap didn’t just look good. It was one of the top overall jars, with a bold fruity, sweet, and floral aroma.
Best Tasting: Sundae Driver by Wojo
Anyone who regularly dabs in Michigan likely knows Wojo, a Pinconning-based brand that has earned a reputation as a trailblazer in creating high-quality rosin.
I’ve had this strain by Wojo before, and it has always been one of my favorites. This jar was as good as I remembered it.
With flavors of sweet grapes and a rich cake frosting, this strain coats the palette and lingers long after the exhale. The taste is smooth, creamy, and fruity. It doesn’t get much better than this.
Heaviest Hitting: Wedding Pie by Freshy Fine
Let’s face it. Rosin can be flavorful and look perfect, but that doesn’t necessarily translate to effects.
After a few dabs of Freshy Fine’s Wedding Pie, an indica-leaning cross of Wedding Cake and Grape Pie, the high was immediate, heavy, and euphoric. It packed a punch and left me fully relaxed and couch-locked without a care.
This is the perfect strain for unwinding, as long as you don’t have to think. After a few dabs, I sunk into my favorite chair and listened to music.
Gassiest: Kota’s Kush by Mi Loud
This was the easiest category to judge. None of the entries came close to matching the fuel-drenched aroma of Kota’s Kush.
The jar shouts pure diesel with layers of earth, funk, and scorched rubber. The flavor is aggressive and coats the throat and tongue with a lingering sour, biting taste.
I’ve never had a better gassy rosin.
Best Terps/smell: Lantz by Hytek
Yum. Few jars in the box screamed “terps” quite like Lantz by Hytek, a popular cultivator in Detroit that began producing rosin late last year. Hytek didn’t miss a beat with this incredible strain, a hybrid cross of Ridgeline Runtz and Green Lantern.
From the moment I opened the lid, the nose was loud and commanding, with a creamy, tart lime aroma followed by a floral sweetness and pungent forest pine.
The flavor was layered and dynamic, like tangy, sweet candy on the inhale and a deep forest-pine finish that coated the tongue and throat long after I finished my last dab.
The depth and layers of aroma and flavor made this a true standout and one of the best overall rosins.
Most Unique: Lantz by Hytek
It has been a long time since I was blown away by such a unique aroma and flavor. Hytek’s Lantz is so incredibly layered with very different and bright flavors, like candy, tang, and pine, with a strong floral finish that coats the throat.
It’s rare to find such a dynamic, shifting blend of flavors.
Hytek nailed this.
Best Candy: Grape Z by North Coast
Candy flavors dominate the market, but they weren’t as represented in this year’s Zalympix box. And I think that’s a good thing because there are so many other wonderful flavors out there.
For me, the best candy flavor came down to Grape Z by North Coast and Plan Z by Peninsula Garden. Both were very sweet and tasted like childhood. While Plan Z, a phenotype of Rainbow Beltz 2.0, burst with tropical fruit and sweet and sour candy, the dabs were somewhat harsh.
Grape Z, on the other hand, was smoother and more layered. While not a bold flavor, it was a tasty blend of grape, bananas, and sour candy.
North Coast is a go-to brand for many concentrates, from cold-cure rosin to full melts.
Honorable mentions
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention some of the other outstanding rosin. These are my honorable mentions, and I would definitely buy them again:
Space Guavaz by Element
This has been one of my favorite rosin strains since Eastside Alchemy and Tip Top Crop collaborated on Space Guavaz, a sativa-leaning cross of Space Runtz and Guavaz 74.
Element did this strain justice. If you like energizing, daytime highs, Space Guavaz is a must-try. The effects are long-lasting, and the flavor is sweet and fruity, with obvious notes of guava.
Pink Starburst by Yetistash
The first thing I noticed when I opened this jar was the glistening, scoopable mound of rosin. The nose was fragrant, with layers of fruit, earth, and gas.
The taste translated well, and the dabs were smooth.
Tropicz by Lamb Chop Melts
If you like refreshing, fruit-heavy flavors, Tropicz is a treat. A cross of White Gummy Bear and Pete’s Papaya, the aroma is a pungent combination of sweet and funky tropical fruit and candy terps on the backend.
The rosin was a little dry, but it wasn’t cakey. It didn’t stop the dabs from being smooth and flavorful. The effects were creative and uplifting.
ZOZ by Dat Canna
From start to finish, ZOZ stands out. The rosin is glossy and wet, with a honey-blonde hue. The aroma is a sweet combination of fruit and funk. The flavor is nuanced and is best experienced at a low temperature.