Cannabis
5 Essential Strains for The Backwoods Smoker
Cannabis Now’s staff writer Jimi Devine, known for having “the woods with the goods,” gives his top five strains to smoke in a Backwoods.
For over a year, Cannabis Now’s editorial team has been conducting bimonthly experiments, searching for the best strains possible to smoke in the classic, flavored Backwoods blunt wraps.
Many of the world’s best cultivators and strains have featured in this process, including Gelato straight from Mr. Sherbinski himself and the 3rd Gen Fam’s Rozé that took second at the Breeder’s Cup during the recent Emerald Cup. Throughout the tasting experiment, the most common Backwoods flavor used was the Honey Backwoods, but on occasion, the staff was able to acquire some elusive Russian Creams.
Through the perilous journey, many a pretender was whittled away, but in the end, every contender that passed the team’s test was a winner. Here are the top five strains to smoke in a Backwoods, in no particular order. And of course, because tobacco is a carcinogen, blunts should be smoked in moderation.
1) Purple Punch
Even the worst Purple Punch on the market right now is practically top-shelf. The strain provides an elite experience of flavor with a heavy body high. In a world that has heard declarations such as “there won’t be good purple in the age of testing,” Supernova Gardens’ marquee strain destroys such concepts. Nothing has filled the void of Purple Kush quite like Purple Punch. The best cuts have a slight fuel-laced aroma over the grape smell produced by the myrcene content. When these flavors come together, they both shine through in the Backwoods, creating a one-of-a-kind experience.
2) GG4
The copyright-free version of this strain is so sticky that the world of corporate duct tape took offense. GG4 also took first prize in Cannabis Now’s 2017 Mini-Cup at the National Cannabis Industry Association, a competition which included some Cannabis Now staffers judging exclusively in Backwoods. This resinous strain can quickly become one of the trickier to roll, especially if you’re trying to roll a cannon. While the leaf of the Backwoods is sturdier than a paper, GG4 can be so sticky it’ll cause the leaf to stick to your thumb and tear. This is an emotionally taxing process, so we recommend using a grinder if it looks like your pot might be that sticky and awesome.
3) WIFI OG
Don’t get us wrong, we love pure gas and fuel — or however you want to describe that smell that goes beyond a certain “chemyness” and attacks deep into the sinuses. But there is something a little extra when a strain has that kushy scratch to it. Sour Diesel is fantastic and Chem 91 changes lives, but elite WIFI cuts are something to behold too! This full-bodied high won’t put you down, and if you enjoy it wrapped up in a woods, while smoking it at a leisurely pace with friends, you’re guaranteed to have a great time.
4) Zkittlez
When it comes to unique terpene profiles, Zkittelz has a seat at the big kids’ table. In recent years, it has saturated itself into the hearts and minds of the world’s biggest enthusiasts via contest wins and folklore. Now that the strain has been out a few years, we’re even starting to see its fantastic second generation. We encountered some fantastic Blue Zkittlez out of the hills of Mendocino this past harvest, and the Watermelon Zkittlez that Alien Labs dropped at Emerald Cup was also a big standout. While the other items on the list may slice through the tobacco flavor a bit more, the Zkittlez flavor in a woods comes together in a more subtle and delicate way.
5) Blueberry Cookies
The first batch of Blueberry Cookies to ever hit our radar was Kyle Kushman’s offering at Chalice in 2017. As we made our way from booth to booth, jar to jar on a hunt for the best strains of Chalice, we quickly scooped a quarter of this killer cut. Kushman would go on to win the San Francisco Chronicle/GreenState’s Cultivator of The Year award, against stiff competition. In essence, a blunt full of Blueberry Cookies is going to be magical.
TELL US, what strains do you smoke in your Backwoods?
