Why do some cannabis strains smell of garlic?

Surprising as it may seem, some cannabis strains smell of garlic. The presence of certain terpenes usually makes it easy to explain why cannabis flowers smell of pine, lemon or lavender. Garlic is more complicated.

Cannabis strains that smell like garlic are most often rich in myrcene, an earthy, spicy terpene that may explain some of its powerful, hard-hitting effects, but you have to look further to decipher this particular odor.

The origins of modern Garlic varieties

Garlic-scented cannabis strains have probably always existed to a greater or lesser extent, most notably Neville's Garlic Bud in the 90s whose deferrals However, they point out that it didn't necessarily smell of garlic, and that the modern Garlic varieties are more recent.

In 2013, Spanish breeder Mamiko Seeds attempted a cross of «Chemdawg D» and «Forum Cookies». At the time, the Cookies clone wasn't even known as Forum [Cookies] yet, but just as Girl Scout Cookies.

«The original name was D-Cookies, but we renamed it Chem Cookies shortly afterwards to reflect the fact that, of the various Cookies crosses in our collection, including members of the Chem family, this one represented the best of the traits that are generally associated with the Chem character» will explain a member of Mamiko Seeds.

Later that year, a handful of these seeds labeled «Chem D» reached Matt, aka Skunkmasterflex, breeder at Skunkhouse Genetics. It was in his hands that a particular Chem Cookies phenotype acquired the name GMO for Garlic Mushrooms Onion (Garlic, Mushroom, Onion), later renamed simply Garlic Cookies.

«The name came about organically, as ironic as it may be for LDA,» explains Matt. Of all the seeds they germinated, only the first female plant flowered: «It grew uncontrollably, it piled up, it stank, it looked incredible.»

«It grew like it had been modified,» says Matt, «and at the time, the Girl Scouts of America were getting criticized for putting a bunch of chemicals and GMOs in their cookies.» Dubbing the plant «GMO» (the English acronym for GMO) seemed like a natural evolution of Chem Cookies, although over the years the unusual moniker led more than one cannabis consumer to question whether the strain had really been created by conventional cross-breeding.»

These concerns led to even greater creativity in naming, such as the backronym Garlic Mushrooms Onion. Brett told me that it was an Ann Arbor dispensary that originally renamed its GMO flower «Garlic Cookies» to appeal to a crunchy clientele opposed to genetic modification.

Why does cannabis taste like garlic?

While earthy myrcene and peppery caryophyllene partly explain the herbaceous bouquet of some cannabis strains, the smell of garlic comes from a specific compound, 3-Methyl-2-butene-1-thiol. Also known as 3-MBT, it belongs to a group of organic sulfur compounds known as thiols.

«3-MBT can be found in the cannabis plant,» explains Dr Trapp, an expert in the field. terpenes. «I think it's this sulfurous group that gives it that garlic and pepper smell. It's that cheesy, metallic, musty taste, similar to Limbourg cheese», a Belgian cheese.

While the odoriferous cabbage compound has been identified in cannabis, 3-MBT is much better known to beer lovers as the source of the taste. skunky beer.

With beers high in thiols considered undrinkable, the thiol content of cannabis may seem like a flaw, but it's not. These super-effective antioxidants contribute to the flavor of wine, beer and cannabis. Sulfur is an essential mineral for plants, contributing to the manufacture of amino acids. Thiols even impart the scent of musk. to varieties such as Skunk.

Garlic-scented cannabis strains

Today, most garlic varieties are distant descendants of Chem Cookies genetics. In the eight years since naming their first GMO plant, Skunkhouse has continued to innovate new strains for garlic lovers. «We just did a Big Papa, which is really garlic and papaya funk,» says Brett. «We have a modified Banana Punch line coming out.» If you're not ready to start from seed, try finding some of Skunkhouse's most famous creations at your local dispensary.

Big Papa

Skunkhouse Genetics has mixed a GMO, a Banana OG and a Papaya to give birth to an ovarian hybrid called Big Papa, a blend of garlic and papaya. Watch out, taste buds!

Han Solo Burger (OGM x Larry OG F8)

After nine years of tinkering with the genetics of a Larry OG, Skunkhouse Genetics took a remarkable Larry OG F8 male and crossed him with a powerful, pungent GMO. This hybrid is known for its earthy, greasy aroma, similar to that of a large hamburger.

Platinum Garlic Cookies (Garlic Cookies x Platinum)

Platinum Garlic Cookies is an abundantly gaseous cross of Platinum GSC and GMO. The buds are abundantly covered with trichomes, and the aroma combines offensive gasoline scents with garlic.

Turpee Slurpee (GMO x Orange Zkittlez)

Turpee Slurpee, also known as «Terpee Slerpee», is an indica-dominant hybrid strain created by crossing a GMO and an Orange Zkittlez. Known for its super-delicious flavour and high high, Turpee Slurpee is an excellent choice for any indica enthusiast looking for a strangely subtle taste.