Silver Pearl - Green Mountain CARE

This sample had a great hybrid-Sativa structure, with spear-shaped nugs that seemed to have a rather good calyx-to-leaf ratio based on the final product we received.  Its blend of greens with groves of dark orange-red pistils made for a classic look that speaks to its age and the melting pot of cannabis standbys that make up its lineage.  We liked the fat-headed trichomes that seemed to be harvested at the perfect time, with a lot of milky-white heads (for once, those seem rare) as well as some clear and amber heads thrown in.  We only really found flaw with the tiny immature seeds that were present throughout the bud — they were very small though and didn’t seem to affect the smoking experience much.

We were almost taken aback at how nice this sample smelled, both in the jar/bag and once it was broken up or ground.  It reminded us of some of the better Jack Herer/Jack Flash samples we’ve had, except with more of the candy sweetness you find in something like Island Sweet Skunk or Cotton CandyRomulan.  Sweet, fruity, and floral, it has elements of rose petals, grape candy, and fresh citrus cleaner — these aromas seem to blend and appear at different times, making for a complex and enjoyable experience.  While not outwardly pungent like something in the Diesel/Kush family, it was a strong and bold aroma nonetheless.

While it’s worth noting that one reviewer didn’t seem to care much for the flavor and noted some harshness when burning, the rest of the staff had no such complaints.  We got a very fresh, lightly sweet and fruity flavor that seemed to match the pre-grind smell for the most part.  It had notes of eucalyptus, citrus, and flowers on the initial hits but burned away into more of a lightly spicy (yet still sweet) flavor that brought to mind cinnamon.  The smoke was extremely smooth for the majority of the staff (one using a glass pipe, one using an IncrediBowl) and coughing was minimal.  The final ash finished with some dark areas, indicating that a longer or more thorough flush would have been beneficial… that didn’t affect the flavor much in our estimation, however.

(We are NOT doctors – personal opinion ONLY)  Mood elevation, clear-headed relief, minor pain relief, appetite stimulation, relief of stomach discomfort, and lasting ocular pressure fluctuations.

Though it won a Cannabis Cup way back in 1994, we didn’t expect a whole lot from this genetic, simply because it’s very old-school and contains strains that make our collective shoulders shrug.  However, this strain showed us that old Dutch seedbank material has its good points, as it provided a great Sativa-hybrid experience and a huge dose of fresh, sweet, fruity notes in both the flavor and the aroma.  This particular grow was mostly without flaw, and we especially liked seeing the array of cloudy trichomes, which seems increasingly rare (we often see a bunch of clear heads with patches of ambers mixed in rather than a true progression).  While its strong start and at times racy effect may get on top of some inexperienced patients, it was moderately potent overall and would be suitable for daytime relief for mid-to-experienced patients.  This is a strong first KindReview for Green Mountain CARE, and we look forward to seeing more choices from their garden.