Runtz Ghost Train (Rare Dankness)

[The Zientist]

Hey everyone,

I've recently finished a cycle of this variety. Thought I'd leave you with my review of how they did since I couldn't find much info on it anywhere, being one of RD's latest releases.

Back in last year’s Spannabis, I fortunately had the chance to meet Scott from Rare Dank and after a while of talking with him, he ended up introducing me to one of his most recent crosses: the Runtz Ghost Train.
I ended up grabbing a couple packs from Scott and decided for the RGT over the GTH#1, as these were more berry/sweet leaning than the original and according to the man there were uplifting and get-stuff-done type of things still to be found, yet in a more practical template. The aromas on the parent GTH#1 leaned more towards the dutch Haze, with an added OG layer and most packed a pretty decent and overwhelming punch (those are fine too, but not all times). These seemed to be more suiting towards my goal for this hunt.

With hopes of finding that berry spicy and uplifting pheno I popped a pack. Never having tried Runtz before (or anything with it), I can admit that I was also a bit curious about it.

Wasn’t so luck about getting them to germinate. Generally I get close to 100%, specially with small batches like these, though this time out of a 6x pack only 4 came out.

D43 (the middle one is a La Bomba from Compound Genetics)

At this point three of them (1,2 and 3) had barely any aroma, nothing worth mentioning. #4 (back right) was clearly the most interesting plant of the bunch, and also the most Haze/Trainwreck leaning. Her aroma at this point was already seductive, hinting the complexity that was to come.

 

[The Zientist]

D50

RGT1

RGT2

They turned out to be pretty light feeders and vigorous growers. As far as aromas are concerned, apart from #4, which I’ll get onto later, 1,2 and 3 are basically pretty much the same at this point in time: sweet and earthy, with #3 leaning berry-ish and starting to purple up a bit too. These three sibs are all low projection (they aren’t loud at all). Nothing exciting just yet.

They aren’t particularly pretty as you can see, as far as bud structure and trichome development is concerned. I’ve seen and heard reports that Trainwreck hybrids, and some Haze ones too, can come out like that and be particularly leafy. Whichever’s the case, structure and visual appeal of these three isn’t anything to rave about (the pinkish stigma on #1 is cool trait nonetheless!). Though this means very little about the quality of their final product. Despite some of these traits currently not being their strong suit, there is still a window for them to mature differently. Between them and their maturation peek point still lies a few weeks. They seem like they venture into week 10-12.

 

[The Zientist]

RGT4
Not wanting to get ahead of oneself, it seems this one reunites some of the traits I’m looking for and to be an overall more promising phenotype: A Haze-type hybrid with some of the practical aspects of modern OG-type plants and a fair blend of the traits of the too as far as other aspects are concerned.

At this point in time her aromas reminded me greatly of the best Amnesia cuts I’ve sampled in the past both from Spain and Amsterdam, but overall more interesting and complex, projecting, spicy and pungent!

 

[The Zientist]

Harvest day, D73.

Aroma-wise, #1 and #2 don’t tick any boxes.

#3 was more acrid and slight berry scents could be noticed earlier on. Nothing special.

#4 is a stunner. Intense smell, vigorous growth and impressive bract-to-leaf ratio. The aroma profile is stunning really, has the best from the Haze/Train side: Incense, camphor, eucalyptus with lime and green pineapple scent. But with a very desirable intensity of an OG. There are some fine woods in there too, much of a complex smell. Each angle you take gives you different notes and they blend out perfectly.

They could have gone a couple weeks longer (specially #4), though I had to harvest early.
They have been responding negatively to cold room and leaf surface temperatures, and a high light intensity output from the leds.

 

[The Zientist]

They are currently curing and waiting to be sampled at their best.

So far I can tell that #1,2 and 3 I don't feel like touching. Nothing about them makes me wanna know them better. Of course eventually I will for the sake of experiment, as the proof is in the pudding and if their effects are of worth they will be kept. Though besides that invisible trait, nothing about them really shines.

The same can't be said about #4. That's the star of the show and for sure a special plant. Preliminary sampling tells me that she's quite the special one. She has that blissful nature that I've grown to enjoy in Haze hybrids, so far without any of the anxiety associated with more Skunk leaning combos of such. She's easy to self titrate, but the intensity of her effect does stack and it lasts.
The aroma on the vape is extremely complex and keeps you dialed in, you close your eyes just to contemplate the changing flavors and how they tickle your senses. It ranges from eucalyptus, camphor, dark woods, lemon and incense. Although there's a sweet-leaning aspect to it, it's very brief. There's also something of of putrid meat that really thrown off my partner, I couldn't detect anything of that sort but she's quite perceptive so I would trust her judgement. Very complex aroma, with high intensity and long lasting mouthfeel. There's some lavender in there too. A lung-expanding aspect is present with a mentholated exhale. Uff, just love this shit...

The duration of the effects is noteworthy at least 2h at this stage and the quality of the comedown is top notch, it seems you can't even feel it leaving.
I'll keep you posted as she slowly reaches the perfect RH% and is considered with a minimum cure.
Hope this review is of any use.

Personally I would revisit the Ghost Train Haze #1 parent instead and would ditch whichever Runtz parental Scott decided to use. At least from my limited small sampling, of only four.
tZ

 

[hamstring]

Thank you for the smoke report on #4. Mouth feel is nice to hear about in a smoke report. I have only had a few strains that really coat the tongue.

I'm currently at 54 days on a GHT#1 and agree on resin coverage being underwhelming .

Thanks for your grow log tZ. Is this a keeper pheno for you?

 

[The Zientist]

Thank you for the smoke report on #4. Mouth feel is nice to hear about in a smoke report. I have only had a few strains that really coat the tongue.

I'm currently at 54 days on a GHT#1 and agree on resin coverage being underwhelming .

Thanks for your grow log tZ. Is this a keeper pheno for you?

Hi @hamstring!

Nice to see you around. You kept any of your Star Killers?

Currently I'm keeping all four RGT until I can sample them all properly, under different set&settings.

RGT4 I'll keep for sure. She seems to be pretty much what I was hunting for in terms of effect, in a practical and indoor friendly growing template.
I'm more than happy with her agronomic traits too, barely had to trim anything and soundly yields more than I could have asked.

This time I only had the chance to let her go for 73 days. I'm excited to see what a couple more weeks could do to her, on top of having her a bit more dialed in too.

 

[hamstring]

Great to hear she's a keeper. She did look like one that you didn't need to pick up the scissors. Completely different the the other phenos.

Running 3 clones from the SK pheno I kept along with the GHT#1. All are on day 54. Not sure I will keep the SK pheno but wanted to give it a 2nd run to be fair. Great strain in all traits except taste. Looking for that mouth feel too brother.

Next time i get a chance I will post a pic of the GHT for you.

 

[The Zientist]

Nice man, thanks. Looking forward to see the cut of GTH#1 you kept. How many did you sift through?

How's the effect like? Aroma/Taste profile? Always curious to know these things, share any thoughts on her you'd like.

 

[hamstring]

Sorry if I mislead you.

Only have one GTH and its from seed. I popped three, only two germed and I killed one. It has some similarities to your #4 in bud structure. I'll make sure to let you know when she's done.

 

[hamstring]

Zientist

Hey brother heres my GHT#1 at 55 days. Looks similar to pheno#4 that you liked the best, don't you think?

 

[The Zientist]

Hey @hamstring

Cool to hear from you mate.

Definitely she does share some traits, such as the way the buds stack and their structure, lengthy and numerous stigmas that point everywhere. She looks like she still needs some time to mature, so around 80 days like mine too.

Your's doesn't enjoy the cold too?

How does she smell for you?

 

[awwwc]

Runtz is one of my favorites. Can't beat American genetics really

 

[hamstring]

Hey @hamstring

Cool to hear from you mate.

Definitely she does share some traits, such as the way the buds stack and their structure, lengthy and numerous stigmas that point everywhere. She looks like she still needs some time to mature, so around 80 days like mine too.

Your's doesn't enjoy the cold too?

How does she smell for you?

Zt
I think your right about the cold. I have been keeping temp 70-75 lights on 65 lights off for the Star Killer in the same grow. Once they are done i am going to increase temps for the haze.

The smell is hard to explain its spicy with a chem smell but take this with a grain of salt I'm not the best with smells. I did notice a change in it lately though. Less chem but not sure what to say what its changed too.

 

[The Zientist]

Runtz is one of my favorites. Can't beat American genetics really

Hey @awwwc

Actually, on this case I think I should have stayed away from the Runtz part of this cross and gone for the straight Ghost Train Haze#1. The Runtz parent (from seedstock that RD used, perhaps S1 or so) didn't add much to the cross it seems. All others that are either more Runtz leaning or recombinant don't ressonante with me. They are quite subpart unfortunately. RGT4 is the shit though! Great finding, totally worth sifting through the hay.

Nothing against American genetics, quite the contrary though. I do love the OG family in particular, they have their time and place surely. And many other genetics that I had the chance to try. Mostly recently a Wedding Cake x Jet Fuel Gelato is a standout favorite in my circle.
Beautiful


@hamstring, a little bellow your temperature my similar pheno was disliking being close to the LEDs, getting a slight leaf burn.
She's a bit spicy too, specially in flower and buds. But you don't taste it after, as you can with others.

Wished mine carried that chem smell!