Bsc Blog

What are Terps? | Role of Terpenes and the Entourage Effect in the Cannabis Industry

by
Blog banner image on terpenes showing cannabis bud, bannanas and grapes

What are Terps?

Also known as Terpenes, Terpes, Terpenoids…

Terps are scented oils that indicate features of the cannabis plant or product. They’re frequently referred to as terpenoids, or terpenes, too. Essentially they are a tea tree or lavender oil, naturally secreted by the plant. This repels insects that would otherwise damage the plant before it can reproduce. Terpenes simultaneously aid plants reproductive success by luring pollinators – and smokers – with captivating scents.

These scents differ depending on a chemovar’s genetics, and their abundance is influenced by a few environmental factors, such as light, heat, fertilizer, and nutrients. Some businesses will even add certain terpenes back to their product at the end of the production process, especially if they have been volatilised during production.

Note: The term ‘terpenes’ is less accurate; as it describes terpenoids after the drying process denatures them. These terms are often used interchangeably within the community.

Why do Terpenes Matter?

 Terpenoids are essentially perfumes that give away a buds personality. From the scent that is released (a result of its terpene profile) you learn a little about a chemovar’s potency, its effects, taste, and even its cost (drugs and me, 2019). When we talk about a lemon haze smelling citrusy, we are talking about the scent of limonene, a terpene we recognise as giving lemons their signature citric scent.

The Science Behind Terpenes 

There is a growing body of evidence that demonstrates the effects of terpenes. They have a long history of use across diverse industries. Whilst we might think they belong in an aromatherapy salon, some of their wide-ranging applications are surprising! 

Terpenes are suspected to affect diverse neurological pathways in our brains. They enter the body both through percutaneous and non-percutaneous routes (A Prashar et al., 2004) so for example, merely touching and smelling a particularly oily bud, coated in linalool relaxes a person. 

‘merely touching and smelling a particularly oily bud, coated in linalool relaxes a person.’

Limonene was found to change the concentrations of serotonin transmitters in the brains of model organisms (V. Lopez et al., 2017) which may be responsible for its calming properties. GABA is a neurotransmitter involved in signalling for the dampening of neurological activity, which may be the reason that s-limonene can help you to relax. 

Terpenes are beneficial to mental health and even have benefits in harm reduction. You may have heard that a higher THC to CBD ratio is associated with less of the arguably negative, psychosis-like effects of THC (Hudson, R., Et al). We know a lot about terpenes and some other Cannabis compounds, like flavonoids and even cannabinoids in isolation, but what about their combined benefits?

This synergy between different cannabis compounds (terpenes, flavonoids, CBD isomers etc.) is called an entourage effect. It is believed that by mixing cannabis compounds from different plants, effects greater than those produced by individual compounds are generated.

What is the Entourage Effect?

 The term made its debut in 1998 after two Israeli researchers, Mechoulam and Shabat, explained the effect for the first time. They suggested that compounds in cannabis which were previously considered inactive were actually increasing the activity of some key cannabis compounds found in cannabis plants. 

Read CBD products marketing today, and you’ll find that many kinds of cannabis products purportedly operate according to the entourage effect. The entourage effect goes more-or-less like this:

 

“The action of Terpenes, CBD and THC compounds from different plants is synergistic, in that it produces an effect as a whole, which is greater than the individual compounds otherwise would do.”

(Ben-Shabat et al, 2020).

 

This has implications for a lot of cannabis products. For example, CBD oils used to alleviate pain may benefit from a certain terpene profile that is relaxation-specific.

 There is some controversy, and not all studies agree that the effect has scientific validity (M. Santiago et al., 2019) (Russo, 2011) (S. Cogan, 2019). Such discrepancies between studies lead some of the scientific community to believe that the entourage effect is no more than clever marketing. The industry is not stringent regulated, it’s true, but the dismissal seems premature to us.

 To begin with, the cannabis industry is young, and even now emerges covered in the ashes of ignorant derision. There is some human testing now, but they are few and far between, with foundational neuroscience systems studies still lagging behind the industry’s territorial advances. Until these studies happen, most of the claims we can make about the existence of an entourage effect between cannabis compounds will remain vague. The boldest claim we can make given what we know is that the terpene compounds involved at least work individually to produce the effects listed below (See: The Different Types of Terpenes).

We reached out to Ivan Esquerra, a PhD neuroscience student at UCL and founder of the London-based harm-reduction, non-profit start-up ‘Drugs and Me’ for further clarification. 

 

‘It’s unfortunate that a lot of the studies that need to take place involve highly precise equipment, and require high experimenter knowledge, such as patch-clamp studies. There are hardly neuroscience systems studies, or sufficiently controlled human studies comparing the effects of different chemovars.’

 

It stands to reason that combinations of oils would generate combined effects that activate more pathways. Shabat and Mechoulam gave as evidence the efficacy of whole botanical extracts versus their isolated compounds, and we think it makes a lot of sense. In any case, it is important that more studies into the entourage effect between different cannabis compounds take place in order to put this question to rest.

Below: A closer look at the key compounds involved.

The Entourage Effect horizontal infographic illustration about cannabis as herbal alternative medicine and chemical therapy, healthcare and medical science vector.

 

The Different Types of Terpenes:

 Terpenes are rumoured to produce some of the subtler effects we experience between varieties of the plant (1 periodic edibles). Below are some of the main cannabis terpenes and their effects:

 

 Myrcene:

cannabis terpenes chart of Myrcene, showing best vaporisation temperatures, flavour profile and health benefits,

  • Myrcene has a herbaceous scent, it is found in bay, mango and hops among others.
  • It is thought to have antioxidant properties, and to treat insomnia, pain and inflammation (Hartsel et al., 2016).

 

Limonene: 

cannabis terpenes chart of limonene, showing best vaporisation temperatures, flavour profile and health benefits,

  • Found in citrus fruit peels, it takes its name from the French name for lemons, ‘Limon’.
  • Abundant in cannabis, it has been identified as having antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-tumorigenic properties (Jessica A. Miller et al. 2014) (S C Chaudhary et al. 2012).  In rat model studies, it has been shown to be an effective anxiolytic, which could help it to balance chemovars that are higher on the paranoia scale.
  • ·  Anti-inflammatory effects in model organism studies, and anti-inflammatory effects and asthma (Bacanlı, M., Başaran, A.A. and Başaran, N. (2018).

 Caryophyllene:

cannabis terpenes chart of caryphyllene, showing best vaporisation temperatures, flavour profile and health benefits,

  • Found in the aromas of black pepper, rosemary, and hops it is the component responsible for the identification of cannabis by drug-sniffer dogs (E Stahl et al., 1973).

Terpinolene:

cannabis terpenes chart of terpinolene, showing best vaporisation temperatures, flavour profile and health benefits,

  • Also found in cumin and lilacs, it’s part of what gives Jack Herer that roast dinner smell.
  • Has a complex profile, with multiple notes. Some are herbaceous, flowery and others are citrusy, and others piney.
  • Nearly all terpinolene dominant chemovars are THC-dominant
  • Possible antifungal qualities, and insect repelling.
  • Sedative (Pubchem, 2020)

 

α-Pinene & β-Pinene: 

(Pinene has two ‘isomers’, or similar forms with slightly different effects)

cannabis terpenes chart of b pinene, showing best vaporisation temperatures, flavour profile and health benefits,

cannabis terpenes chart of a pinene showing best vaporisation temperatures, flavour profile and health benefits,

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Dominant scent is pine in both isomers.
  •   Antibacterial (Ethan B Russo, 2011)
  • α-Pinene Increases alertness (Ethan B Russo, 2011)
  • Possible Anticancer effects, used in Chinese medicine (W. Chen et al., 2015)
  • Bronchodilator and expectorant (A. C. Rohr et al., 2002)
  • Anti-inflammatory (Russo, 2011)

 

Humulene:

cannabis terpenes chart of humulene, showing best vaporisation temperatures, flavour profile and health benefits,

  • Responsible for the distinctive aroma of hops in beer
  • Used in Chinese medicine
  • Aids in weight loss by acting as an appetite suppressant (Hartsel et al., 2016).

Ocimene:

cannabis terpenes chart of ocimene, showing best vaporisation temperatures, flavour profile and health benefits,

  • Woody and herbaceous, ocimene are used in perfumes for its sweet aroma. The word comes from the old Greek name for basil, Ocimum. Ocimene is anti-fungal (Russu & Marco, 2016)

Linalool:

cannabis terpenes chart of linalool, showing best vaporisation temperatures, flavour profile and health benefits,

  • Also found in lavender, these are relaxing floral aromas that help with anxiety through their calming effect (López et al., 2017). 
  • Sleep inducing
  • Anti-inflammatory

Terpenes in CBD

 Terpenes are a hot topic in the states at the moment. The 2018 farm bill that paved the way for hemp farming has ramped up CBD production on a great scale. Typically the CBD is harvested from whole hemp plants, although higher CBD varieties often use the flowers. These plants are then treated, usually with ethanol, which when heated volatilizes the terpenoids. These terpenoids are then re-added, usually using terpenes that come from other sources such as limonene from citrus peels.

Source: Greenhouse seed co.
A flavour wheel describing the different terpene profiles in different popular strains of cannabis.

 Typically these are added to all kinds of CBD oils, from medical kinds to vaping oils. It’s important to know which terpenes your products contain, and to consider if you want to ingest terpenes in this way. 

There is hardly any data presently available on the products of terpenoids that have been volatilized by heating, which could turn out to be a sleeping dragon for vape companies.

Below: Most popular terpenes used in CBD oil products.

  Cannabis and hemp plants are packed full of compounds with more effects than modern medicine has been able to yet describe. A lot of attention is going into how terpenes can be harnessed to improve the effects of cannabis, for example in finding bespoke chemovars for distinct individuals.

 Going forward we should expect to see more research into the entourage effects of different cannabis phytochemicals, and more terpene scales on cannabis products to reflect our growing understanding of these fascinating oils!

 

Sources Cited

  1. Edibles, in (2014). Periodic edibles. [online] Periodic edibles. Available at: https://www.periodicedibles.com/faq-edible-terpene-effects [Accessed 17 May 2020].
  2. Drugsand.me. (2020). Why terpenes matter. [online] Available at: https://drugsand.me/en/blog/why-terpenes-matter/ [Accessed 17 May 2020].
  3. Ben-Shabat, S., Fride, E., Sheskin, T., Tamiri, T., Rhee, M.H., Vogel, Z., Bisogno, T., De Petrocellis, L., Di Marzo, V. and Mechoulam, R. (1998). An entourage effect: inactive endogenous fatty acid glycerol esters enhance 2-arachidonoyl-glycerol cannabinoid activity. European journal of pharmacology, [online] 353(1), pp.23–31. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9721036 [Accessed 17 May 2020].
  4. Hudson, R., Renard, J., Norris, C., Rushlow, W.J. and Laviolette, S.R. (2019). Cannabidiol Counteracts the Psychotropic Side-Effects of Δ-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol in the Ventral Hippocampus through Bidirectional Control of ERK1–2 Phosphorylation. The Journal of Neuroscience, [online] 39(44), pp.8762–8777. Available at: https://www.jneurosci.org/content/39/44/8762 [Accessed 17 May 2020].
  5. ZHOU, W., YOSHIOKA, M. and YOKOGOSHI, H. (2009). Sub-Chronic Effects of s-Limonene on Brain Neurotransmitter Levels and Behavior of Rats. Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology, [online] 55(4), pp.367–373. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19763039/ [Accessed 18 May 2020].
  6. Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology. Peter S. Cogan (2019). The ‘entourage effect’ or ‘hodge-podge hashish’: the questionable rebranding, marketing, and expectations of cannabis polypharmacy. [online] Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17512433.2020.1721281?journalCode=ierj20 [Accessed 23 May 2020].
  7. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research. (2017). The Clinical Significance of Endocannabinoids in Endometriosis Pain Management | Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research. [online] Available at: https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/10.1089/can.2016.0035 [Accessed 23 May 2020].
  8. Russo, E.B. (2011). Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects. British Journal of Pharmacology, [online] 163(7), pp.1344–1364. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3165946/ [Accessed 23 May 2020].
  9. López, V., Nielsen, B., Solas, M., Ramírez, M.J. and Jäger, A.K. (2017). Exploring Pharmacological Mechanisms of Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) Essential Oil on Central Nervous System Targets. Frontiers in Pharmacology, [online] 8. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5437114/#s4title [Accessed 1 Jun. 2020].
  10. PubChem (2020). Terpinolene. [online] @pubchem. Available at: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Terpinolene [Accessed 17 Aug. 2020].
  11. Sciencedirect.com. (2010). Limonene – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics. [online] Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/limonene [Accessed 24 May 2020].
  12.  Stahl, E. and Kunde, R., 1973. Die Leitsubstanzen der Haschisch-Suchhunde. Kriminalistik: Z Gesamte Kriminal Wiss Prax, 27, pp.385-389. – sniffer doge
  13. Chen, W., Liu, Y., Li, M., Mao, J., Zhang, L., Huang, R., Jin, X. and Ye, L. (2015). Anti-tumor effect of α-pinene on human hepatoma cell lines through inducing G2/M cell cycle arrest. Journal of Pharmacological Sciences, [online] 127(3), pp.332–338. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1347861315000110 [Accessed 25 May 2020].
  14.  Rohr, A.C., Wilkins, C.K., Clausen, P.A., Hammer, M., Nielsen, G.D., Wolkoff, P. and Spengler, J.D. (2002). UPPER AIRWAY AND PULMONARY EFFECTS OF OXIDATION PRODUCTS OF (+)- α -PINENE, d -LIMONENE, AND ISOPRENE IN BALB/ c MICE. Inhalation Toxicology, [online] 14(7), pp.663–684. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12122569/ [Accessed 25 May 2020].
  15.  Prashar, A., Locke, I.C. and Evans, C.S. (2004). Cytotoxicity of lavender oil and its major components to human skin cells. Cell Proliferation, [online] 37(3), pp.221–229. Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2184.2004.00307.x [Accessed 28 May 2020].
  16. Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology. (2019). The ‘entourage effect’ or ‘hodge-podge hashish’: the questionable rebranding, marketing, and expectations of cannabis polypharmacy. [online] Available at: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17512433.2020.1721281?journalCode=ierj20 [Accessed 1 Jun. 2020].
  17. Miller, J.A., Lang, J.E., Ley, M., Nagle, R., Hsu, C.-H., Thompson, P.A., Cordova, C., Waer, A. and Chow, H.-H.S. (2013). Human Breast Tissue Disposition and Bioactivity of Limonene in Women with Early-Stage Breast Cancer. Cancer Prevention Research, [online] 6(6), pp.577–584. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3692564/ [Accessed 1 Jun. 2020].
  18. Chaudhary, S., Siddiqui, M., Athar, M. and Alam, M.S. (2012). d-Limonene modulates inflammation, oxidative stress and Ras-ERK pathway to inhibit murine skin tumorigenesis. Human & Experimental Toxicology, [online] 31(8), pp.798–811. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22318307/ [Accessed 1 Jun. 2020].
  19. ‌Bacanlı, M., Başaran, A.A. and Başaran, N. (2018). Effects and Usage of a Citrus Compound, Limonene. Polyphenols: Prevention and Treatment of Human Disease, [online] pp.419–424. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780128130087000321 [Accessed 1 Jun. 2020].
  20. Hartsel, J.A., Eades, J., Hickory, B. and Makriyannis, A. (2016). Cannabis sativa and Hemp. Nutraceuticals, [online] pp.735–754. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B978012802147700053X [Accessed 17 Aug. 2020].
  21. Ethan B. Russo, Jahan Marcu, in Advances in Pharmacology, 2017Sciencedirect.com. (2017). Advances in Pharmacology | Cannabinoid Pharmacology | ScienceDirect.com by Elsevier. [online] Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/bookseries/advances-in-pharmacology/vol/80/suppl/C [Accessed 17 Aug. 2020].‌‌

Author: Andrés Felipe BSc. Plant Biology

Ego Clash 2020

by

EGO CLASH 2020 – Spannabis Cannabis Competition

So, another year has passed and we find ourselves back in Barcelona, Spain for Spannabis cannabis competition week.
We were fortunate to be invited to sponsor and take part in mighty Ego Clash once again. Last
year held the inaugural Ego Clash in Barcelona (originating in the mountains of Mendo in 2018) and
we were also one of the main sponsors in 2019. As you may guess, we were honoured to be invited back and contribute a small part to its history.

Ego Clash is the brainchild of Brandon (aka Trich Tyson aka Trichy Balboa), the founder of 3rd
Gen Family Farms, Dying Breed Seeds and Moonshine melts; he has won countless medals and
trophies, with his life fully invested in that special plant of ours. Brandon had the idea to bring the
greatest minds together for a fair cannabis competition, where you enter and judge alongside
your peers and friends; a cannabis competition for the people by the people. He obviously isn’t able to do
this all on his own, so he brings over his family from Mendocino County, California to help run the
show. He also has a very special team member on the ground here in Barcelona, orchestrating
every move and working tirelessly to make sure Ego Clash and everyone involved is looked after.
Her name is Giuliana and she really is a titan in the cannabis scene.

A remarkable reception

The day started with a trip to our favourite association Dank Grass Club, where everyone involved
was to meet, catch up, get their wristbands and maybe see what fire the club had available.
(They had some very special Puta Breath grown by Studio Green Farms, that we absolutely
loved). Once everyone was ready, we all took coaches to the location; around 35 minutes outside
of Barcelona and to the most beautiful countryside villa. The place was adorned with banners
and looked even better than the year before. Lets just say these guys know how to throw a party;
amazing location, free & beautiful Italian food, free bar, amazing DJ’s and the best minds in cannabis,
all in one place… It is almost overwhelming!

The Spannabis cannabis competition consists of Flower, BHO, Hash, Rosin and Drysift categories. Furthermoreall the judging is done live by the people that entered. It’s a perfect way of judging a competition like this; sat down with
your peers, all just trying to decipher who deserves the coveted Ego Clash title… As you may
tell from the name, the ethos is you leave your EGO at the door, there is no place for that
here. To say it was a success would be an understatement, everyone played their part to a T; from
everyone who helped organise the event to the competitors, judges, sponsors and
catering.

Spannabis 2020 & the future

Due to all the corona-virus pandemonium occurring at the time, with Spannabis
cancelled it was going to be a strange year. However, Ego Clash once again came through and
showed us what this industry is about; first and foremost, good people, amazing cannabis and
showing how an event like this should be! We tip our hats to you all and can’t wait for next years event to be even better (although we aren’t
sure how that is possible).

Special thanks go to Brandon, Spice, Giuliana and the whole 3rd Gen Team; thank you for letting
us all take part and being involved in history! Lastly, shout out to all the amazing competitors, judges and
people that came to support the cause, it’s not possible without any one of you. Here is a list of the categories and winners:

 

Here is a list of the categories and winners –

Flower category – 

1st Place – Eddy M

2nd Place – Axel

3rd Place – Jonny GWA

BHO Category – 

1st Place – Murphy Murri

2nd Place – Team Flavourhunting ES

3rd Place – Kind Selections

Rosin – 

1st Place – Slite23

2nd Place – Brrr Co

3rd Place – Scorpion 420

Drysift – 

1st Place – Konfa GWA

2nd Place – Heavy Resin x We Flowers

3rd Place – M & M Extracts

Hash – 

1st Place – Wooksauce Winery

2nd Place – Alice 

3rd Place – Sagrada Farm

A Guide to Setting up your first grow tent…

by

A Guide to Setting up your first grow tent…

Image result for cannabis tent

 

So, you want to grow your own cannabis plants, but where do you start? With such a vast selection of products available, it can be overwhelming for a beginner. This article will show you how to set up a basic grow. I will be discussing what I call a “single set up.” This consists of four plants getting hand-fed with coco under a 600W light in a 4x4x6.5-foot (1.2 x 1.2 x 2-meter) grow tent. We will look at everything you need, why you need it, and how it works.

Grow Tents

Grow tents come in all shapes and sizes. A 4x4x6.5-foot (1.2 x 1.2 x 2-meter) tent will hold four plants comfortably. Tents have either a white or silver lining inside, designed to reflect light back onto the plants. When zipped up they are completely self-contained environments that will not let any exterior light, odor or potential threats in. Likewise, they will let nothing out other than through your extraction equipment. A quality tent will last you a long time. Look for a thick material, strong poles, and good-quality zippers.

Bulbs

When your plants go into your tent for the vegetative (growth) stage, they will need a specific light cycle of 18 hours with the lights on and six hours with lights off to mimic the plants’ natural environment. The bulb you want to get is a 600W, dual spectrum bulb. It is ‘dual’ in the sense that it emits two spectrums of light, one for the vegetative (blue) stage and one for when plants are flowering (orange and red), making it excellent value for the money.

Ventilation Kit – Fan, Filter, Ducting, and Clamps

A good air exchange is essential as it brings fresh, cool air into your environment and removes warm air and odor via the carbon filter and ducting. Full ventilation kits can be purchased depending on how much air you want to scrub (clean). The filter pulls air through the carbon bed contained within it, removing bacteria along with any smells. To connect the filter and fan and to take the warm air out of the tent, you will need ducting.

Acoustic ducting is best. It is a dual layer of standard ducting with fiberglass sandwiched in the middle. It really does a great job and keeps noise to a minimum. Clamps are used to hold the ducting, fan and filter together. When fitting them make sure you fit them as tightly as possible so that they work efficiently.

Shades

Shades come in a wide array of designs. The shade directs light downward where you want it, onto your plants.

Digital Ballast

A digital ballast works by choking the correct amount of electricity to the bulb at the desired wattage. Without a ballast, the bulb would just keep drawing electricity until it overloaded itself and blew a fuse. I always use a 600W ballast because the higher the wattage of the ballast, the higher the amount of lumen and par the plant receives, and in turn the faster the plant grows, resulting in bigger yields.

It is important that your bulb and ballast wattage always match. So, a 600W bulb should only be used with a 600W ballast, and vice versa. Digital ballasts are the best option. They give you full control, run at the true wattages stated, use less electricity, have a small start-up volt drain, run cool and have a great dimming feature, which is fantastic if conditions get a little too warm in your tent.

Contactor and Timer

Contactors spread the electrical discharge, reducing the chances of the main fuse blowing when the initial strike up of the lamp/ballast occurs. A good quality contactor will have a built-in timer you can set to turn your lights on and off, which is convenient and maintains accuracy.

Clip-On Oscillating Fan

These have several jobs including moving warm air produced by the bulbs around the tent and keeping temperatures even. They help to move gas released from the plants’ leaves away from the plant and CO2 and oxygen towards the plant to facilitate photosynthesis. Lastly, the fan gently shudders the plants, increasing the strength in the stems and overall structure.

Ratchet Hangers

This is a simple, yet essential, bit of kit to hold up everything that needs suspending in your grow tent, the most important being your lights. Ratchet hangers allow you to adjust the distance between your plants and the lights, which is crucial to ensure the plants get the maximum amount of lumens and par available from the bulb. The ideal distance between the plant and light is one foot but you can move it nearer or farther away, if necessary, to achieve the perfect temperature. Just make sure you reposition your oscillating fan as well to keep the air moving.

Temperature Gauge and Hygrometer

A temperature gauge and hygrometer are needed to ensure you can monitor humidity and temperature levels throughout your tent. A digital “all in one” is perfect for accurate results.

Pots and Trays

Going into the vegetative phase, you want four-gallon square to round pots – square at the top and round at the bottom. They are commonly used in indoor growing because they make the most of the available light when placed together. You will also need some large, flat catchment trays to contain any spills, leaks, or mess.

Putting It All Together

  • First, put up your tent, which is a piece of cake; instructions will be included.
  • Now, set up your grow light. Screw the bulb into the shade firmly using a cloth or glove.
  • Attach the ratchet hangers to the shade and then to the poles across the roof of the tent. Make sure you know how to adjust the hangers to raise or lower the light when needed.
  • Plug the shade into the ballast.
  • Plug the ballast into the contactor. Remember that the contactor and ballast should be outside the tent, so anything inside that’s plugged into it should have the power cables running through a port in the upper part of the tent and out to the contactor. Keep the contactor and ballast somewhere safe, dry and free of obstruction; ideally hanging on a wall.
  • Set the timer on the contactor to your lights’ “on and off” times.
  • Plug the oscillating fan into the contactor and clip it to one of the vertical tent poles at the back of the tent, adjust the height once the plants are in the tent so that it’s at the height of the canopy and remember to adjust it as the plants grow.
  • Plug the contactor into the main power supply.

What about ventilation?

Ventilation should be positioned at the top of the tent, suspended from the horizontal top bars toward the back wall of the tent but not touching it.

If you are standing inside the tent, the order from left to right should go: filter>clamp>fan>clamp>ducting. The ducting is then passed through a portal at the top back of the tent.

Make sure the clamp connecting the filter to the fan is as tight as possible, as this will allow the filter to maximize how much air it can scrub.

When you turn on the ventilation and the tent is zipped up, you should be able to see the sides of the tent being sucked in slightly. This is known as negative pressure and is a sign everything is working as it should be and that all the air leaving the tent is passing through the filter. You can open and adjust the ports on the sides of your tent to help achieve this.

And that’s it. Your tent is set up and ready for your plants to go into. All that remains is to take a baseline reading of the temperature and humidity inside the tent to give you an idea of what you are working toward to achieve the perfect environment for your plants to thrive in, which is between about 72-82°F with a relative humidity of between 40-70%.

Now comes the hard work as you monitor, nurture, maintain and adjust your plants and their environment for the next 12 weeks. There is a lot to learn, but try not to put too much pressure on yourself as you can only truly learn by facing obstacles and finding solutions to overcome them.

Your first few grows should be seen as the foundations you will build upon to become a competent and successful cannabis grower.

 

Information courtesy of Rich Hamilton

‘Melonade’ Strain Review

by

Ernest Herb’s Strain Review

‘Melonade’

 

 

Howdy peeps. Today I am doing a review on a strain called Melonade, which has been grown by the 9x award winning grower, Bezzle710, who uses Buddha Tree Nutrients and Ecothrive Coco.

Melonade is a cross of Lemonade and Watermelon Zkittles, bred by Dying Breed Seeds from Mendocino, California. The company is run by 3rd Gen Family who also run award winning extract company Moonshine Melts, and are responsible for other strains such as SFZ, Oz Kush, Banana Muffin, Melon Cooler, Banana Zkittles, and more.

Effects of Melonade have been described by some consumers as great for uplifting mood and allowing negativity to be lifted after a long and stressful day. This hybrid can either inspire creativity and focus or lead to sedation depending how much is consumed.

This strain emits a scent that’s been compared to watermelon lemonade and produces buds that look fuzzy with loads of trichomes and orange pistils. Its dense light green tones are further lightened by the thick layer of trichomes it’s renowned for.

 

APPEARANCE

The Melonade flower comes in a little bag along with a rad little ‘Melonade’ sticker label and you can see the trichomes stuck on the inner side of the bag which is always a good start! When I open the bag, I’m hit with an interesting but subtle aroma and the buds are all nice sized dense nugs with a bit of sponge which reassures method this bud isn’t too dry and has been cured well.

You can clearly see how rich the buds are covered, with loads of small trichomes all over, so much that they mute the overall colour range of the flower. This includes the light orange pistols that are quite hard to pick out from the light pastel toned green.

 

AROMA

Like I earlier said, when opening the bag, I’m not hit with the most pungent smell but you definitely can get a hint of that Lemonade terp profile coming through. I want to say that the subtleness is down to a contributing aroma that I can’t quite pick out, and I don’t know if that’s coming from the Watermelon Zkittles side of the strain.

When you give a nug a little squeeze you suddenly get hit with rich and sour citrus smell that turns in to the bitter lemon flavour of the Lemonade side of the strain when ground up.

 

FLAVOUR

So I’ve wrapped up a nice big blunt and on the dry toke it tastes just how it smells, bitter citrus. When lighting up and taking the first few tokes, I instantly get that tingle on the tongue, which in my eyes is always a good sign!

You can taste the Lemonade side of the strain but theres some other flavour there that’s hard to put a finger on. It’s like there’s a sort of creaminess that masks the pungency and bitterness of the Lemonade terps. I have never tried Watermelon Zkittles so maybe it comes from that side and why Im struggling to put a finger on the added flavours to this unique terp profile. Who knows, maybe you do?!

One thing that is very noticeable is that this blunt tastes just as good, if not better at the end as it did at the start of blazing, and its gone down very easy! Im a big fan of the flavour, and it definitely tastes super clean, and you can see that in the white ash that falls off at the smallest of flicks, almost falling off, and the cleanliness of taste all the way through like I just remarked.

 

EFFECT

5 minutes in and I’m starting to feel a numbness and tingle to my forehead and around the jaw. The high is starting off pretty euphoric and the tingle gently spreads to the arms along with a kind of lightness that reminds me of being injected with an anaesthetic! This feeling noticeably moves to the kneecaps too I’m now noticing.

15 minutes in and the invisible sheet of ‘stoned’ covers my face and I can really feel it in the cheeks. Add about another 30 minutes on that and I’m realising that Ive completely zoned out watching ‘Action Bronson and friends watch ancient aliens’, and I’m suddenly remembering that I’ve forgot I’m doing a fucking strain review! That programs some funny shit and I’m realising that Im really stoned too!

My body is now feeling extremely relaxed, in fact, it’s fair to say its been hit incredibly hard with this high! But my brain still feels pretty alert even though I can still feel a numbness around the surface of my head. My cheeks are still really tingly and they feel really thick skinned and big.

Before smoking I felt absolutely exhausted, and now its fair to say I just feel relaxed and not so sleepy at all. My body feels super calm along with my mind state which makes me think this would probably be a good strain for anxiety and also after sports possibly, to relax the muscles.

Overall I have to say that the winning attributes to this strain is definitely the high which I’m personally extremely keen on. The terp profile is also very lovely, but I still can’t quite put my finger on parts of it, which isn’t a bad thing, I guess just interesting, and definitely makes me intrigued in to trying out some Watermelon Zkittles to see what part that side of the lineage plays in the terp profile of the Melonade.

The effects of the Melonade tells me that there is a nice balance of sativa and indica in this hybrid which suits me perfectly. The body high hits hard but soon relaxes, and your brain is elevated but controlled, not letting your mind race away.

If you have grown or tried consuming Melonade and want to share your thoughts, why not comment below or let us know, either through my personal IG account @ernest_herb or The British Seed Co page. Hope you enjoyed.

Yours truly high,

Ernest Herb ????

Hot strains for you this Summer!

by

HOT STRAINS FOR YOU THIS SUMMER!

It’s summertime, which means it’s time to let loose and relax!

To help you get started, here are some of our top cannabis strains for you to grow this summer!…

TROPIC SUNSET

£90.00

Breeder: Woodstock Farmacy

Lineage: (Sunset Sherbet (Cannarado Cut) x Tropicana Cookies F2 (#6 Woodstock Cut)

Flowering time: 63-68 days

Tropic Sunset was bred with cookies in mind. If you love the flavor of cookies, the tropic sunset is where it’s at. Flavors and aromas of orange sherbet, cookies and cake.

In mid-late flower, these beautiful plants resemble the sunset, as their mom does. Beautiful yellows, oranges, greens, reds and indigo fading leaves.

When cured and ready to enjoy, Tropic Sunset tastes just as she does when flowering. Orange sherbet, sugar cookies, and cake. With good frosting.

BUY NOW

 

ORANGE JELLY SUNSET

Image result for orange jelly sunset holy smoke seeds

 

£82.50

Breeder: Holy Smoke Seeds

Lineage: Forbidden Jelly x Sherb Sauce

Sex: Feminized

Amount: 6 Seeds

The breeding team at Holy Smoke say that Orange Jelly Sunset is one of the best strains they’ve worked with for ages. Bred as a cross of Forbidden Jelly and Sherb Sauce it is a most colourful and terpene-infused cannabis strain with massive, trichome-covered buds.

Quite a straightforward strain to cultivate she’s ready to harvest in just 8 – 9 weeks of flowering and exudes scents and flavours of sweet ‘n’ sour, candy and passion fruit. Her effect is initially cerebral until the indica kicks in although still remaining alert and creative for those so inclined. Artists and meditators will find it a useful strain to use. It also possesses therapeutic qualities and simply melts away pain.

BUY NOW

 

PURPLE SUNSET

Image result for purple sunset strain

£72.00

Breeder: Dank Genetics

Lineage: Purple punch x Sunset Sherbert

Sex: Feminized

Purple Sunset Feminized Seeds are a great mix of Purple Punch x Sunset Sherbert. The Purple Punch, originally a blend of Larry OG and Grandaddy Purple, creating a deep dense structure with a radiant display of trichomes and purple hues. As for Sunset Sherbert, originally a cross of G.S.C and the infamous Pink Panties. Fast productivity both indoors and outdoors, not to mention great yields. Due to the combination of these two renowned genetics, expect a very potent indica dominant hybrid, with a flower period of 63 to 70 days.

BUY NOW

TROPICANNA PUNCH

Image result for tropicana punch strain

 

£145.00

Breeder: Oni Seed Co

Lineage: Tropicanna Cookies x Purple Punch

Sex: Regular

The flagship strain of Oni Seed Co – Tropicanna Cookies got blended with Purple Punch. Due to the unique genes of its parents, created hybrid is even more outstanding. Its aroma range from blue sport drink to red fruity concentrate. Its amazing hash producing nature is capable of doing well in both, solvent and solventless extractions. Tropicanna Punch yields extremely well while being superb beautiful with its dark purple colouring.

BUY NOW

‘Orangeade’ Strain Review

by

Ernest Herb’s Strain Review

‘Orangeade’

 

 

How’s it going team? Today Im looking at some Orangeade bred by Symbiotic Genetics which was grown by a close friend and gifted to me by @pengfam_bs30_plant_life. The cut that I’m looking today is a pheno which they named the ‘Kenan and Kel’ Orange Soda cut.

Symbiotic Genetics is an exquisite seed bank from California. They are the creators of some of the most epic strains currently trending in the cannabis community including Mimosa, Kobe, Banana Punch, Purple Punch 2.0, & many more. Their absolute remarkable Purple Punch male plant was used to pollinate a series of elite mother plants found within The Village’s vast library of rare genetics in order to create some exceptional marijuana strains. 

High on limonene, Orangeade is a sativa-dominant strain with a super sweet tangy flavour and aroma. The strain was bred crossing Tangie, with their Purple Punch male.

It produces a powerful cerebral sensation that can last up to two hours. It has small, dense buds that contain a large amount of trichomes and many orange pistils.

 

APPERANCE

So in front of me Ive got a bag open full of tight little boulders of lime green trichome caked buds. When emptied on to a surface you can hear how solid these nugs are

Each bud is small in size with minimum stalk, and the first thing that’s clear is how coated they are in resinous trichomes. The buds are almost a slightly lime tinted white colour due to this coverage, but when you look closely you can see dark subtle flecks coming through. Colours ranging from lime green to hints of dark blue where the Purple Punch has started to come through.

The buds have such a sugary look to them and the smell that comes with it definitely has the sweetness to match!

 

AROMA

As I said in the intro, this pheno was named the ‘Kenan and Kel’ Orange Soda cut. And ‘chjeeeeeeez’ does it smell of sweet orange! As soon as the bag is opened there is a burst of sugary orange that hits you, that reminds me personally of orange peel mixed with lemonade.

The buds smell like no other tangie cross I’ve come across. When you crack a bud open you get hit with terps of just pure orange sweets with the slightest of tangie twang. This is a smoother smell, and reminiscent of the flavour I remember from Orange Calippo’s from when I was just a wee lad!

 

FLAVOUR

It’s completely mad to think that you could get such a soft, sweet fruity flavour from smoking a plant! Theres not one bit of harshness to any toke on the blunt I’m smoking, showing off the pure cleanliness of this flower.

On the inhale you get a real tingle on the tongue to accompany a smooth sherbet orange flavour, and I swear it tastes so clean you almost don’t feel any intake of smoke, making it feel somehow subtle but still full of flavour, and the exhale is a lot more prominent with a more creamy flavour, but still with hints of orange.

Even though the flavour is sweet, there’s still that kinda orange peel kind of hint to it. Its like San Pellegrino Orange and Callipo Orange had a baby and created the Orangeade terp profile baby!

When not smoking, you’re still left with an overpowering taste of fruity orange, and as a bit of dry mouth becomes apparent, you even get a bit of sourness at the back of the throat, a bit like you do when you’ve just drank orange juice with dry mouth and you get that sour taste left at the back of your throat.

 

EFFECT

The first thing that’s noticeable is that I’m instantly feeling uplifted early on in this high. I feel chatty and clear headed with a light headband cerebral feeling, but not behind the eyes like an indica might, but almost like the top of my head has been raised a couple of inches higher.

There’s a continuous uplift in high as the smoke goes on though the head buzz stays consistent. Im still feeling very functional and clear headed, but my body is starting to feel a lot more relaxed. And a while on it’s becoming very clear that if you smoke to much of this strain, you’re probably gunna get a bit of couch lock!

This pheno of Orangeade definitely packs a punch! So don’t be fooled in to thinking this is just another light buzzy tangie cross. Like I said, this hybrid definitely has the ability to put you in to the back of your chair for a good while if you smoke too much, so I would say to smoke this one in moderation.

I would say that overall this is a perfect strain for most occasions, with very talkative and buzzy effects, but with a body relaxing side kick. The terp profile is absolutely unreal (if you like oranges), and it has to be noted how divine the flavour still is half way down or even at the end of joint.

This isn’t like any other tangie cross Ive smoked. Ive tried Purple Punch a few times and not been a massive fan of its terp profile, but combined with tangie and it’s definitely a winner! Almost a prefect combination! You definitely know you’ve smoked something after hitting the Orangeade so go easy on it and you’ll be ok!

Have you grown Orangeade? How did it go? Or have you tried smoking some before?? Hit us up and let us know your thoughts either through my personal IG account @ernest_herb or the team @britishseedco, I’d be interested to hear your opinions on the strain.

Yours truly high,

Ernest Herb ????

Getting to know ‘Hemp Eyewear’

by

‘We make eyewear for people who see things differently.’

Product designer Sam Whitten founded Hemp Eyewear in Scotland after discovering the incredible properties and potential of hemp. Sam saw an opportunity to take on a market that not only uses an unbelievable amount of plastic, but relies more heavily on logos and advertising than on craftsmanship and design. Their first prototype – a pair of sunglasses with the signature hemp frame – went viral in 2014, and with a wave of support from early adopters, they were off and running.

packaging

Since then, they’ve learned and grown, moving into their studio in Edinburgh where they’ve worked hard to get every detail right, from sourcing the perfect materials to fine-tuning their process to getting to know their audience better and better.

Now, handcrafting every pair of glasses with minute attention to detail using what they believe to be the best materials on earth, they’re proud to say that their eyewear is more sustainable, more high quality and more beautiful than ever: living proof that you can enjoy something luxurious whilst still being responsible.

Hand sanding the legs

Their hemp comes from France. Raw fibre is transformed into a strong yet lightweight material using their eco-conscious technology and specialised machinery. It’s as clean as it gets: the only byproduct of their process is water vapour.

Because it’s a natural material, each of their frames are one-of-a-kind. Their craftsmen spend weeks transforming the processed material into eyewear frames, before adding a v-groove for the lenses, and using a special router to cut their two trademark grooves into each frame.

hand routing

They complete the hemp element of the frames by sanding them for hours using wet and dry paper, achieving a smooth, comfortable and beautiful-looking finish.

 

Measuring frames

Measuring frames

Every single screw, rivet and hinge is marked, drilled and attached by hand. They only use precision-engineered components made from the best materials: if it’s not made from hemp then it’s made from the highest grade titanium to ensure long-lasting performance and quality.

Need a new pair of sunglasses for the summer???

Click HERE to get your pair of ‘Cosby Hemp Eyewear’ glasses from www.thebritishseedcompany.co.uk…

‘Tropicanna Cookies F2’ Strain Review

by

Ernest Herb’s Strain Review

‘Tropicanna Cookies F2’

 

 

Whats cracking? This week I going to have a look at some lovely looking Tropicanna Cookies from US seed bank Oni Seeds which has been grown by Motherland Collective. The strain is an F2 hybrid of two champion varieties, Girl Scout Cookies (Forum Cut) and Tangie, and has become very popular on the market in the UK and the US over the last year.

Harry Palms, one of the owners and breeders of Oni Seeds, personally selected this strain after a laborious selection process where only the best results of each test were chosen, thus ensuring high quality seeds in all their offspring.

Tropicanna Cookies is not a complicated plant to grow, it adapts well to both indoor and outdoor cultivation, and will perform well in soil, coco, aeroponic and hydroponic growing systems.

In flowering is when you can really appreciate the quality of Tropicanna Cookies, with plants full of buds covered in copious amounts of resin, making it a great candidate for carrying out resin extractions of all kinds.

APPEARANCE

I’m given a lovely looking small jar, that’s sealed shut and then secured by metallic labels with the Motherland Collective logo on one, and the strain name on the other, and the overall presentation is very smart and professional looking. And inside, the solid dark nugs continue tradition…

When I pour the contents out on to the table, they’re followed by a trail of crystals that have already been knocked off to the bottom of the jar, and I’m left seeing some insane colours! The colour of the Tropicanna Cookies F2 are a range of dark purples and blues, and even hints of black seem to come through on these bobbly tight dense nugs.

Each bud is completely showered in thick heavy trichomes that look like they will fall out when you touch them and this gives the darkness a contrasting white shimmer to to it. You can see a few gold hairs on the flower, but just the odd one poking out here and there, giving it another slight layer in depth of colour.

Its fair to say, that this pheno of Tropicanna Cookies looks absolutely stunning!

AROMA

When I crack out the pot open I’m met with an abundance of fruity smells. The dominating smell that comes through first is an orange tangie aroma, and this is instantly backed up with some sort of tropical terp profile that I want to say smells like that rad drink Um Bongo or something.

The tropical tangie aroma really comes through strong when the buds are squeezed and broken up, leading this pheno to the sativa side of things, where as some other cuts have smelled more doughy from the cookies side of the genetics.

FLAVOUR

Like the aroma, the flavour that you’re met with is bursting with Tangie terps, with the subtle tropical hints coming through on the inhale, and an almost caramel like creamy taste on the exhale.

The taste is clean and after the exhale you’re left with a nice tingle on your tongue.  The creaminess of the Girls Scout Cookies is subtle but definitely there, though gradually I’m just left with a tangy and slightly bitter after taste in my mouth that feels like could only have come from the Tangie.

I do really like the flavour, but I would say it isn’t as pungent as some other Tangie dominant strains such as the Forbidden Fruit and 24K I’ve been smoking. Nether the less, that isn’t to take away from the lovely tropical taste that makes this strain more unique than other tangie crosses.

EFFECT

Half way through my first joint, I start to feel lightly uplifted. The high is subtle at first but definitely cerebral, giving me that warm head band feeling around my head. Even though the high feels fully in my head, it’s obvious that high is very clean clear headed.

The high doesn’t seem to be felt in the rest of the body other than the head, and I personally like to be able to feel that from a strain, and thought the high isn’t feeling very strong, it is definitely creeping.

One thing that is noticeable is that I do feel centred and focused, and I suppose feeling a bit more motivated and creative minded. The other thing, is how quickly I’ve got the munchies. I had a fatty bombatty bacon sarnie right before having a smoke and I’m hungry again already, so maybe not a strain for those who get the munchies easy!

About 30-45 minutes in, I’m defo starting to feel the benefits of the high, with the body feeling energised and proactive, but with the chilled, settled mind that’s come from the clean head high. Leaving my mind feeling able to concentrate on not get too distracted.

Overall I would say that the terp profile and aesthetics are most definitely the strongest qualities of this pheno of Tropicanna Cookies F2. The flavour is just gorgeous, and the buds just look insane with its contrast of ice white trichomes on the almost jet black flower. I have to say, its nice to have a different variation on what is a very tangie saturated market, and the appearance makes it a real show stopper.

The high is fairly light in my opinion which is surprising considering the trichome coverage, but it is still a very nice one, and in honesty, probably suits me better than a real buzzy sativa dominant strain.

Have you grown or tried consuming any Tropicanna Cookies before? If so what are your thoughts on the strain??  Hit us up and let us know, either through my personal IG account @ernest_herb or The British Seed Co page.

Yours truly high,

Ernest Herb ????

Cannabis Concentrates

by

What are cannabis concentrates?

 

Cannabis concentrates, also known as ‘extract’ are becoming more and more present in the cannabis community, especially dabbing.

As you may be able to guess, concentrates are concentrated THC and CBD through the extraction of cannabis flower, which also brings with it a range of cannabinoids and terpenes.

As technologies and methods advance, it’s becoming easier and easier for consumers to extract themselves.

They are a lot stronger than cannabis flowers, so they must be consumed in moderation by inexperienced users.

 

Orangeade Flower Rosin by Motherland Collective

 

Concentrates are made through separating the resin from the flower so that you can have as many cannabinoids and terpenes without the unnecessary plant material.

Most of the plants cannabinoids and terpenes are produced in the trichomes, so the more trichomes a plant contains, the higher potency the end product will be.

Once extracted, concentrates are used for a wide range of purposes and products, including tinctures, edibles, topical creams and more.

They are also used for consuming pure, using equipment such as a dab rig, vaporiser, or even wrapped round or inside a joint.

 

Dab rig

 

Different types of Concentrates

 

Hash

Bubble Hash. Photo courtesy of Ed Rosenthal.com

 

Hash is the most well known cannabis concentrate, which sis made by separating trichomes from the plant and then forming the resin in to one big mass.

There are lots of different types of hash including commonly used bubble hash, which uses ice and cold water to separate the trichomes. Lebanese hash is made by drying flowers and then rubbing them on to fabric which is then pressed in to slabs. Charas and Nepalese hash is made using a hand rolling process, and there are plenty more to name. All of these can be consumed through combustion, but is also used a lot for edibles.

 

Kief

Grinder Kief

 

Kief is the powdery material that you see collect at the bottom of your grinder. But is also extracted using the dry sift method where you separate your kief through mesh screens.

This is some of the strongest concentrate as its pretty much pure trichomes, though from your grinder you will most likely have minute bits of plant matter in there too.

Kief is essentially what gets made in to hash, but people may press this in to rosin, or just sprinkle it in to a joint.

 

Rosin

Vacation Land Flower Rosin by Motherland Collective

 

Rosin is cannabis resin in a more solid form. It is made through applying pressure and heat to extract the resin. This is a method of solventless extraction that some prefer to solvent extraction such as BHO.

This is usually done with an industrial press but it can also be done at home on a small scale using hair straighteners, which is a common method.

Rosin can be used in a dab rig or vaporiser, wrapped round a joint, or mixing in with your cannabis.

 

BHO Shatter

Green Poison BHO Shatter by Totem Fire

 

Shatter is one of the purest forms of concentrate, and is used by using a solvent to extract the THC from flower using a process called butane hash oil extraction.

This isn’t the safest of methods of extraction, so knowledge and experience is definitely needed to make safely, as it is to make the product safe for consumption.

Shatter looks a bit like gold glass, and has a brittle consistency. It is incredibly potent, but not so strong in flavour, and is most commonly used in a dab rig or vaporiser.

Purple Cookies Strain Review

by
Purple Cookies Strain

Ernest Herb’s
Purple Cookies Strain Review

Whats going on guys, Ernest Herb here with the latest, Purple Cookies strain review. Today we are looking at some lovely Purple Cookies acquired from La Kalada which is fitting as we have not long been back from Spain after our Spannabis trip.

For those of you that don’t know, during Spannabis week, we had the pleasure of sponsoring and attending 3rd Gen Family’s ‘Ego Clash Invitational’ event, a competition bringing together some of worlds top growers and extractors.

We had a fucking RAD day with everyone involved, and after doing a nice little meet and greet at Backyard BCN the next morning, we were able to enjoy the rest of the week chilling around some of the cities raddest social clubs, including a personal favourite; La Kalada!

So, the Purple Cookies strain. A rare, evenly balanced hybrid, it has a THC level of 19% and known for its tantalising sour grape aroma with ac-cents of earthy, woody, herbal spice. This strain is known for having a sweet and sour flavour reminiscent of grapes, nuts, and sugar cookies. It is easily recognisable by its spade-shaped nugs, which tend to be dark green and amber in colour.

The Purple Cookies strain is ideal for users with low tolerance due to its slow-building, relaxing high. It tends to make users feel blissful yet calm. It is commonly used in the treatment of depression, nausea, chronic pain, and insomnia.

APPEARANCE

When the pot of flower was put in front of me for observation, I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised. Of course, I’m not expecting any trash, but for 8 euros a gram, this Purple Cookies is looking bangin! The 2 grams come in 4 pointed, rock solid buds that are intensely covered in trichomes, with colours creeping through. Ranging from the dark greens and blues, to great chunks of white trichomes that cover the bud. In the light, you can really see the frostiness of the iconic Purple Cookies strain. It’s trichomes giving the flower a white glisten all over, and leaving showers of dust every time it’s handled.

AROMA

When opening the bag, I’m met with a subtle sweet smell, which to be honest, isn’t overpowering. Not to say it’s not a nice smell, its just not pungent. This leads me to believe that the Purple Cookies strain is leading to the indica side. The buds are incredibly dense and when broken up you start to get some of the aromas coming through. When ground, the sweet smells really do become more powerful with reminiscent hints of Soma Seeds New York Diesel there.

FLAVOUR

Initially when inhaling, first tastes are sweet but not in correspondence to the smell. This then moves on to more of doughy flavour, and you start to realise you can really taste the cookies in this  particular strain. On the exhale, there a hints of spice and pine that kinda reminds me of emulsion paint… But in a good way!

The smoke is very clean and smooth, and there isn’t any harshness at all. I have to say, I struggle to find many indica’s that I really like as much a my favourite sativa strains. However, this really its up there in regards to flavour. The creamy smooth dough flavour, with a hint of floral sweetness is right up my street!

EFFECT

Like the flavour, the high immediately feels very clean and clear minded. The high starts off really light and I feel really settled and nicely chilled. The high is definitely a bit of a creeper and as it builds, I’m still feeling very relaxed.  I also feel very productive, like I could get on with some work or something quite contently. Instead of working though, I’m just sat chatting with my good friend CBD Mick. We’re both chatting away agreeing that we’re both feeling pretty buzzed!

One thing that is noticeable is that as this high builds over time, the clear mindedness stays which is very pleasant. I feel so chilled, but still capable of doing anything which is rad!

So, overall I have to say this is one of my favourite indica strains that I’ve had in a while. I think the grower would have played a big part in this, as the strain is one of the cleanest smokes that I can remember. The sweet doughy flavour is lovely, even if a little bit subtle.

The high is most definitely the best thing about the Purple Cookies strain. Once again the high is subtle to begin with, but after about 15 minutes you realise you’re pretty fucking high! But the high is clean, calm and concentrated, leaving you able to get on freely with your day. Aesthetically, the Purple Cookies strain looks insane! Completely trichome covered, with hints of dark green and blue creeping through. This is definitely one for those of you looking for something relaxing, that’s not going to smash the shit in to you and stop your day from happening!

Contact us

Have you tried ever sampled the Purple Cookies strain before? If so, what are your thoughts on the strain, was your high similar to mine? Hit us up and let us know, either through my personal IG account @ernest_herb or The British Seed Co page.

Yours truly high,

Ernest Herb ????

SIGN UP AND GET A 10% DISCOUNT!

Sign up to our newsletter to get a 10% discount code, all the latest news
and exclusive offers.

THANKS FOR SUBSCRIBING!
DISCOUNT CODE: SIGN UP

Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter, please don't forget to use the above discount code
for 10% off your first order.