Smoke Local

Gorilla Glue, Master Kush, Amnesia Haze… after decades of innovation and a whole lot of legal trouble, underground cannabis culture has passed along a bunch of legitly-crazy names and even more exciting genetics.

Thanks to the long efforts of people much older than I as of this July 1 I can finally talk as openly about the great cannabis cultivated right here in the Rogue Valley as I can about the wine.

Keep in mind that harvest time, storage integrity and age all have radical effects on the flavor profile, appearance and cannabinoid/terpenoid content of a cannabis flower.

Since there are still no recreational retail outlets I was lucky enough to encounter druids from the hills of Applegate dancing around the Fairy Ponds who gifted me some buds to review. Notes from the tasting couch, luckily it was comfortable, I was there for a while.

White Fire OG

The flavor is sweet and earthy. Tastes like tea made from fennel, burdock and nettles or a Rhino’s back on a hot day. Smooth with little bit of mouth drying.

The high is like there was a little teepee of kindling just waiting in the center of my forehead that sparks up bright and full before I have a chance to blink. Nice radiating feeling in front of the head, definitely cerebral, lightening and obsessive, I’m focusing on what I’m doing hard.

In the sun this bud shines with a coating of little trichome crystals like fine snow in what some would call a ‘cosmic’ way. A sativa dominate hybrid of Fire OG, lending its earthy pungent diesel aroma, and The White, which passed down the high resin content. Also known as WiFi OG, this hybrid has a high outdoor yield and grows best in warm, slightly arid environments just like the drier hills of Southern Oregon.

Available from a friend near you!

According to Steep Hill Halent this strain has a profile of

THC: 22-30% CBD: .08-.3% THCV: .4% CBG: .5-1.5% CBC: .1% B-Myrcene: .3-1.3% a-Pinene: 0-.4% D-Limonene: 0-.7% Linalool: 0.1-.3% B-Caryophyllene: 0-.6%

Blue City Diesel

Featuring a blueberry and berry flavor with blood-orange notes and sweet and sour undertones, the pungent and ethanol-y aroma reminds you it’s a diesel.

The high is a persistent body buzz that is definitely the highlight this strain. All my muscles felt relaxed and calm for hours after a little toke. The afternoon was necessarily leisurely, perfect for a Sunday. I felt like a salamander glide-swimming around a river pool.

Also referred to as Blue Diesel, this is a cross between Blueberry and NYC Diesel. Due to its high yield, this is another good plant for growing. Fast acting and body centric this strain clearly leans to the Indica but not to the point of knocking you completely out. Gorgeous blue and purple hues along-side its potency make this an attractive flower. If this strain had a mascot it would be a joyful dolphin riding waves like a surfer because he’s lazy while trying to hide how many sardines he ate.

Available at House of Leaves.

According to Canna-Test / Cannalytics this strain has a profile of

THC: 17.75% CBD: .2% THCA: 13.5% THCV: 2% CBG: .4% CBC: .33%

Harlequin

The flavor is incredibly woody, rich and syrupy. It has this taste of pine needles and hickory with a zesty zingy finish. Tastes a lot like weed in the Andes and makes my body feel like it’s soaring along sheer one-lane mountain roads wearing a poncho.

The body high is amazing and quite a bit different from an Indica, it’s relaxed without being sedated and chilled without being ripped. It hits just as fast as any other cannabis I’ve had, but in a totally different way. You don’t get trashed but you definitely burned some flower. The high CBD content causes ripples of decompression while the Sativa leaves you simultaneously uplifted and energized.

This strain is a medical user’s choice. The huge CBD content with miniscule amounts of THC was achieved through careful genetic breeding. The child of three Sativas, a Swiss landrace, a Thai and Colombian Gold crossed with an Indica from the mountains of Nepal. It’s a totally unique flavor, high and cannabis experience. Though Harlequin takes a long time in the drying room and the flowering heads can get top heavy so they need support, it’s totally worth the extra effort. A must have in the four plant repertoire.

Available at House of Leaves and Talent Health Club.

According to Steep Hill Halent this strain has a profile of

THC: 4-7% CBD: 8-16% THCV: 0-.5% CBG: .2-.9% CBC: .04-.4% B-Myrcene: .2-.8% a-Pinene: 0-.2% D-Limonene: 0-.2% Linalool: 0-.01% B-Caryophyllene: 0-.2%

Girl Scout Cookies

This cross between OG Kush and Durban Poison works incredibly well. With green-blue leaves, zesty orange hairs and a generous dusting of trichomes I want to frame these buds. They probably don’t even need their astounding potency and clever name to skyrocket into popularity like they have. This princess has a small yield and deserves the pampering of an indoor grow.

Girl Scout Cookies has a very pungent, basil, mint, lemon verbena, and oat profile. It’s like if you synthesized your entire herb garden, dirt and all, and you want to taste it again. Minty, frothy and creamy the flavor is halfway between a Guinness stout and a mint Newman O’. The only possible negative side effects are amplified butterfly paranoia and I’m not kidding, this is an incredibly potent strain. You will finally see how long those flutterer’s tongues actually are and the time-bent day will go on blissfully forever.

Available at House of Leaves and Talent Health Club

According to Steep Hill Halent this strain has a profile of

THC: 17-28% CBD: .09-.2% THCV: 0-.6% CBG: .4-2.2% CBC: 0-.7% B-Myrcene: 0-.5% a-Pinene: 0-.3% D-Limonene: .08-.5% Linalool: .09-.03% B-Caryophyllene: 0-.9%