What Makes A Cannabis Strain High Quality?

With so many cannabis strains on the market these days, finding the ‘best’ cultivar can be something of a challenge. After all, each strain has unique properties and determining the quality of any given product is highly subjective.

Of course, you can always rely on prestigious competitions like the Cannabis Cup to help you identify the top cultivars, although there’s no guarantee that the winners will always be to your personal liking. Having said that, there are certain characteristics that distinguish top weed from lower-quality gear.

Is Stronger Always Better?

It’s a common misconception that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels are an indicator of the quality of a given cannabis plant. For decades, breeders have boasted about the potency and cannabinoid levels of their weed, resulting in something of an arms race to produce the most THC-rich bud. However, as the industry has expanded and developed, growers and consumers are now seeking out cultivars with more nuanced qualities.

Just as the finest wines aren’t necessarily the ones that will get you the drunkest, the most enjoyable cannabis strains aren’t always those with the highest THC content. Aroma and flavour, for instance, contribute significantly to the experience and can make all the difference between dank and rank.

This point is highlighted in a study published earlier this month, which sought to identify the main characteristics shaping the appealing subjective effects of different cannabis products. The researchers gave samples of ten unnamed weed strains to 276 people and asked them to rate the pleasure they experienced after smoking each one.

Results indicated that those with the strongest aroma were consistently identified as the best. In contrast, cannabinoid content was completely unrelated to the enjoyability of a cultivar, proving once and for all that the most potent strain is not always considered the best.

“The results of the current study suggest that impairment and enjoyment are unrelated phenomena,” write the authors. “In other words, high‐THC cannabis may cause people to feel high, but high‐THC cannabis is not always enjoyable.”

Even more intriguingly, the researchers found that while aroma was predictive of highly-rated weed, terpene profile was not. “This suggests that although terpenes may partially contribute to aroma, the subjective aroma character and experiential appeal of cannabis are very likely to involve other aromatic compounds as well,” they explain.

“Indeed, molecules such as volatile sulfur compounds and aldehydes have also been recognized as important contributing factors in cannabis’ aroma, and a single cannabis chemovar may contain dozens of aromatic analytes.”[I]

Quality Genetics = Quality Cannabis

Now that we’ve cleared up that myth, it’s worth explaining some of the differences between high-quality cannabis and mediocre weed.

If you walk into a dispensary, you’ll probably notice that the top-shelf bud all features names that you’ve heard before. Skunk, Haze and Kush, for example, are amongst the most prestigious lineages in the strainiverse and have been used in countless breeding programs to create top-quality hybrid strains for decades.

New strains continue to be created using these genetics, which really is the benchmark for quality cultivars. However, different cannabis users will still prefer some of these varieties over others, depending on their personal needs and preferences. For instance, those who want an energizing, euphoric or uplifting high may benefit more from sativa strains, while those seeking help for chronic pain and other medical conditions might prefer the relaxing psychoactive effects of indica strains.

Thanks to the stable genetics of these cannabis lineages, it’s usually possible to estimate the levels of THC and cannabidiol (CBD) that growers can expect from their final product. On the contrary, seeds derived from more questionable stock are likely to yield far less reliable plants. At the same time, however, there’s no substitute for proper cultivation, and it’s perfectly possible to ruin a great strain by not growing it under optimal conditions.

For this reason, it’s essential to always look past the name and assess weed based on the following qualities.

Smell

High-quality cannabis should be smelly, regardless of the strain. A pungent aroma not only hints at a complex terpene profile but also suggests that a plant is in good condition. Irrespective of the psychoactive effects you seek, it’s always a good idea to give bud the sniff test before making any value judgements.

While the smell of a cannabis plant can’t tell you anything about its levels of THC or other cannabinoids, fruity, earthy, citrus or other tones can hint at a pleasant smoking experience. On the other hand, weed that hardly smells may have received insufficient light or nutrients, resulting in a scarcity of terpenes, cannabinoids and other desirable components.

At the same time, bud that smells musty, mouldy or straw-like should be avoided. Cannabis products with dodgy aromas like these either weren’t dried or cured properly or are old and well past their best.

Feel

Quality cannabis has a certain unmistakable feel that can tell a user about its freshness and overall state. For instance, nugs that are slightly sticky and spongey are right on the money, while those that are dry and brittle are unlikely to provide an enjoyable experience.

The best cannabis will also break apart easily but won’t crumble, while stems should snap when you bend them. If stems don’t break then the moisture content is probably too high, which means mould, mildew, and other nasty infestations are probably on their way.

Look

While you should never judge a book by its cover, the appearance of a cannabis plant can reveal some vital clues as to its quality. For example, nugs should be rocking a strong green colour, while some may have orange hairs and other hues like red or purple. The more intense the colours, the more interesting compounds are likely to be present, all of which can add to the flavour and effects of a cannabis strain. Many of these components also contribute to the therapeutic potency of medical marijuana.

In contrast, weed that looks faded or discoloured may have been grown under suboptimal conditions. Alternatively, it might just be old, but either way, it will not cut the mustard. Another thing to look out for is the presence of seeds, indicating that a plant has been fertilized and is, therefore, likely to be lower quality than sinsemilla weed.

Finally, cannabis users should always pay attention to trichomes on their nugs. While some marijuana strains like White Widow are naturally coated in a highly visible white coat of trichomes, others may be less showy. Sometimes it’s worth using a magnifying glass to get a proper look at these resin factories, as doing so can often reveal a lot about the condition of a plant.

For instance, plants covered in amber-coloured trichomes may have been harvested too late, which can cause terpenes and cannabinoids to degrade. When analyzing trichomes, both quantity and quality should always be considered.