A.S.H. - Biocare

This sample visually appeared to lean towards the Haze side of things, with an open, almost airy bud structure, teardrop-shaped calyxes, and multi-colored thick pistils everywhere.  Though many people would complain about the density, we saw it more as an evidence of its Haze lineage than something to complain about.  The dryness level was perhaps a little too crispy for our tastes, as these delicate flowers almost crumble when squeezed between the fingers, but again, it’s mostly a matter of personal preferences.  We thought that the harvest timing may have been slightly early as well, because the trichome colors were not very uniform and most were clear/cloudy (maybe 5% amber heads).  In all, this sample was attractive (especially to old-school strain lovers) and fairly well-done, but could have been improved with some additional time ‘on the vine’.

The staff’s consensus favorite part of this sample, the aroma was a very classic-smelling mix of musky, skunky, garlicy, vegetal, and lightly fruity/sweet all at once.  The lightly sweet and fruity Afghani musk it broadcasts in the jar is rather pungent, but it increases further when ground and takes on more of the garlic dimension as well, always with the Haze spice in the background.

Flavor-wise, this strain was again a mix between the almost putrid, lightly sweet, fruity Afghan and slightly sharper and spicy flavors.  We didn’t feel that the smell came through to the taste as cleanly as we would have liked, we think this is partly due to the Haze-style bud structure containing a decent amount of leaf cover, which  brought added harshness and standard smoke flavor to the party.  The thick smoke that results from this one was moderately expansive and did hit the lungs a bit hard, causing some coughing at times.  The final ash was mostly light gray but had some darker areas that would not burn away, indicating that the flush could’ve been better.

(We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  This med served to increase our internal energy to start, as well as giving very strong ocular and head pressure effects.  Beyond that, we felt that it was good for body relaxation late, kept us mentally at-ease, helped with minor pain relief, and elevated our mood.

This A.S.H. is an example of some classic genetic lines in perhaps the “trinity” of genetic lines, Afghani, Skunk, and Haze.  The blend of these influences could be seen in all areas of the sample, from its structure, to its smell, to the effects.  We all enjoyed this strain but saw potential for better medicinal-level duration and better flavor lurking within, namely due to what we see as a slightly early harvest and not-quite thorough enough flush.  These flaws didn’t do much to dampen the overall experience however, and the mix of uplifting and ground effects from the Afghani and Haze parts of this strain were an enjoyable tug-of-war that ultimately felt like a great hybrid.  This is a good strain for those who appreciate the classic taste palate of Skunk and Afghani and desire a daytime mix of Sativa and Indica effects — we felt that the strongly cerebral and slightly rushy start would be a little much for inexperienced patients, especially those who suffer from anxiety or nausea issues.