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Grand Daddy Purps Medical Marijuana Strain Review

From:  Green Belly Community Garden

Grade:  B+

Type:  Indica-Dominant Hybrid (phenotype of “Purps” clone x Afghani)

Price:  $50/8th

Appearance:  (7/10)  While not outwardly attractive, once scoped this strain yielded a forest of tall, undamaged trichomes (mainly clear/cloudy) that gleamed from every angle.  Though it looked like a murky green or almost brown in the bag, it was mainly a collection of deep greens and purples up-close.  This sample was absolutely rock-hard and one of the most dense samples we’ve ever come across.

Aroma:  (8/10)  One reviewer said this is maybe his favorite purple strain smell-wise — simply put, it screams “purple” with that signature musky/dark fruit combination.  This one was particularly nice because it had a strange almost menthol twang to it that we’ve never come across in a purple.  Nicely pungent, it really is one that you end up smelling over and over when it’s ground up or handled.

Taste: (6/10)  A faint “purple” taste, very similar to the smell minus the mentholated bite.  There was a very distinct taste of rosewater during one of the samplings, but it wasn’t a constant.  Very smooth on the throat, this strain still made us cough a bit due to the expansion.

Effects:  A pleasant throbbing feeling throughout the head and neck with a tingling body sensation throughout the torso and limbs was the initial effect.  Definitely an Indica-dominant experience, this strain was a bit of crusher… it had very strong body waves, a nearly overwhelming spacey/slow-witted head effect, and a nice uptick in mood.  As it wore on, it got more towards the tiring side and induced an epic stretch and yawn session, leading to the finish that was basically a mix of a relaxed body and residual tiredness in the head.

Medicinal Traits: (We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  General relaxation (mental and physical), body tension relief, mood elevation, sleep aid, appetite stimulation, anti-anxiety, anti-depression.

Overall:  Though you can sometimes judge a book by its cover, this isn’t one of those cases… this non-descript and somewhat drab-looking sample was one of the better purple strains we’ve come across.  It does exactly what a purple is supposed to do — provide an almost narcotic Indica punch that lasts for several hours.  The smell was supremely enjoyable and unique with its mentholated kick that kept us hovering above the grinder.  Highly recommended for patients struggling with general pain, anxiety, or sleep issues — watch the dosage or it might put you to sleep.

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Durban Poison Medical Marijuana Strain Review

From:  Green Belly Community Garden

Grade: B+

Type: 100% Sativa, South African Landrace

Price: $50/8th

Appearance:  (7/10)  Not the prettiest Durban we’ve ever seen, but it’s attractive enough with its ample trich coverage, dense structure, and perfect dryness.  The trichomes were mostly clear-cloudy with just a few ambers, a nicely-timed harvest that was a little on the early side.

Aroma:  (8/10)  As often as we get this strain to review, that signature Durban smell is still pretty wonderful… the sweet blend of floral anise and menthol.  This sample wasn’t particularly pungent but still sent its light sweetness into the air after being ground up.

Taste: (7/10)  Just like the smell, the taste was nicely sweet but not quite as amazing as some Durbans can be.  It seemed to go downhill a bit and finished on the harsh side while losing its taste after 2-3 hits.  Still though, it was a nice anise-heavy Durban smoke that expanded readily without making us cough much.  It burned down to a medium gray ash, indicating that it might have needed a more thorough flush.

Effects:  Strong to the head immediately, this Durban caused a warmth and pressure in the sinuses and back of the head as well as buzzing energy throughout the upper body and legs.  It felt rather strong for a Durban and took us a bit by surprise, especially with the body feelings.  Once the initial power calmed down about 20 minutes in, it gave us a highly enjoyable clear-headed and energetic outlook with a strong feeling in the eyes as well.  The energy throughout the body is the hallmark of this sample for sure, as it lasted throughout the experience.

Duration:  Medium-Long, 2 – 2.5 hours

Medicinal Traits: (We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  Energy, motivation, anti-depression, anti-anxiety, creativity, possible ocular relief, appetite stimulation.

Overall:  We were pleasantly surprised by this average-looking Durban, as it really had a strong body energy component and came on very hard at first without being rushy as some Durbans are wont to do.  It was exactly as advertised in the taste and smell categories, with that unmistakable bouquet of flowery licorice sweetness.  If you are looking for a boost of energy that won’t have your heart racing, this would be perfect… it’s a focused and calm energy/buzzy body combination that almost anyone would benefit from, especially during the day.

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Skunk #2 Medical Marijuana Strain Review

From:  Green Belly Community Garden

Grade:  B+

Type:  Sativa-dominant hybrid, mix of Acapulco Gold, Columbian Gold, and an Afghani

Price:  $50/8th

Appearance:  (7.5/10)  While not the prettiest sample outwardly, it showed a nice amount of mainly cloudy trichomes (they were a bit beat up, but nice) when viewed up close.  It was a very dense, rather dry sample, with a stereotypical mix of greens and patches of pale orange pistils that seemed to be a bit of a “throwback”.

Aroma:  (7/10)  Slightly sweet, vegetative, and floral, the aroma also had hints of leaves, skunk, and a slight putrid quality after the grind that reminded one reviewer of the UK Cheese branch of the skunk family.

Taste: (7/10)  Exceedingly smooth, this one tasted slightly sweet, with an herby quality and a hint of pine.  The smoke was moderately expansive, but didn’t make us cough at all… it burned down to a light gray ash with specks of black, indicating a pretty solid flush.

Effects:  Rather energetic, the onset of this strain made us want to talk, laugh, and be active while dealing with the cycling head and face pressure.  It basically jarred one reviewer awake during a late-night session, and left us with clear, open eyes, and a warmth that coursed throughout the head and face.  It calmed down a bit about 1.5 hours in, leveling off to a more relaxed and less buzzy state that continued through the duration.  A nice blend of Sativa and Indica effects, but the soaring Sativa side was definitely dominant.

Duration:  Medium-Long, 2 – 2.5 hours

Medicinal Traits: (We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  Energy, anti-depression, anti-anxiety, possible ocular relief, mild body tension/pain relief, relaxation as it went on.

Overall:  This one took us a bit by surprise, as it didn’t look that amazing or smell great, but it was a very enjoyable and energetic Sativa that also had a nice bit of body relaxation, especially later on.  Almost any patient would benefit from this strain, as it had no negative aspects effects-wise (no jitters, paranoia, sleepiness) and would be a superb daytime medication for those not suffering from serious pain or sleep issues.  If this is indeed a remnant of the classic Skunk lineage, it’s clear to see why it was crossed into basically everything since the late 1970′s… it’s just a wonderful and well-rounded experience.

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AK Cherry Lime Medical Marijuana Strain Review

From:  Green Belly Community Garden

Grade:  A-

Type:  Sativa-Dominant Hybrid, phenotype of AK-47 [Columbian x Mexican x Thai x Afghani]

Price:  $50/8th

Appearance:  (7/10)  This strain has a very pale and “creamy” look, with its orange creamsicle-colored pistils and moderate trichome coverage.  It wasn’t very dense, but it was nicely dried and well-textured overall.  Probably the best looking sample we’ve gotten from Green Belly yet.

Aroma:  (8/10)  It’s rare that a strain lived up to its uber-fruity name, but that’s what we have here, as this AK had a very distinct and undeniable fresh (one said “overripe”) lime smell with just a hint of sweetness and a vegetal tinge.  When ground, the lime attributes were even more clear, and overwhelmed the other smells, though it was never all that pungent overall.

Taste: (8/10)  Mostly a bit woody and earthy-tasting on the palate, the flavor from this strain was a bit disappointing after the super-distinct lime smell — there was a little it of lime flavor on the inhale, but it was overwhelmed by the woodiness.  However, the strain’s namesake became more clear on the aftertaste, with a distinctly sweet taste that made one reviewer think of Maraschino cherries.  The smoke was not expansive but had a bit of harshness to it and it burned away to a mottled light gray ash.

Effects:  Extremely cerebral from the onset, this strain had our minds racing and our vision seemingly firing on all cylinders.  To go along with the “heady” mental feeling, there was also some heat and perspiration of the face/head as well as a burning sense of medication in the eyes.  The body was almost left alone by this strain, with just a little burst of energy and a slight buzzing sensation in the torso and legs… almost a total Sativa-feeling experience here.  As it went on, the energy subsided a bit and we were left with a comfortable yet not tired feeling that allowed an easy transition back to a sober state.

Duration:  Medium-Long, 2 – 2.5 hours

Medicinal Traits: (We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  Energy, mental clarity, anti-depression, motivation, mild pain relief/masking, possible ocular relief, appetite stimulation.

Overall:  Tied with the Velvet Haze, this is our favorite sample to date from Green Belly.  This fruity phenotype of the legendary AK-47 provided us with an amazingly Sativa-dominant experience that had us feeling motivated and energetic for hours.  It did have a slightly relaxing and pain/tension-relieving stage, but that was definitely in the background.  While it won’t “wow” most people with its appearance, if you are a Sativa lover, definitely give this strain a try the next time you’re out in the mountains near Boulder.

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Barney’s Red Diesel Medical Marijuana Strain Review

From:  Green Belly Community Garden

Grade:  B

Type:  Indica-Dominant Hybrid [New York City Diesel x California Indica from Barney's Farm Seeds]

Price:  $50/8th

Appearance:  (7.5/10)  It was almost hard to see the strain underneath all the light strawberry-colored pistils that seemed to cover 90% of the bud’s surface.  Underneath though, there were a good amount of ambered trichomes (25% or more in areas) and it was slightly more impressive than to the naked eye.  This strain appeared to be rather wispy in growth… not sure if that’s a genetic trait or something to do with this particular grow, but it was still well-dried and it didn’t hamper the experience.

Aroma:  (8/10)  Mostly sour and citrusy (as is expected with a NYCD cross), this strain was pleasing to the nose and also carried notes of soil along with a slight vegetal sweetness that came out especially after grinding.  It didn’t smell like much of anything in the bag though and was only pungent after being handled.

Taste: (2/10)  Though it was exceedingly smooth, this strain really did not please us taste-wise… just a bad combination of woody and hashy flavors that tasted almost like smoking stems.  It left a murky-looking dark gray ash in the bowl, indicating that perhaps an inadequate flush was to blame for the flavor, even though there was no audible sizzling or snapping when it was lit.

Effects:  This strain caused immediate warmth and a radiating feeling that coursed throughout the body and face as well as an alternative heaviness and lightness on the chest.  Seemingly not able to make up its mind, we vacillated between states of energy and sloth, but felt slightly spaced-out the entire time.  The one constant was the relaxed and numbing body high, which kept us pain-free and in a good mood.  It was above-average in potency, but never got overwhelming, making this a good choice for almost any level of MMJ patient effects-wise.  Definitely an Indica-dominant experience, we were left a bit on the sleepy side after it was over, but it finished clean overall.

Duration:  Medium-Long, 2 – 2.5 hours

Medicinal Traits: (We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  Body relaxation, pain relief, general relaxation, appetite stimulation, mood elevation.

Overall:  Though the taste was a big turn-off, this strain was still enjoyable and provided a nicely balanced package of Indica effects without many of the downsides often associated with them (tiredness, inability to function, etc.).  The body relief it provided was great for moderate pain the mental effects were never too strong or uncomfortable.  A good middle-of-the-road Indica compromise that won’t knock you out but still provided solid relief from daily aches and pains while putting a smile on your face.