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Island Sweet Skunk Medical Marijuana Strain Review

From:  High Grade Alternatives

Grade:  A

Type:  Sativa-dominant Hybrid (reportedly BC Sweet Pink Grapefruit x Big Skunk #1)

Price:  $50/8th

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OG Kush Medical Marijuana Strain Review

From:  High Grade Alternatives

Grade:  A

Type:  Sativa-dominant Hybrid, not sure which ‘cut’ this one is (will update if/when we get info)

Price:  $50/8th

Appearance:  (8/10)  With a somewhat “loose” structure of bunched-together calyxes on stalks, this was a fairly unique-looking OG.  It’s a medium dark green bleached pale thanks to the pink/peach pistils and the trich coverage.  Speaking of trichs, they are perfect, with a selection of very well-preserved amber heads.  The sample was dry and nice otherwise, but we did find a few immature seeds in it.

Aroma:  (8.5 /10)  A bit of a weird strain, this one smelled lightly sweet and piney/gingery in the jar but once handled turned into a menacing, skunky, almost gun oil/tire store stink that reminds us of a quality ChemDog.  It’s basically a classic sweet-tinged kush in the jar, but a stinky, pungent kush when ground… very nice indeed, though not exactly “appealing” due to the acrid nature.

Taste: (8/10)  Luckily the ground smell wasn’t the dominant taste, as this one yielded a taste more along the lines of the jar smell, with tones of pine, ginger, and citrus.  It was never overt and pungent, but the first two hits were flavorful.  It was moderately harsh and expanded like crazy though, so be careful… the ash showed a quality flush.

Effects:  Like many Sativas, this one went right to the head and eyes, with a rushing warmth, flushed face, and slight perspiration.  It was on the racy side, but the feeling behind the eyes was among the strongest we’ve experienced… buzzing, almost burning.  This was a bit of a two-sided strain, as we seemed to be comfortable on the couch when alone but up and active when with others.  It dropped in potency noticeably about 1:15 in, leaving a capable and energetic feeling behind that remained until the end.

Medicinal Traits: (We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  Energetic and mentally motivated at first, more calm and relaxed towards the end, this med also showed great promise with ocular issues, while also helping with minor body pain and relaxation.

Overall:  This was a very interesting OG Kush — it had a very pungent aroma that brought to mind a Poison OG due to its harsh almost chemical twang, but smelled weirdly sweet when not being handled.  The potency at first was off the charts, with ridiculously strong eye buzzing sensations and a burst of energy, but it became more manageable as it went on.  The total package was all pretty top-notch — strong, pungent, visually appealing… worth a trip to Boulder for sure.

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Jah Kush Medical Marijuana Strain Review

From:  High Grade Alternatives

Grade:  B+

Type:  Sativa-dominant Hybrid, Nor Cal clone scene cut, possibly Jack Herer x OG Kush or Light of Jah x OG Kush

Price:  $50/8th

Appearance:  (7.5/10)  The sample we ended up with was a giant almost coke bottle-sized tip of what may have been the cola, giving it a certain amount of visual impact before even being examined up close.  However, up close it was apparent that the plant had hermied or otherwise been pollinated, as there were medium-sized immature seeds throughout the bud.  The outward appearance wasn’t overly impressive aside from the dense structure, but up close and inside the nug, tall, mostly clear/cloudy trichs gleamed all over the fat teardrop calyxes.

Aroma:  (7/10)  Firmly in the “impressive but not very appealing” category, this strain has a strange “garlic bud” almost body odor musk to it with notes of soil.  You don’t really get a sense of that muskiness until it’s ground, at which point it becomes very pungent.

Taste: (6.5/10)  Again, not particularly appealing to our palates, the flavor was along the same lines, with a spicy and garlicky hit, but mostly the taste of vegetation and smoke (neutral/standard taste) beyond the first pull or two.  The ash that remained after this one was finished was a somewhat murky medium gray, suggesting a longer flush may have been needed even though the smoke was a little smoother than average.

Effects:  Feeling a little rushy to start, this strain was a little deceiving — a major rush of warmth and pressure into the eyes and head normally signals the beginning of a Sativa crush, but this one backed off after about 30 minutes and remained relatively calm throughout.  Somewhat bleary-feeling eyes remained past the initial potency, but otherwise the effects moved mostly into the body while just providing a sense of calmness and a lazy mood elevation.  The lingering effects lasted longer than many strains, but the initial potency was shorter than many… bit of a give and take there.

Medicinal Traits: (We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  Body relaxation, mild pain relief, mood enhancement, possible ocular relief.

Overall: While the grow for this one clearly didn’t go quite up to plan, it was still a solid sample, with a nicely potent start but a somewhat sharp drop into a lasting calm state.  The giant cola section we ended up with was impressive in several senses, but ultimately the strain was just not as well-grown as it could have been, mainly the larger-than-normal immature seeds that were all over the place, which also affected the taste.  Still, it was a unique sample and we look forward to trying it again to see if the unusual smell holds for other Jah Kushes and whether or not there is a more lasting peak potency to be unveiled.

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OG Kush x ChemDawg Medical Marijuana Strain Review

From:  High Grade Alternatives

Grade:  A-

Type:  Sativa-dominant Hybrid

Price:  $50/8th

Appearance:  (8.5/10)  Very pale green that looks almost white with tall trichomes, this sample had quite a few frosty guard leaves left on it and we also spotted a few immature seeds.  However, the timing was nearly perfect, as a majority of the trichs were cloudy with some ambering in patches.

Aroma:  (8/10)  A strange combination of musk and sharp chemical notes (turpentine, fuel) that was reminiscent of many Kushes but wholly different, thanks to the Chem influence.  The muskiness was especially strong pre-grind, and reminded one reviewer of a wet dog.  Impressive smell, though not exactly appealing.

Taste: (7/10)  Chemical pine with a hit of lemon was the dominant note (think Pine-Sol) but there were tinges of spice and soil like you get in many of the more delicate Kushes.  A very smooth smoke with average expansion makes this a solid choice for those who don’t want to cough… it burned to a concrete gray ash, indicating a very good flush.

Effects:  Quickly the face feels pressure fluctuations, the eyes lower, and waves of energy are felt throughout the body — there was some “butterflies” feeling and a little heart-racing to start.  After that passed, it felt fairly functional mentally, but the body was reluctant to do much more than enjoy a seat and it took on a fairly direct Indica quality.  Even that initial wave of potency wasn’t all that strong though, and this was a manageable medication overall, making it suitable for many situations, whether they be social, solitary, or a little of both.

Medicinal Traits: (We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  Energy to start, relaxation (mental and physical) to finish, this provided strong mood elevation properties as well.  Some appetite stimulation was evident, while the strong attention to the eyes suggests ocular relief.

Overall:  While this one didn’t seem to reach its full potential in some areas (specifically the tiny seeds, the lack of peak potency, and medium duration), it was still very quality, providing an energetic-then-relaxing experience that remained relatively functional throughout.  The mood elevation properties were the main “takehome” and we all enjoyed this sample primarily for that reason.

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Blue Dream Medical Marijuana Strain Review

From:  High Grade Alternatives

Grade:  A-

Type:  Sativa-dominant Hybrid (Clone variety – Santa Cruz Haze x DJ Short’s Blueberry)

Price:  $50/8th

Appearance:  (8.5/10)  A notorious big producer, this sample was made up of very large, dense, blocky nuggets with a slightly spongy yet well-dried texture and a generous layer of trichomes.  The pistils are a very light strawberry color and extremely fuzzy-looking.  Basically perfect harvest timing was indicated by the blend of clear, cloudy,and amber trichomes.

Aroma:  (7.5/10)  Creamy fruit sweetness with a background of fresh vegetation, as usual, a pretty spot-on combination of the two parents, the Blueberry and Haze.  It wasn’t that pungent, but got a little stronger when ground-up.

Taste: (8.5/10)  This was a rather tasty Blue Dream, with an interesting almost creamy vanilla-kissed berry taste that also had a floral element to it that made it not overtly sweet.  That taste also endured longer than normal, lasting well through all the greens and providing a light sweetness almost to the finish.  It burned to an average-looking medium gray ash, so it had a solid flush.

Effects:  Energetic and aware mentally, but struggling a bit to translate that into motor-skill action was the prevalent feeling amongst the review staff.  A quick and potent onset may cause a bit of anxiety in some users, but that faded quickly and rewarded us with an energetic, positive mental state combined with solid body relief.  Several reviewers also reported being more cerebral or contemplative than normal, finding themselves lost in thought at times or simply enjoying music, art, etc.  As it wore on, it became less energetic and the Indica side of things set in, with a very relaxed body and the urge to sit and be entertained rather than engage.

Medicinal Traits: (We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  One reviewer reported this strain alleviating “level 8 back pain” and being one of the best pain meds he’s encountered, while others mainly experienced a deep body relaxation and reduction of motor skills.  A hybrid blend, this has some energetic, creative moments and some relaxing, thoughtful ones.  Appetite stimulation was also a common theme.

Overall: Tied with the Delta 9 Blue Dream as our favorite examples of the strain, this one was less frosty but perhaps more impressive effects and taste-wise.  They were similar overall though, with the same “up then down” experience and blend of at times divergent mental and physical effects.  We loved the big dense structure of the sample and its smell, and the perfect harvest timing showed in its peak potency, which was more than enough for our staff.  A great start for High Grade Alternatives… simply put, if you like this strain, theirs is a winner.