Brief Review of MJ Strains
November 09, 2017
This article is based on personal experience and is for informational purposes only.
1. Mazar (fem) from Dutch Passion Seed Bank
This is a pretty potent strain, as you can tell from its Afghani x Skunk #1 genetics. It delivers a classic indica effect: in small doses, it lifts your mood, but if you increase the dose, you’ll get a strong stoned effect. Tolerance doesn’t build up quickly—after a month, every session still ends with a heavy couch-lock. I consider this a “couch” strain and wouldn’t recommend it to inexperienced users as the main event at a party, since after smoking you’ll just want to lie down or sink into a chair and watch a movie or listen to music—not grill, dance, or go fishing. It clears your mind, and your muscles feel pleasantly heavy. The downside is the phenotype: it doesn’t always lean toward the Afghani side, so some people find it rather unremarkable. I grew it both hydroponically and in soil. The soil-grown plant was stronger and matched the description better. The hydro version leaned more toward the Skunk genetics and seemed weaker, with less flavorful smoke. It’s quite productive, with THC content around 20%. It matures in about 10 weeks. The Skunk genetics mean it has a strong, pleasant aroma during flowering. This strain is great for meditation or watching a philosophical movie. It definitely gives you the munchies—anything and everything will do.
2. A.M.S. (fem) from Green House Seeds
The main advantages of this strain are its high yield, mold resistance, and interesting effects. Its genetics are a cross between Swiss sativa and indica. It loves and needs good lighting. The effect is more sativa-like: an uplifting high with a clear head and self-reflection. It also finishes in about 10 weeks, with THC content around 20%. It’s easy to grow and forgiving of mistakes. I use this strain as an everyday option. After smoking, you don’t get couch-locked—you can do chores, go for a walk, or get creative and socialize. I can’t comment on the smell, since I grew three different strains in the same room and the aroma was strong, but I couldn’t tell which was which. When the high wears off, you get the munchies, but not in a pig-out way—you crave something tasty and unusual. The first time, boiled shrimp with soy sauce hit the spot. The downside: very low germination rate for the seeds, even though they’re cheap. Still, it’s an interesting strain if you do everything right and let it fully mature and get frosty—it’ll reward you.
3. Afgooey (fem) from Strain Hunters
This is a very unusual strain. It grew as a single thick stem with small branches and a huge, fat main cola. Its Afghani genetics and name hint at a strong stoned effect. The sativa to indica ratio in this hybrid is 30:70. It finishes in 8-9 weeks. Yield is average. The THC content isn’t specified by the breeder. As I mentioned, it’s compact and ideal for indoor growing. The breeder describes the effect as “creative chaos,” but for me, it just glued me to my seat. Until I got thirsty or hungry, I was in a state of hibernation—I don’t even remember what I was doing, probably something silly, but I enjoyed it at the time. The next time, knowing what to expect, I was more prepared and the effect was clearer, but still very sedating. Overall, it’s not a daytime strain—more for evenings and couch time after the high fades. A couple of times, it triggered uncontrollable laughter with friends. In my case, the plant may not have fully matured, since in week 8 of flowering I found black rot on the stem near the main cola (luckily not on the cola itself). I had to clean the area and keep it under close watch for another week. I recommend this as a non-standard strain and for general experience.
4. AK-47 (auto fem) Bonus (European Breeder)
To wrap up my review, I want to talk about this bonus strain from the store. Early on, I got some bonus White Widow seeds, but none of them sprouted. AK-47 was a different story: 9 out of 10 seeds germinated. I grew them outdoors in small pots, in poor conditions (low ground, high humidity, lots of bugs, not enough light, no fertilizers). Basically, I just tossed them out there and let fate decide. I also grew one at home in a pot, no grow box, just in the corner of a room with a 100-watt lamp above it. After 2.5 months, I harvested both the outdoor and indoor plants. From 9 outdoor plants, I got 100 grams; the indoor plant gave about 60 grams of dry product. The smell filled the whole building and was even noticeable outside. But I was young and didn’t care or use any odor control. The smoke is light but bitter. The smell from the stash was noticeable even through a zip-lock bag. You can imagine how strong the aroma is. Even though the THC is listed at 9-12%, it still hit hard, especially in the head and eyes. After the high and munchies, it worked like a sleeping pill—deep, healthy sleep. But like all autoflowering strains, tolerance builds up quickly and you get bored of it. Because of the strong smell, fast tolerance, and low yield, I’ve stopped growing autos for now. I tried the original AK-47 a long time ago, so I can’t compare the effects. Next cycle, I plan to try AK-48 from Nirvana Seeds, but you’ll read about that in the next review. Now, I use these bonus seeds as souvenirs and gifts for my friends.