Durban Poison Strain Review:
After reviewing tons of hybrids it is so exciting to finally get the chance to review a land race Sativa Strain such as Durban Poison. Durban Poison is a building block onto what we see through our current Cannabis market. It has been a precursor to many of the hybrids that we see on the shelf, and it still manages to continue to put itself as a direct parent in many Sativa/Sativa hybrids to this day. We think the real question is if Durban Poison still manages to maintain potency and flavor, will it hold up as well as many of the newer genetic hybrids on the market? Land Races are fading faster than ever in the spurring Cannabis Industry, especially when speaking to the legal commercial market. Gnome Grown has continued to carry Durban Poison in its cultivar lineup. Jump on into our review to see if Durban Poison can pass the test.
Durban Poison origin story is unique and surprisingly quite clear as to how it came into existence. Durban Poison is a land race Sativa strain that originates from the port city of Durban in South Africa. For those unfamiliar with what a land race strain is; a land race strain is strain that originated from a region that has not been hybridized with other strains. Typically land race strain names refer to the region that they are from, for example Pakistani, Afghani, Thai, and Durban Poison. What makes these strains unique is that since they are grown natively to the region, and they adopt unique traits that suit the strain to its environmental conditions. Durban Poison has gained a lot of notoriety from Sativa fans around the globe specifically for the intense cerebral and uplifting effects. Some even say that Durban Poison is the “espresso”’ of Cannabis. Durban Poison falls into the likely camp of, ‘If you enjoy Sativa strains you will likely be a fan of it.’ However, if you are sensitive to Sativas or prefer Cannabis that is on the mellower side, this is likely not to be one you would be interested in. Even if you are not a big fan of Sativas, Durban Poison has cemented its legendary status in the industry because it has created some of the most popular hybrids on earth. Both G.S.C and Cherry Pie (arguably two of the most important hybrids in the modern Cannabis industry) come directly from Durban Poison. These two strains have created so many of the modern hybrids that we currently see on the shelf. Without Durban Poison; any Cookie Strains, many Cake strains, and the ever popular Forbidden Fruit would not exist. So even if you are not a personal fan of Durban Poison, there should certainly be an appreciation for it, as it has created some of the best hybrid Cannabis that people enjoy to this day.
Land Races such as Durban Poison do not carry the same modern-day genetics that we typically see, so in terms of appearance it will not carry the look that a lot of the modern-day strains have. What we will say is even though Durban Poison does carry older genetics, it certainly holds its own among many of the popular strains we see today. It carries some quite interesting characteristics for being a pure Sativa. Most Sativas carry a longer, skinnier bud structure and tend to be lighter and not as “packed-in”. Durban Poison, however, carries a very robust, compact and surprisingly more dense bud structure than many other pure Sativa strains on the market. It’s not as dense as some of the more modern hybrids, but its shape and structure certainly stands out especially among other similar Sativas in its class. As for the trichome coverage it’s not the most caked on strain, however the trichomes do lighten the outside of the bud quite a bit, giving it a lighter green shading.
While the appearance of the Durban Poison was unusual given the normal source material, the nose on this is spot on to many other heavy Sativa strains. This strain carries a slightly sweet/floral smell with maybe a touch of pine on some notes. But the sweetness will cover up the pine notes quite quickly. If you have ever had any strong Haze strains the notes on it are quite similar. Although compared to many of the other hazes this carries a sweetness that is not seen as much in many of the other pure Sativas. We almost want to say that the sweetness is comparable to the smell of a lot of the “gas” strains, but the floral notes pull it away from that. Whatever the verdict of the exact nose is, it is terrific. This makes Durban Poison stand out from many of the strains that we are currently seeing on the market today.
Earlier in the review we spoke to Durban Poison being either loved by the people, or hated, depending on how you enjoy the effects of your Cannabis. Sativas in particular usually carry love or hate relationships more so than any other category in Cannabis. The simple reason being that uplifting and euphoric strains tend to cause anxiety, paranoia, or a mind racing effect for newer or more sensitive consumers. Durban Poison can certainly fall into these categories. One thing we will say is that Durban Poison is on the more clearheaded side for a Sativa. So, the mind racing effect is a lot less likely than say Sour Diesel, which is also either loved or hated. If you enjoy Savitas, this strain is awesome. It has wonderful uplifting effects and it can give you a boost, which makes it perfect for a wake and bake. It does not carry any body-heavy effects to it so if you want to be active, it’s a good pairing. It is great if you need to do chores in and out of the house, and it is perfect for going hiking or taking a long walk. It is nice for gaming because of its “clear-headed” yet stimulating qualities. For watching movies, however, it’s not a bad paring, but you would likely want to do something more creative or more engaging with the Durban Poison. So, while this strain is versatile in a lot of activities it is not the most versatile when it comes to the approachability for all consumers. People who are newer to Cannabis or sensitive to Sativas should approach Durban Poison with caution, as it is quite potent and could lead to some instances of discomfort. If you are unfamiliar with Durban Poison and want to try it our best advice would be to start with a micro dose and see how you are affected.
This Durban was grown by Gnome Grown who has quite a positive growing reputation in the PNW. They have been growing Cannabis in the PNW for over 25 years. They use a greenhouse setup that uses living soil and other beneficial factors of the surrounding area where they are located in Oregon City. They use water from a local stream and use a proprietary mix of soil that has yielded them awesome results. One reason we have carried Gnome Grown for so long is they carry an extensive lineup of fantastic Sativas; Durban Poison, Blue Dream, Allen Wrench, and Mimosa to name a few. They also carry some really unique strains such as Montana Silvertip, Mother’s Milk, and Banana Punch that we normally don’t see on the market. As always, we look forward to seeing what will come next from Gnome Grown.
- Appearance 3/5
- Smell 5/5
- Flavor 5/5
- Effect 4/5
Durban Poison has a legendary status for so many reasons and this batch from Gnome Grown nails all the great things this strain has to offer. Even if this strain didn’t help create all of the wonderful strains we have today it, is still deserving of its legendary status. For a strain that is much older it still holds its appeal among many of its children hybrid strains that are out on the market. The nose on this Durban Poison is one to remember for sure. While it might not be that “gas” that many are searching for, it offers a much more familiar sweet/floral smell that many Sativas carry in the past. The diversity of the nose is certainly appreciated in a market that is becoming saturated with a lot of “gas” heavy cookie strains. The effects are certainly not for everyone which makes this strain less versatile than most, but that just comes with the territory of many Sativa heavy strains. If you do enjoy Sativas this would likely end up being one of your absolute favorites. We hope we will continue to see Durban Poison and other land race strains in the commercial market, as having a wider variety of unique strains can only benefit consumers, connoisseurs, and the Cannabis industry as a whole.
Loading ...Sour Kush Mints Strain Review
Sour Kush Mints is an exciting hybrid between the classic Sour Diesel strain, and a brand new up and comer Kush Mints. These two strains are vastly different, but together they create nice uplifted effect, with the typical body you get from the Kush Mints strain. Sour Kush Mints is very new to the scene and in fact Herbal Dynamics is one of the first to bring the cultivar to our market. Can you teach an old dog new tricks, lets jump on in and find out.
Sour Kush mints is a cross between Sour Diesel and Kush Mints. This Sour Kush Mints was bred by Seed Junky Genetics however it hasn’t been released to the public so we don’t really have a good idea how many grows got packs of this strain. Let us go back into the origin of these two strains, and find out what made these two strains stand out as they do today. Sour Diesel has been around for quite a long time and is still grown quite regularly to this day. There are many variations of the Sour Diesel strain, and like other strains such as G.S.C there are many arguments as to what the true cut of Sour Diesel is, as well as who really created the strain in the first place. It is suggested that it is from the East Coast when a ChemDawg and Super Skunk were crossed together in the 90’s.However there are so many variations on this story so it is hard to pinpoint it’s true origins. Sour Diesel falls into the camp of strains that people either seem to really love, or it is just not for them. This is understandable as Sour Diesel effects are on the cerebral side of things. People typically note that they feel a head rush as well as mood elevation. If you are not a fan of Sativas you might be best in avoiding Sour Diesel, and trying one of it is many crosses, such as Sour Kush Mints. Kush Mints was created by Seed Junky Genetics and has surged in popularity. Kush Mints is a cross between the popular Animal Mints and an absolute classic Indica Bubba Kush. People enjoy Kush Mints for its deep seeded stoniness and Euphoria. We have found that in the Oregon Rec market that Kush Mint crosses seem to be much more popular than just Kush Mints. LA Kush Cake which we have reviewed in the past, also grown by Herbal Dynamics is a Wedding Cake Kush Mints cross that has seen a lot of popularity in California and Oregon. Kush Mint Crosses are exceedingly popular in California and they are making their way up to Oregon. We really like the idea of the cross of Sour Diesel and Kush Mints as they have vastly different lineages as well as effects, which can lead to a chance at an amazing hybrid. These hybrids allow for people to try strains that they never thought they would try in the first place.
The Sour Kush Mints has a longer bud structure reminiscent of Sour Diesel, where the buds tend to be skinnier and longer. It does carry a denser bud structure than traditional Sour Diesel. Kush Mints and strains that contain Kush Mints tend to be quite dense. It carries a nice light green color throughout, being brightened up by all those pretty trichomes. Lots of nice little orange pistils on this one to show some color variation. This one carries the Trichomes throughout the flower where it is layered throughout the bud. As well as a nice coating on the outside that lightens up this strain.
The Nose on the Sour Kush Mints has a tad bit of sour, but mostly this very traditional Kush Mints smell. If you have had Kush Mints before you know what we are talking about, it’s similar to Wedding Cake but less of a gas finish. It’s this floral slightly creamy smooth flavor. Honestly, the nose is not terribly strong, but one thing we really enjoy about the Kush Mints strains is the flavor. This one will give you a serious of case of terp tongue, the lingering flavor is very pleasant and gives off this floral smoothness that a lot of other strains on the current market are not carrying. Where a lot of strains currently are trying to push things like Garlic, Chem, or Gas, and even Fruit notes this goes for something much lighter, and reminiscent of more floral hybrids from the past.
Sour Kush Mints could go a lot of different ways with it’s effects. We found that it’s a bit of an edgier or buzzier Kush Mint. It does carry some of the head buzz that the Sour Diesel does, but it doesn’t carry the same intensity in energy. The Kush Mints really comes through, and while Kush Mints can tend to carry quite a bit of stoniness along with it, the Sour Kush Mint provides more of a general relaxation on the body and the mind. This is a really nice hybrid for it’s effects, and just shows how effective and important it is to continue to make new exciting hybrids. If you have been apprehensive to try strains with Sour Diesel, this is certainly more relaxing and mellow than other Sour Diesel Crosses, such as Blue City Diesel, Soco, and especially Chemdog and Headband. Sour Kush Mints is very versatile in what it can do cleaning the house, watching a movie, playing a game, going on a hike. It’s also very calm and relaxing, so it can be a good choice before bed, it might not knock you out but it should put you into a calmer state.
This Sour Kush Mints is brought to you by Herbal Dynamics. In the Oregon recreational market, it may be possible that Sour Kush Mints will only be brought out by Herbal Dynamics. We have had nothing but good things to say about this farm. They continue to put out extremely solid cultivars that are grown extremely well. Their Ice Cream Cake, LA Kush Cake, Sour Power OG and Velvet Glove have all been phenomenal. Herbal Dynamics commitment to using living soil as well as organic practices, and all their experience in growing continues to produce some of the best Cannabis we have reviewed. We as always look forward to seeing what comes next!
- Appearance 4/5
- Smell 4/5
- Flavor 5/5
- Effect 5/5
Sour Kush Mints really impressed the inner Cannabis nerd within us, this strains combination of old and new school strains is exciting to see. It carries the best of both traits of Sour Diesel and Kush Mints. The Sour Kush Mints certainly take on characteristics of newer genetics with the much more visually trichome exterior. The Notes are of a light Sour yet at the same time it carries this Creamy Kush taste with it. The taste really stands out a lot too, usually the nose seems to get the main highlight, however with this strain we found that the taste is more memorable. Effects are by far considered to be one of the most important parts on reviewing Cannabis and the Sour Kush Mints delivers. The versatility of this strain is on par with popular strains such as Blue Dream. Something that works for all times of day, as well as many indoor and outdoor activities. We hope we continue to see more Sour Kush Mints from Herbal Dynamics in the future, as this is a strain that holds up well as a staple on the shelf.
Blue Dream strain Review:
Blue Dream is one of the most well-known strains to the modern consumer. While its origins maybe a mystery, it’s popularity certainly is not. The mixture of a nice terpene rich relaxing Indica and the effects of cerebral heavy hazy create a combination that is loved by so many. We have seen many iterations of Blue Dream come through Spacebuds, this cut of Blue Dream from High Valley Organics is one of our absolute favorites!
Blue Dreams origins are bit a of a mystery there is not one breeder per say that made the strain. They believe that the strain originates from Northern California in the Santa Cruz region. This strain has been bred by many so there are many different cuts and genetics when it comes to Blue Dream. The original cut should be a cross between an Indica heavy Blueberry and a Sativa heavy Haze. Blueberry might not be the popular strain it used to be however the influence it has in the Cannabis space is still seen to this day. There are many strains that contain Blueberry somewhere along in its genetics. DJ Short is the most well-known breeder when it comes to this strain, while the genetics are not exactly known it’s believed to be a mix of two completely different Land Race strains. Blueberry’s popularity as a strain comes down to two main factors, the flavor, and the effects. Blueberry has a very strong berry heavy nose, this makes it such a hit for breeding with other strains. The effects seemed to be universally liked as it is a nice relaxing Indica, that carries more of a mellowness to it. Haze on the other hand is a very energizing Sativa, that like Blue dream originates from Santa Cruz. Original Haze on it’s own isn’t to popular, however you see it crossed within many of the Sativa strains that are currently on the market. If you enjoy Savita’s that give that classic Cerebral head buzz/haziness this is one of the most ideal strains to get out there. As it is one of the most pure Haze experiences you will get, what differentiates hazes from other Sativas is they give an alteration to your current train of thought, almost as if you are actually in a haze,
While Blue Dream is extremely popular, we love to stress the importance of record keeping, and using a Strain Journal for collecting data. We have seen massive variances in the Blue Dreams we have tried. They do not just look or smell different, they effect the entire experience of the high. We have even seen growers try to pass off a cross of Blueberry and Super Silver Haze as Blue Dream, which do not get us wrong those two sound like an awesome cross, but it is not traditional Blue Dream.
This cut of Blue Dream is different to most of the ones we have seen come through Spacebuds. This cut of Blue Dream almost looks just like Blueberry. The buds are much more circular in appearance and carry a very traditional Indica structure to them. The buds are a nice green color with trichomes layered underneath the flower. While they have this dense look to them, they are kind of hollow throughout the center. It is not the most coated strain in terms of trichome coverage, but it has a lot of trichomes layered into these circular buds, it is like opening up a wonder ball, if anyone from the 90’s remembers those.
The nose on this puts the Blue in “Blue Dream” the Blueberry notes come through this intensely, you can smell it in the room socially distanced with a masking on, it is like opening Pandora’s box. Honestly, we really wonder if this is not just a cut of the Blueberry strain, because the nose leans so far toward berries. Typically, most Blue Dream strains have a sharpness of the citrus scent of the Haze. In fact there are some Blue Dreams that we’ve even carried that are on the complete opposite end of the spectrum and seem to smell exclusively like haze. And Until you break open the buds and smoke them do you notice notes of the berry.
The way we see it is if the Blue Dream smells more like Blueberry it’s going to be more on the mellow side, where as you find a Blue Dream that has more of a Haze note to it, it’s going to get you more wired like the Haze strains tend to do. We have also noticed with some of the Hazier Blue Dreams that the shape tends to carry a more traditional Sativa Shape, with longer skinnier buds. Whereas this one grown by High Valley Organics is much more Indica shaped and carries the characteristics from the Blueberry plant, is much more rounded and sweet/berry scented.
Blue Dream is one of the most well-known strains for a reason, there seems to be a mass appeal to the way it makes people feel. Most people who tend to avoid Blue Dream tend to avoid most Sativa hazes in general. This cut of Blue Dream we argue has more of a mainstream appeal than some of the other cuts we have seen. If you have tried Blue Dream in the past and did not enjoy it, we would say it’s worth exploring this option. This is unlike any Blue Dream we have had before, it’s much more relaxing, than the typical head buzz associated with most Blue Dream. Blue Dream effects people differently so it is certainly worth experimenting, some might find it’s better to just chill on, while others may find it more fruitful to use it when doing outdoor activities. That is the real strength behind Blue Dream is that it is very versatile, and can be used to enhance many different activities.
High Valley Organics is an Outdoor Living Soil, Organic grow out in Southern Oregon. They feature quite a few unique terpene rich strains such as Green Thai Dragon, Strawberry Banana, and Sour Apple. While also featuring some staple strains such as Chocolate Hashberry, The White, and of course Blue Dream. High Valley Organics combination of Organic growing methods and use of living soil has made them one of our favorite outdoor farms that we carry. The Blue dream batch to batch only seems to have gotten better and better, and we look forward to seeing what other strains they bring forward in their cultivar lineup!
- Appearance 2/5
- Smell 5/5
- Flavor 4/5
- Effect 4/5
There is a reason Blue Dream is loved by so many. Blue Dream as a strain has never been the prettiest strain out there, but it certainly holds its own. Appearance is an odd thing to review because older strains struggle in terms of physical look, for instance not being the most triched-out bud, or having massive variations in the appearance such as Tropicana Cookies. This Blue Dream is not the prettiest we have seen, and we think that is due to the circular indica structure of the flower, it hides all the sugary trichomes on the inside. The nose however blows it away, the nose on this Blue dream beats some of the Indoor we have seen by miles. The notes are so strong on the Blueberry, and it just pierces your nose with sweetness and berries Smokes and Vapes exceptionally Smooth and carries that sweet berry flavor when you smoke it. When it comes to the effects it seems to carry itself as a more mellow blue dream, which we see as actually more versatile than some of the traditional Blue Dream that comes around. We do not think it’s perfect as Blue Dream is still unapproachable by some, but this comes very close. If you have tried Blue Dream and it was too buzzy/hazy for you, this batch from High Valley Organics is certainly worth trying.
White Tahoe Cookies Strain Review:
White Tahoe Cookies has become a bit of a cult classic in the short time of it’s existence. This is a strain that has been on the menu on Spacebuds from many different growers, but this is the first time we have seen top shelf White Tahoe Cookies come around Oregon. We were excited to see this strain on the top shelf, due to the amount of different patrons we’ve had that enjoy this strain. We found that this strain has a nice balance of effects that can be enjoyed medicinally or recreationally.
White Tahoe Cookies was bred by Kush4Breakfast, but is distributed by Archive. Kush4Breakfast is known for creating a few popular strains such as Aria, Smarties, and Gushers. Many of Kush4Breakfast stains are very popular in California, but are being distributed to many different recreational and medical states. Kush4Breakfast likely used Archive as a distributor as they have a large seed distributing footprint through Archive Seedbank.
White Tahoe Cookies is cross between G.S.C x (The White x Tahoe OG). G.S.C is one of the most well-known cookie strains out there, if not one of the most well-known over all. The Origins of G.S.C are debated, and some people even debate it’s lineage. Most people seem to agree that it is a cross between Durban Poison and OG Kush. People love G.S.C for it’s intense mind-altering effects, and body relaxation. G.S.C has been crossed with many classic strains and is still being crossed with new strains to this day. The White is quite different from G.S.C however the origin of it seems to be a mystery as well. Many online say that it is either a phenotype/f1 of a strain called Triangle. Even without it’s true origin many agree that it’s effects and the way it grows puts it somewhere in the Kush family. The White is different from G.S.C as it is much more mellow, and body heavy. The White does not offer much in the way of cerebral effects. Like we spoke about on Episode 2 of the Podcast THC Percentages are not the final story when it comes to flower; The White is typically an extremely high tester, many times reaching above 30%. Most of The White’s effects are in for the form of pain relief, and body relaxation. We find that often times other strain that are crossed with The White mellow out the flavor, and the effects of the strain. It can also help bolster the THC percentage of the flower it is crossed with. Tahoe OG is another popular Indica Leaning strain, being a cross of OG Kush and SFV OG. Tahoe OG is another staple we try to keep stocked throughout the year. People really enjoy the sedative, body heavy effects the strain tends to carry. It can be very helpful for people suffering from pain, or are having issues with Insomnia.
White Tahoe Cookies is a cross between quite a few different things and to carries quite a bit of OG Kush in it’s background. The nose definitely has resemblance to G.S.C and The White, which as a Kushy odor to it you can tell that it is rounding out the smell. In terms of appearance it resembles a cookie strain. It is a nice bright green with lots of orange pistils throughout the flower. The effects of the White Tahoe Cookies seems to be somewhere close to more of a cross between the White and Tahoe OG. It is very relaxing, and quite heavy on the body. It seems to be rounding out the Tahoe OG, as it isn’t as sedating but it is still good at loosening muscles and providing relaxation.
The appearance of this White Tahoe Cookies is pretty, nice light green with orange pistils throughout. The Light green can be attributed to it’s nice coverage of Trichomes, it has more of a powdered sugar appearance as opposed to a layer of sugar throughout the buds. This strain however has never been the prettiest at least compared to some of the modern hybrids on the shelf. While it is an incredibly pretty batch of White Tahoe Cookies, we find that this strain compared to some other top shelf is not going to win out on it’s looks alone.
This strain is an absolute favorite for people just for to its effects . The Feedback from customers from this strain is fantastic. It is loved by Veterans, Parents, Seniors, people in their mid-20s, connoisseurs, and people who are new to the Cannabis world. We spoke with a regular who is a veteran at Spacebuds why he enjoys the strain, and he said that it is one of the few strains that he feels does not exacerbate his anxiety. We found that a lot of people enjoy this strain because they feel that it can really help them unwind after a long day and feel “Chill”. We found that it has a really great grounding effect, and is a great strain to have if you’re going for a long walk. We really enjoy this strain for the effects as well, and we feel that it is a great strain for people who are new to Cannabis. We found that if the White Tahoe Cookies isn’t giving the cerebral effects you are looking for; that it is a perfect mixer, and can help bring some extra body to some of the more cerebral/Hazy strains that are more popular in the current Cannabis market.
This White Tahoe Cookies was grown by Tao Gardens. We were so excited to know Tao Gardens was growing White Tahoe Cookies, as we feel they do an excellent job of showing off the terpenes in the plant. They will even grow certain strains with similar terpene compositions to maintain the flavor of the plant. Tao Gardens is an all Organic No-Till Living Soil grow right here in Eugene, OR. They grow a wide variety strains from Mars Love Triangle, Miracle Alien Cookies, GMO Cookies, Purple Punch, and exclusive to Tao Gardens Chem Skunk OG. Tao Gardens has built quite a reputation for being such a new grow to the Oregon Market.
- Appearance 3/5
- Smell 4/5
- Flavor 4/5
- Effect 5/5
We believe that the versatility of the White Tahoe Cookies is it’s strong suite. Comparing this to other top shelf strains we found that it doesn’t hit the mark in terms of it’s appearance or smell. The Oregon Cannabis market is highly competitive, and features some of the best Cannabis in the world. We feel that Tao did a great job with this strain, however the strain certainly has some limits when it comes to it’s physical traits. We do recommend White Tahoe Cookies, it a strain that lots of people enjoy, and it is a good starting point for people who are getting approaching Cannabis. It is also a fantastic strain to mix with Sativa’s and Sativa Hybrids, as it can help mellow them out.
Alien Cookies Strain Review:
Alien Cookies may not carry the notoriety of its offspring M.A.C (Miracle Alien Cookies); notoriety aside what it does share are positively gorgeous buds, and effects. We will dive into why Alien Cookies is definitely worth your time and go into the distinct differences between the two strains. Even if you are not a fan of Alien strains, this one has some key differences from other Alien strains circulating the market. We will say that if you take away anything from this review; this strain is pretty rare to find, so if you do end up seeing a good batch of it do yourself a favor and get Alien Cookies.
Alien Cookies is a cross between G.S.C (Forum cut) and Aliendawg. Alien Cookies was bred by Jaws Genetics. Jaws Genetics grows many variations off previously established strains, they carry unique cuts of both Banana Kush and FPOG (Fruity Pebbles OG). They have also bred some other rare strains known as Dark Matter, Green Demon OG, and Jane’s OG. G.S.C. as we have spoken about in other reviews is hotly debated, there are many different cuts and versions of G.S.C. that people argue are the true G.S.C. Regardless of which cut is the best many people enjoy the phenotypic traits that the forum cut contains, and many seem to prefer the effects of the forum cut for having more mind altering traits. AlienDawg is much less well known and is a cross between ChemDawg, and Alien Technology. This is a great example of what unique breeding can bring to the industry. If you think of these plants at their core they’re not too different from a GMO Cookie cross, however they are extremely different in the way they make you feel and effect your body. We suspect that most of the mind altering effects that come from this strain is the combination of the Forum cut GSC and the Chemdawg. Both are known for their potent euphoric- mind altering effects.
One thing that might surprise you as that Capulator the person who is the creator of M.A.C said in an article in CannabisNow. “Cap said the pairing that led to MAC was inspired by the phenomenal genetics of the Alien Cookies F2 #7, which, in his opinion, is probably the most incredible flower many people will smoke in their lifetime. It tastes so good, packs an amazing high and the smoke on the exhale smells like nag champa, he said of the Alien Cookies. “It lingers in a room and just smells so damn good. The problem is, it is incredibly slow growing and doesn’t stretch at all, so yields are terrible.” So this is the likely reason that the strain is so rare, is that because yields are typically low. Many commercial growers would lose interest in growing the strain in the first place as there is a lower return on their investment, as well as a higher risk if the strain grows worse than it’s normal low yield.
Alien Cookies sure looks out of this world, this strain is absolutely frosted throughout the buds. One thing that really sets this strain apart is that underneath the Trichomes you have these nice dark green buds, with nice hints of dark purple throughout. The buds have a nice density, dense enough that it will grind well but not crush into powder. The big difference we notice between the Alien Cookies and the M.A.C is that the Alien Cookies are much darker in color. The difference would be a Forest Green to a Tea Green. They however both seem to carry similar trichome structures where the Keif looks just like powdered sugar.
The nose on the Alien Cookies is vastly different than what we suspected. The first notes that come off of this strain is of vanilla and earth. In a lot of ways It reminds us wedding cake, but heavier on the earth notes. What makes this a unique smell is that typically cannabis strains that exhibit earthy notes tend to have that be the main note. This carries both the vanilla and earth notes pretty even throughout. This is vastly different than the notes that MAC carries. M.A.C has a much more sour smell to it, and if properly executed should smell like sour cherry Yoplait yogurt. It seems though both noses on these strains are on the milder side.
The effects of the Alien Cookies are on the more hybrid side of things. It has a nice uplifting effect on the mood with euphoric effects. It also has nice relaxing effects on the body, not one to lock you down to the couch but you will certainly feel a nice loosening of your muscles. The difference we noticed between this and the MAC is that the Alien Cookies seems to carry a bit more body than the M.A.C. The effects are very nice and potent, which both strains seem to carry.
The Alien Cookies #7 was cultivated by Pacific Grove PDX. They are one of the few growers left that still grow this cut. They are a family owned/operated Indoor grow located in Portland. They carry an extensive variety of high quality Cannabis, and carry unique and rare strains. Many of them you do not see from any other grower in the state of Oregon. Some of their more unique strains are Royal addiction, Billy Idol, and Rhubarb Pie.
- Appearance 5/5
- Smell 4/5
- Flavor 4/5
- Effect 5/5
Alien Cookies is truly something special, in a lot of ways it is a shame that it is so rare, as we think many would enjoy it. It’s appearance and effects are where this strain truly shines, it has a very unique look. The high is also enjoyable, and much stronger than many of the other Alien strains out there, such as Alien OG. The nose while not necessarily our favorite is different, and pleasant. It is not too common to get strains that have a smooth earthy note to them. We would pair this with more with activities near the end of the day, gaming, watching movies, or a late night walking the dog. If you happen to see some Alien Cookies in your future, do yourself a favor and try it.
References: Devine, J. (2019, October 21). Return of the MAC. Retrieved September 21, 2020, from https://cannabisnow.com/return-of-the-mac/
Sangiovese Strain Review:
Sangiovese in the wine world is a more savory variety of Red wine, the meaning of Sangiovese derives from the Latin Sanguis Jovis meaning the “Blood of Jupiter”. Sangiovese is not a very popular Cannabis strain, in fact NW Kind is the only grower we know of that grows it in Oregon. We thought that the most memorable thing from this flower would be the smell, but it turns out to be the effect. Sampling the Sangiovese surprised us in more ways than one.
Sangiovese is a cross between Brandywine and GMO Cookies. Sangiovese was bred by Dungeon Vault Genetics; they are also the breeder of Brandywine. Brandywine is a bit of an odd strain when it comes to genetics, it is a cross between Pink Champagne and Grandpa’s Breath (Which means there is a lot of Grand Daddy Purple in its lineage). Pink Champagne is nearly unheard of (Even its origin is not well known), other than in crosses such as Brandywine. Grandpa’s Breath, which is another strain, bred by Dungeon Vault Genetics has begun to see a resurgence. Strains such as Pal-patine, False Teeth, and Hot Rod have been making the rounds through the legal recreational market. Dungeon Vault Genetics origins seem to come from breeding quite a lot of Grand Daddy Purple. Brandywine is known as a more relaxing more mild Indica. It has an incredibly unique scent; some say it’s like tea and others say it’s more reminiscent of hops. GMO Cookies in a lot of ways seems almost opposite to Brandywine. While they are both Indica, the scent, and effects of the GMO Cookies are so different. First of all GMO Cookies happens to have one of the most funky noses around. The effects are very potent, the combination of the Chemdawg and G.S.C makes it much more physically intense. So it is really interesting to see the Brandywine and GMO Cookies be paired together. As we will jump into later in the review it leads to some seriously interesting results.
The Sangiovese did not look how we expected, these are some very light-colored buds. It does not have any of the coloring that GMO Cookies has, as well as scouting pictures of Brandywine; it does not resemble much similarity. The buds are a nice lime green to yellowish color, with smaller orange pistils throughout the buds. The buds are nice and dense, and the flower is cured well. We believe that some of the lightening of the bud is coming from the trichomes. This bud is packed with Trichomes, it is layered nicely throughout the flower, so this should certainly turn out good no matter how you grind it. This is not the first of NW Kind flower that has come out on the light side, we were surprised how much this looks like their XJ-13.
The nose of the Sangiovese seems to be a real love or hate relationship. We believe that it comes down to how earthy the strain smells. The GMO Cookies does not really come through on this one. The Sangiovese smells somewhere between the garden center at your local hardware store, and a tea shop. One thing we will give this strain is that the smell is not very offensive. We found to that using a dry herb vaporizer it has quite a pleasant taste, that is more like tea. One important thing that we do want to mention is that, badly cured flower can have a hay/tea smell. This is not the same as the nose you get on the Sangiovese, the Sangiovese carries this flavor throughout the nose the entire time. Typically badly cured Cannabis the hay/tea smell will hit you right away, and the nose of whatever strain you are smelling is muted.
The effects of the Sangiovese are where this strain shines. Comparing Cannabis to wine is a weird thing but in this situation it seems oddly appropriate. We found that the Sangiovese is quite talkative, and surprisingly stimulating for an Indica. One thing we really liked about the Sangiovese is that while it is stimulating, it is not very hazy. Some of the other GMO Cookies crosses, will just absolutely lay you out. As far as pairings go, video gaming, board games with friends, hanging out on zoom calls. We would not necessarily recommend this strain for sleep, but it can help you get into a more relaxed state of mind and body.
NW Kind is cultivator of the Sangiovese. NW Kind is more well known for their extracts than their flower. They make some of the prettiest, high quality shatter in the state. Their Flower is beginning to make its way around the state, with most of their distribution being centered around where they are from Bend, Oregon. NW Kind’s top shelf Craft Cannabis flower is exciting to see, this is certainly up there with their XJ-13. We appreciate the variety of strains that they grow, and they still grow some popular strains that may have gotten lost in the weeds(No Pun intended). They carry some interesting strains such as an interesting cross of Thin Mint crossed with G.S.C and Lemon Gelato. We are excited to see what new strains they will have in their cultivation lineup next!
- Appearance 4/5
- Smell 3/5
- Flavor 4/5
- Effect 5/5
We really enjoyed the Sangiovese, we think that it offers a little something for everyone. The appearance is great, it certainly should be top shelf great appearance with a nice trichome coating throughout. If you are a terp chaser this may not be the strain for you, but there are plenty of other strains out there to enjoy. If you do enjoy earthier strains, this is right up your alley, this is about as earthy as it gets. Effects wise we absolutely love it, it makes us want to try Brandywine to see if they are similar. We hope to see so more strains from Dungeon Vault Genetics, that have Brandywine in it’s lineage. Not all Cannabis has to be the hardest hitting, finding Cannabis that meets your needs is always the goal. Strains like the Sangiovese show that not all strains that contain GMO Cookies are going to hit you the same, and that is why hybridization in this industry is so fascinating.
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