Top 10 Award-Winning Cannabis Strains: GrowDiaries Selection

When Recognition Becomes Cannabis History

A trophy can capture one exceptional harvest, but the most important award-winning strains influence cannabis long after the ceremony ends. They introduce new flavors, reshape breeding priorities, and become genetic reference points for the cultivars that follow.

This selection is presented in no particular order. Our main focus is recognition earned by the original cultivar, its breeder, or an officially connected team. When an award belongs to an independent cultivator’s competition entry, we identify it as such rather than treating it as a direct victory for the original seed release. This distinction matters: competitions judge individual flower, hash, and extract samples, while a cultivar’s historical importance belongs to the genetics behind them.

Girl Scout Cookies originally from Cookies Seed Bank

Girl Scout Cookies changed the direction of modern American breeding. Developed within the San Francisco Bay Area’s Cookie Fam circle, its celebrated combination of OG Kush and F1 Durban brought together fuel, sweetness, mint, earth, and an unusually forceful hybrid character. More importantly, GSC became the genetic foundation for entire families of contemporary cultivars, including the Thin Mint-derived Gelato line.

Cookie Fam and Berner kept the original genetics closely controlled, so GSC initially spread through selected cuts and competition flower rather than a widely available official seed release. A Girl Scout Cookies sample submitted by Berkeley Patients Group won first place for Best Indica at the 2013 High Times San Francisco Medical Cannabis Cup. The victory strengthened demand for cuts such as Thin Mint and Forum Cut and encouraged breeders worldwide to reproduce the qualities of the original Bay Area cultivar in seed form. Its current GrowDiaries rating stands at 8.6.

Grower Short_N_stockY documented an easy, disease-free cultivation with a good yield in a completed Girl Scout Cookies grow report. After curing, the flowers developed a “candy sweet” aroma with a slight citrus note. For us, that combination of resilience and an identifiable post-cure profile helps explain why GSC became influential far beyond its early competition appearances.

*This grow report documents a Girl Scout Cookies release from another breeder, but the cultivar is based on the same established genetic line.

Grower’s Note: Give the side branches room to develop and use gradual LST to open the center. Dense flowers and foliage make airflow important late in bloom, while a patient cure helps its sweeter and more complex notes emerge.

Blueberry originally from DJ Short

Few cultivars represent the transition from underground breeding to internationally recognized cannabis history as clearly as Blueberry. DJ Short began developing the line during the 1970s, working with Afghani and Southeast Asian genetics to preserve color, fruit, floral depth, and a distinctive relaxing character.

Blueberry genetics supplied by DJ Short won first place for Best Indica at the 2000 High Times Cannabis Cup through Dutch Passion. The collaboration introduced DJ Short’s long-developed breeding family to a wider international audience and helped establish fruit-forward aroma as a serious selection goal rather than a novelty. GrowDiaries users currently rate Blueberry at 8.4.

That durability becomes especially clear in a completed Blueberry grow report. The plant experienced drooping, winter conditions, pest pressure, and repeated adjustments to watering and feeding, yet grower TugMasterson reported that it “bounced back just as I had hoped.” We find that recovery especially relevant to Blueberry’s longevity: influential genetics must offer more than aroma and color alone.

*The report represents the wider Blueberry family developed from DJ Short’s foundational genetics.

Grower’s Note: Expect some variation between plants and evaluate more than color alone. Stable root-zone conditions, moderate feeding, and cooler - but not excessively cold - finishing temperatures can help expressive phenotypes reveal their aromatic character.

Zkittlez originally from Terphogz

Created through the work of 3rd Gen Family and Terphogz, Zkittlez - now frequently presented as The Original Z - helped move flavor to the center of modern cannabis selection. Its Grape Ape, Grapefruit, and undisclosed genetics produced a layered candy profile that became instantly recognizable without relying on extreme potency alone.

The cultivar won first place for Best Indica at the 2015 High Times Cannabis Cup in San Francisco. An outdoor entry presented by the Dookie Brothers, part of the circle associated with the original selection, followed with first place at the 2016 Emerald Cup. Together, these victories established flavor as Zkittlez’s competitive advantage and helped turn Z-style genetics into a global breeding movement. It holds an 8.4 GrowDiaries rating.

The real proof of Zkittlez’s importance came later, when Z stopped being just a strain and became one of the main building blocks of modern breeding. Look at the current top shelf and the influence is everywhere: Z in the parents, Z in the grandparents, Z worked into candy lines, gas lines, hash lines, and new elite hybrids. Strains like Blue Zushi, Toad Venom, Zikigai, Zizi, Giraffe Puzzy, Black Magic, Zangria, and many others show how far that original flavor-first idea has travelled.

A completed Terphogz Zkittlez grow report provides a practical example of its resilience. Grower Mike_Hunt had to leave the plants unattended repeatedly and believed they had become too dry or underfed, yet still harvested “about 5 or 6 ounces.” Even after those difficulties, the dried flowers retained their stickiness and pleasant aroma, showing that the cultivar preserved commercially valuable qualities through an imperfect run.

Grower’s Note: Support thinner branches before the flowers gain weight and avoid judging the plant by yield alone. Careful drying and curing are essential when aroma is the cultivar’s defining achievement.

Biscotti originally from Connected Cannabis Co

Biscotti brought a darker, heavier interpretation to the dessert-genetics era. Connected Cannabis Co combined Gelato #25 with South Florida OG, uniting creamy sweetness with pepper, earth, fuel, and a powerful finish. The result retained the visual appeal associated with Gelato while giving the family a more pronounced OG backbone.

Connected’s Biscotti won first place for Hybrid Flower at the 2018 High Times Amsterdam Cannabis Cup and later took first place for Indica Flower at the 2020 High Times SoCal People’s Choice Cup. For our team, recognition in two different competitive settings confirms that Biscotti was more than a brief product trend: the original Connected cultivar repeatedly translated its genetic identity into award-worthy flower. Its GrowDiaries rating currently stands at 8.8.

Community experience reinforces that competition record. In a completed Biscotti grow report, grower HanSoilo described “beautiful, strong flowers with an amazing aroma” and called the cultivar “a real joy to grow.” These observations connect flower strength and aromatic impact with the qualities expected from the Biscotti name.

*The featured report documents another breeder’s interpretation of the same recognized cultivar.

Grower’s Note: Maintain airflow around the compact flowers and avoid forcing rapid growth with excessive nutrients. Biscotti benefits from an even canopy and enough curing time for its sweet, spicy, and fuel-like layers to separate.

Blue Zushi originally from The Tenco

Blue Zushi demonstrates how quickly a modern cultivar can build a genuine competition legacy. The Tenco’s union of Zkittlez and Kush Mints paired the candy intensity of Z with cooler mint, earth, fuel, and a denser structural influence. The genetics feel contemporary, but the profile is distinct enough to stand apart from either parent. Blue Zushi carries an outstanding 9.3 GrowDiaries rating.

The Tenco’s Blue Zushi won Best Overall and Best Tasting at the 2021 California Zalympix, collected further podium finishes for overall quality, taste, and terpenes in 2022, and returned to win Best Overall and Best Tasting again in 2023. In our view, repeated recognition under The Tenco name is more meaningful than a single exceptional result: it demonstrates that the cultivar’s sensory identity remained competitive across several events.

That pedigree is matched by practical resilience and strong flower quality. In a completed Blue Zushi grow report, grower Hempcules noted that “even under more difficult conditions it still performed perfectly.” By harvest, the plant carried dense, heavily resinous flowers with virtually no popcorn buds, showing that Blue Zushi can preserve both quality and productive structure through environmental fluctuations.

*The report explores the Blue Zushi lineage, adapted from The Tenco’s foundational genetics.

Grower’s Note: Use selective training to distribute light without repeatedly stressing the plant. Lower nighttime temperatures may encourage color, but stable humidity and an unhurried dry are more important for preserving its award-winning aromatic profile.

Cherry Pie originally from Powerzzzup Genetics

Created by PieGuy (co-founder Powerzzzup Genetics) and Jigga in the early 2000s, Cherry Pie occupies an important position in Bay Area cannabis history. Its Granddaddy Purple × F1 Durban pairing connected deep purple fruit and earthy weight with the brighter, more vigorous Durban line that would also become central to the Cookies family.

A Cherry Pie selection cultivated by The Clinic placed third for Best Medical Sativa at the 2014 High Times Denver Cannabis Cup. The result brought additional expert attention to the genetic line created by Powerzzzup Genetics as it spread beyond its original Bay Area circle. Cherry Pie’s greater historical value lies in the influence it had on the fruit-and-pastry direction that shaped much of the following decade. It currently holds an 8.3 GrowDiaries rating.

Grower PotRul documented the same practical strength in a completed Cherry Pie grow report, calling the plant “very easy to care for and very robust.” Despite a dramatic flowering stretch, it accepted LST and lollipopping without difficulty and produced 82 grams of dry flower from one plant. This combination of resilience, responsive growth, and measurable production offers a practical reason for the cultivar’s lasting popularity.

*The featured report documents another breeder’s Cherry Pie release based on the same Granddaddy Purple × Durban Poison lineage.

Grower’s Note: Anticipate a noticeable flowering stretch and introduce training beforehand. Preserve airflow through the interior and monitor trichomes carefully rather than harvesting according to color alone.

Gelato #41 originally from Cookies and Sherbinskis

Gelato #41 is one of the selections that transformed a single cross into a global genetic dynasty. Created from Sunset Sherbet and Thin Mint GSC, the phenotype  combined dessert sweetness, cream, fruit, earth, and gas with the dense appearance expected from elite California flower.

Work by Connected Cannabis and Field Extracts carried the established Gelato #41 selection into major competitions. At the 2018 High Times Amsterdam Cannabis Cup, their Gelato 41 hash won first place, while Connected’s flower placed third for Best Indica. The results demonstrated how effectively the resin and aromatic identity created by Cookies and Sherbinskis could translate from premium flower into extraction. Gelato #41 currently holds an 8.9 GrowDiaries rating.

Resin production becomes the central point in this completed Gelato #41 grow report. Grower Smokwiri found “great fat buds” covered in sticky trichomes. After also cultivating Gelato #33, the grower considered #41 the stronger choice for resin production. We find that direct comparison particularly valuable because it supports the same extraction potential recognized in competition.

*The report follows another breeder’s Gelato #41 selection from the wider genetic family established by Cookies and Sherbinskis.

Grower’s Note: Keep late-flower humidity under control as the dense flowers mature. Support the branches and minimize unnecessary contact near harvest to protect the resin.

Jealousy originally from Seed Junky Genetics

Jealousy represents a modern form of genetic refinement. Seed Junky Genetics crossed Sherb BX1 with Gelato #41, concentrating two influential dessert lines into a cultivar with cream, citrus, fuel, pepper, and a visually dramatic finish. Rather than introducing an entirely separate family, Jealousy showed how carefully selected elite genetics could be recombined into a new reference point.

Seed Junky Genetics’ original Jealousy was named Strain of the Year in 2022 for its elite flower quality, distinctive flavor, expanding consumer demand, and growing influence on contemporary breeding. Although this recognition came through an editorial selection rather than a traditional cup, it confirmed Jealousy’s rapid transition from a new cultivar into an industry benchmark.

Its 8.5 GrowDiaries rating is supported by a completed Jealousy grow report in which grower 1juan420 observed that the plant initially produced little aroma before it “evolved into a complex earthy, creamy sweet citrus” profile during flowering. The plant later yielded 120 grams of dry flower from a single plant in 0.2 m². We find this progression particularly revealing: Jealousy combined a pronounced late-flower terpene transformation with a commercially meaningful result.

*This report documents another breeder’s interpretation of the established Sherb BX1 × Gelato #41 cultivar.

Grower’s Note: Establish the canopy early and thin the interior selectively as flowering progresses. Strong branches can still require support under heavy flowers, while moderate feeding helps prevent excessive leafy growth.

Cap Junky originally from Seed Junky Genetics

Cap Junky - also known as Miracle Mints - was created through an official collaboration between Seed Junky Genetics and Capulator. Its Alien Cookies × Kush Mints #11 lineage joins the resin-rich, pungent character of Alien Cookies with the strength and structural influence of Kush Mints.

At the 2023 East Coast Zalympix, Cap Junky grown by Marijuantauk Gardens won the Heaviest Hitting category. The winning flower expressed the established Seed Junky Genetics and Capulator collaboration, reinforcing the exceptional potency that had already made the original cultivar highly desirable. The result connected skilled cultivation with the defining strength of the genetics. Cap Junky’s GrowDiaries rating currently stands at 8.6.

Evidence from the garden is equally persuasive. In a completed Seed Junky Genetics Cap Junky grow report, grower GMOboarder called the plant “easy to grow and very resistant.” It recovered after light-burned tips and a move between tents, then developed a “spicy, creamy, sweet mint drop” aroma near harvest. This is exactly the kind of report we value: it connects resilience in the garden with an increasingly complex late-flower profile.

Grower’s Note: Expect substantial stretch and use topping, LST, or a screen before the branches become rigid. Provide support early and protect the mature resin from unnecessary handling.

Jokerz originally from Compound Genetics

Jokerz combines White Runtz with Jet Fuel Gelato, bringing together candy, cream, citrus, fuel, and deeper savory funk. The pairing reflects a major modern breeding theme: using the commercially influential Runtz and Gelato families without allowing sweetness to erase complexity.

The original Compound Genetics cultivar took first place at the 2022 Oregon Leaf Bowl, giving Jokerz an important early endorsement from expert judges. The victory helped establish the cultivar as more than another Runtz-and-Gelato combination, while the later prominence of the selected Jokerz #31 expression expanded its value as a breeding tool.

A less-than-ideal outdoor finish provides a useful test of that genetic strength. In a completed Compound Genetics Jokerz grow report, grower AestheticGenetix reported that the final product remained respectable despite insufficient direct light. The plant’s structure was “beautiful and easy to play with and manipulate for training,” supporting the grower’s conclusion that Jokerz displayed “strong genetics.” That forgiving performance adds practical context to its 8.2 GrowDiaries rating.

Grower’s Note: Keep the compact interior open and give the lateral branches room to develop. Combine early training with reliable airflow and avoid waiting until late bloom to correct crowding.

Recognition That Outlives the Trophy

These cultivars cover more than four decades of breeding history. Blueberry established the value of patient long-term selection, Girl Scout Cookies and Cherry Pie helped define a new California lineage, while Zkittlez redirected attention toward unmistakable flavor. Gelato #41, Biscotti, Jealousy, Blue Zushi, Cap Junky, and Jokerz show how quickly modern genetics can move from a carefully guarded selection to an international reference point.

Awards matter most when their provenance is clear. A victory earned by an original breeder, an official collaboration, or a verified sample of the established cultivar carries more historical weight than a trophy attached only to a familiar name. The greater achievement is what happens afterward: breeders preserve the genetics, cultivators continue testing them, and new generations use their strongest traits to move cannabis forward. If you have grown one of these cultivars, tell the GrowDiaries community whether its celebrated qualities were visible in your own garden.