Written and edited by Ruby Lee Schembari
Lately, I’ve been prioritizing gassy, musky, and skunky strains over fruity, sweet, or floral ones. That was until I got the pleasure of smelling some Strawberry Cough that was grown by Skunk Valley Farm (also known as Skunk Farm), a certified organic farm based in Sandy, Oregon.
When the budtender at The Dime Store, a small walk-in dispensary located in North Portland, opened the jar, I instantly fell in love. Strong scents of musk, fresh fruit, and vanilla wafted into my face.
“Let me get an ounce of that, please and thank you!” I said to the budtender eagerly.
This time on Red Eye Files, I’ll be reviewing this Strawberry Cough based on the scent, taste, and effects given. To get a clear idea of how this flower works I will be vaping it out of my Arizer Solo 2 dry-herb vape that’s attached to a bong via 14mm water pipe adapter.
According to the test results from Chemhistory, this strain tests at 23%, making it relatively low compared to other strains on the market currently. Additionally, it was harvested back in Aug., making it a summer harvest.
I think the reason why this strain smells so amazing to me is that it’s essentially been curing for three months straight.
The History & Drama behind “The Cough”:
The story of Strawberry Cough starts in the late 90s with a cannabis breeder from Vermont named Jon Daniels. The original strain was a cross between Strawberry Fields and an unknown Haze phenotype.
It apparently didn’t become popular until Daniels had set up a meeting between novice grower Jeff Cavanagh and High Times writer Kyle Kushman.
According to an interview with Kushman done by ReasonTV in 2014, he had been invited by Daniels to see Cavanagh’s amateur basement grow in the year 2000, and as he was leaving, he was gifted a clone of the original Strawberry Cough strain.
“I took it only to be polite; he put it in a brown paper bag, I put it on the car floor, I drove home to New York City, to Brooklyn, brought it into the house, put it on my kitchen table and took it out. I was going to throw it away.” Kushman said in the same interview with ReasonTV.
He said the only reason he didn’t throw it away was that the bag smelled like a fresh pint of strawberries.
“Within two years it became, because it was given to me, we freely shared it around, and it became the biggest selling strain in the New York delivery service area.”
However, this is where the water gets murky, and if you want to learn more, I encourage you to watch Cavanagh’s YouTube video describing his point of view on the subject. I do not wish to spread misinformation, let alone drama. Nor am I taking a side or making a stance on the subject.
Scent:
When I open the jar where I stashed this flower, I get strong hints of gasoline and musk, along with fresh strawberries and vanilla bean. It smells super dank.
Taste:
Upon inhaling, this flower tastes musky with little splashes of sweetness. It’s like if you took sandalwood incense and dipped it in a little bit of diesel and rolled it in sugar.
High:
This version of Strawberry Cough has a very clear-headed, uplifting, and euphoric high. It makes me feel like I’ve just spent the afternoon lying in the sun. This strain helps take away my daily anxiety and allows me to relax, which is nice for writing articles like these.
However, high doses can cause some anxiety, I’ve noticed, so go slow and take your time with this one.
Final Thoughts:
Honestly, I really like this take on a classic sativa-hybrid strain. It’s quality outdoor-grown cannabis that was relatively inexpensive. Maybe I’m in the minority, but price does not always guarantee quality, especially with cannabis. I’d take this Strawberry Cough over most indoor flower that’s available.
♦
Leave a Reply