Cannabis Connoisseurs' Obsession with Potency?

[Lemon]

I think the term cannabis "connoisseur" is a little optimistic in describing most of us. I believe cannabis "lovers" would be more appropriate, just as one may find beer lovers, or people who love vodka. Someone who loves beer cares about the taste and whatnot, but at the end of the day, they are drinking it for the alcohol.

Also, with cannabis, potency is tied to care given, quality, and type. With alcohol, potency is standardized and independant of care given, quality, and type and is therefor not a factor to someone evaluating the quality of the product.

 

[skar]

People have expressed very interesting factors in this discussion, so I might add my own.

The reason I smoke is I wanna get high, but I wanna get the type of high im after. I am not down with some yberpotent indicastone that works in your head 20 min before putting you into sleep + maybe with the extra "pleasure" that you cannot rise from the bed in morning when you should. Im sure many of you have experienced the same.

Thats why I try to grow only sativadominant strains. My high doesnt have to be so "potent" that it put´s my ass on the couch and totally drops me out after 20 to 30 minutes / gives you this boring type of high that so many todays hybrids do. I want to get that gigly high that I experienced when I started smoking without tolerance. The good flavors are just bonus, I mean I can really enjoy the smoking experience of slightly "bitter" tasting sativa, if it produces the type of high I want. Many sativas have slightly "bitter" undertone, that tells the user he/she is smoking some dankerb and is feeling something after couple tokes. + The FACT, that sativas have no-/very low ceiling and tolerance buildup, because the different kind of cannabinoidprofile than indicas...

hey herbalistic, always a pleasure to read your post

I'm with you on the "i smoke to get high", but not on the "the good flavors are just bonus".

I definately smoke to get high, but the pleasure i take when i get high doesn't come simply from the effects of the cannabinoids, IMO it comes from the flavors of the smoke too. If a "bad flavors" bud can give me the high i like, i wouldn't smoke her because of the bad flavors. The high and the pleasure of the smoke are for me "two things in one". That's why cannabis growing is a "without end" hobby for me...always in search of the perfect combinaison !

I think the same thing about the wine, i wouldn't like to drink a bad flavors wine with 15°+ to get the drunk level i like. I prefer to drink a regular 12° with lots of rich flavors (who can get you drunk too).

i hope you understand me, nglish isn't my first language so i have trouble to put words on all my ideas...

 

[Herbalistic]

Hola skar and thanks for the kind words!!!

Your english is good and you are not the only one who´s native language isnt english I got the same problems sometimes, when I cannot express my self just the way I like. If you know good translator, that translates your language to english & the other way, then use it. It also proves your english skills / strenghtens them if you dont have to use english in yuor daily life. So, as we can see, these international cannaboards educate people in many ways, wisdom of cultivation of this fine plant, all kinds of history, language´s & understanding of different cultures & people etc. = BIG

I'm with you on the "i smoke to get high", but not on the "the good flavors are just bonus".

I must honestly say that it´s very rare to find discusting/so bad tasting strain that you cannot toke if the erb has been growed & dryed properly

In fact I havent met such a strain yet..

However, I maybe understand what you are saying. You are after nice odor & taste, right? So, you grow strains that offer you these qualities, right?

Please correct me if im wrong.

But if I was right, let suggest you try some pure sativa´s/almost pure sativa´s if you are after special high/taste/odor. These strains offer so special & complex smelling plants that are quite unique and can easily go versus with any other lovely smelling flower in the world! These favours & tastes combined with very unique & long lasting high/ride, sometimes even a trip...

These sativa-/almost pure sativadominate plants have many times very unique taste & favor. They are almost always quite favorless when just harvested & dryed, but after cure they reveal them tastes & odors. This goes also with the potency, they maqny times produce ok high just after harvested and dryed, but need good cure before showing what they are all about... And after that it´s -> oneway ride to special high!!!

Motaco, I know you are with me with that one^^^ :wink:

Here´s some unique tasting and smelling ganja that offer you a very special high. It´s Cultivator Choice Original Haze x SK#1 -line and it would be nice to hear it´s creators opinions about the strain. So Sam, if you could tell us something about the parents of this strain, at least I would greatly appreciate.

 

[BUDDY BOY]

and yet it seems people are far more concerned about smoking weed that blows the top of their skulls off.

Yup. That's how it goes around here. Or its considered 'light'. Im just happy to be able to grow and smoke some of the BEST stuff in the world. At least in my town.ha,ha.

 

[DoubleJ]

If you think that most wine or bourbon drinkers would continue to drink if they did not get drunk and ****ed up you are fooling yourself.

Surely the fact that wine connoisseurs dont actually swallow the stuff when tasting means this isnt correct?

 

[Core]

wine and weed...2 diffrent worlds 2 say the least...but if it comes 2 tasting, the worlds collide.... i'm smoking almost 18 year and i even 'smell' buds with the surface of my tongue....pulling air in
i recently started a thread over it..but not much responce...
maybe this thread can give the real connaisseurs among us a new swung 2 tasting the aroma of cannabis.....if you have any views over this matter i would be happy you shared them in this thread

Tasting the Aroma of cannabis

 

[Lemon]

Surely the fact that wine connoisseurs dont actually swallow the stuff when tasting means this isnt correct?

That is a wine taster. Connoisseurs are people who tend to know a lot about the subtleties and origins of different wines and vintages, collect them, and so fourth.

 

[Guest]

Its all about personal prefrance. I cant smoke much due to job realated restrictions. when i do get a chance i wont something that taste exceptional. smells great and sets me down with a great body high, but not a parinoid head high. thats why i dont prefer Haze strains, much to trippie for me, where as a diesel or good kush is what i want. its all up to you. and weed is so deversified that the highs and tastes are endless.

 

[poorwhitefarmer]

i think the one a the differences is that the intoxicant in wine isnt selected for and alcohol by itself imparts no flavors. im thinking the grapes flavinoids are selected for. in mj it is much different as the intoxicants themselves are more complex compounds and there are more than one and they are selected for. also, the intoxicants in mj impart much of its flavor. also take into account the intoxicants delivery, with wine it is injested by drinking where mj is generally smoked. im sure this will affect the 'tasting' process. nice analogy but the comparison only works when comparing the passion people display towards their hobby of choice.
lots of great input here!
peace,
pwf

 

[Alex-F]

Connoisseurs of wine (or bourbon, etc.) aren't concerned all that much with the potency. You don't see wine connoisseurs sitting around slamming glasses of wine to get drunk... they're far more concerned about the nuances of the experience, i.e. the way the wine feels on the tongue, the way it smells, the flavors, the colors it imparts when light is shone through the glass, etc.

We cannabis connoisseurs also have a fine appreciation for the nuances of cannabis- flavors, bouquet, the way the smoke feels in your mouth, expansion, colors- and yet it seems people are far more concerned about smoking weed that blows the top of their skulls off.

Why is that? Why do cannabis users put such a high priority on getting ****ed up?

Dig

I don't. :wink:

I have a busy job, lots of hobbys, pets to take care of, plants to take care of....I don't have the time to smoke a lot so I don't have a high tollerance, so I'm not really after knock out potency cause it'd be a waste.

Smell, taste and type of high are what interest me the most.

 

[DoubleJ]

That is a wine taster. Connoisseurs are people who tend to know a lot about the subtleties and origins of different wines and vintages, collect them, and so fourth.

You're right, but surely most wine-tasters are connoisseurs as well? Either way, I cant see many of them drinking with the intent to 'get ****ed up'.

 

[Lemon]

I cant see many of them drinking with the intent to 'get ****ed up'.

This is true. That's part of the reason why I don't think most people are connoisseurs per say, but instead are people who love cannabis. I think the people who travel the world collecting different genetics, at any time have dozens of interesting and rare strains on hand to savour and smoke, and who truly have an understanding of the evolution and history of different strains are the real deal. I don't think someone growing one or two strains because they like to get high makes them comparable. These lesser people (which includes myself) do care about flavour, appearance and other subtleties, but the bottom line is that we smoke to get high.

 

[Gert Lush]

I think the term cannabis "connoisseur" is a little optimistic in describing most of us.

Too damn right!
I wouldn't call ANYONE a connoisseur if they put potency above quality of high.
OK, potency is a nice bonus, but ONLY after quality of high and lack of ceiling.

Hell, reading some of these posts I wonder if some posters even KNOW what quality of high is!

I would call a connoiseur someone who knows where any particular strain is taking him/her and plays all along the way!
You'd also need an appreciation of different strains:- sexy, sensual weed, audiovisual fx weed, intellectual weed, social good-times weed, warrior weed, meditation weed, knock-you-sideways weed. Potency doesn't even come into the equation, IMO.
You should also have a good understanding of curing to be a true connoiseur, and know what, say, a six-month cure will do to a strain. Which pre-supposes that you have the means to cure something properly in the first place.


PS. I don't count myself as a connoisseur, although I'd like to think that I'm working on it. Need a few years more work, at least... LOL
I do know what I want from a strain, though, and I can tell whether it's providing it or not. Guess that's a start...

 

[Sam_Skunkman]

Herbalistic,
THCV does not get you high and does not make THC get you higher.

DoubleJ,
"Surely the fact that wine connoisseurs dont actually swallow the stuff when tasting means this isnt correct?"

If they are drinking it they swallow it. Only tasting is only done for evaluation, not when you drink. Why evaluate if you have no plans to ever drink? Think before you speak.

poorwhitefarmer,
"i think the one a the differences is that the intoxicant in wine isnt selected for and alcohol by itself imparts no flavors."

Alcohol has a very strong taste, if you can't taste alcohol you have been drinking way to much...

-SamS

 

[b8man]

High potency is an issue only if I want a knockout indica strain to put me to sleep.

But generally, I want a light, fun strain which is potent enough that I get the required "hit", but not so potent that I can't smoke a small joint of it without freaking out.

My last batch of powerplant was just too strong for most things and the quality of the stone was seriously lacking. I'd have much preferred something that gave me the high i'm looking for and was weak.

I like a slow smoking ritual, not a short train trip to oblivion.

 

[Dalaihempy]

Im not much of a wine drinker but those i know that are wine lovers do drink to injoy it both in taste and flavour and yep its affect just like smokers .

Cannabis is smoket for its affect not its taste sure if it tastes good your not going to complain but id bet if the strain of plant that gave you the affect you realy loved was to taste ok at best or it was to have no taste you would still smoke it why becouse your not smokeing it for the taste are you.

Potency or strength of the smoke is importent but more so is its affect that you get from the smoke .

Stoners are a lot like wine lovers more so than some think.

 

[trem0lo]

You'd also need an appreciation of different strains:- sexy, sensual weed, audiovisual fx weed, intellectual weed, social good-times weed, warrior weed, meditation weed, knock-you-sideways weed. Potency doesn't even come into the equation, IMO.

Hell yeah, the type of high is highly misunderstood to most people. Most people don't even realize there are different "highs" when you smoke weed. Actually I've found that smoking the same strain in different situations brings out different qualities. For instance, you might have a favorite web-surfing or reading strain you usually smoke alone. The first time you smoke it with friends it could become a great conversational or thoughtful strain too. My favorite strains have these "all around" properties.

Sexy weed, I like that My favorite strains are real happy and goofy, you know the ones that make you jam to nothing in particular, just the music in your head.

 

[poorwhitefarmer]

Herbalistic,
THCV does not get you high and does not make THC get you higher.

DoubleJ,
"Surely the fact that wine connoisseurs dont actually swallow the stuff when tasting means this isnt correct?"

If they are drinking it they swallow it. Only tasting is only done for evaluation, not when you drink. Why evaluate if you have no plans to ever drink? Think before you speak.

poorwhitefarmer,
"i think the one a the differences is that the intoxicant in wine isnt selected for and alcohol by itself imparts no flavors."

Alcohol has a very strong taste, if you can't taste alcohol you have been drinking way to much...

-SamS

of course alcohol has a taste. by all means it is a powerful solvent! but the only thing flavor-wise that alcohol imparts is an alcohol flavor. my statement is "...alcohol by itself imparts no flavors." meaning you only get "alcohol flavor". pot has as many different flavors, it would seem, as different highs. the thread is about potency selection- i was only trying to add my perspective. why did you only focus on this in my post?
peace,
pwf
p.s. i would love your insights on the chinese im growing right now!

 

[Herbalistic]

Herbalistic,
THCV does not get you high and does not make THC get you higher.

No, but it does affect in the "type of high"

Jassus Gert!!!

Well said, you did get herbal agreeing

What type of weed you would say your 303 is? I havent smoked any, but think it has many qualities like many other sat´s.

I also think, that many people really dont get the meaning of proper cure. Curing is the thing, that reveals "real" potency & flavors etc...

I definitely have different strain for different occasion, but I also try to grow weed that is good for many situation and the type of high changes when you are alone, or with company, home, or at partying etc. Generally, I like to grow & smoke weed that is perfect for chat on computer by yourself, but it also is nice companionable weed when you have company. It doesnt get you tired and give you some of that uplifting experience when going out to party and is good for that specialtime with your women.

Conclusion, I like elevating (dont know is that the right word..) weed, that offers unique odors & tastes

 

[Guest]

There are several reasons I can think of.

The person who buys their smoke wants the best value usually. It's nice to get stoned more than once off a joint.

The person who has a medical condition wants the most potency for their condition.

The commercial grower wants the stronger strains which coincidentaly pay them the most.

I personally can't smoke that much pot these days. I use to and potent weed was what I smoked along with my finger hash and bud oil. I was drunk everyday to top it off. I was wasted....

I quit drinking and had to drop my pot because the two went so well together. Sober 4 years now I only just started toking 2.5months ago again.

It don't take much. I can get ripped 3 times off a joint of OK weed. I'd prefer a quality high with a nice flavour now but eventually it will happen, I'll need more and start liking the stronger stuff and that's where it goes from there.

As a grower...well I'm in it for the money plain and simple. That means I grow what makes me the most money. Right now Purple Kush makes me the most money. Why is it in demand...It's strong as hell and it's purple...some times.

I've always grown the stronger strains because they get top $$$. I mostly smoke what I grow....