Origins and Backstory: I received these as testers from Bodhi. Zamaldelica is highly-interesting threeway cross of Malawi and Thai (together making Golden Tiger) and Zamal. Zamal is a landrace sativa coming from an island near Madagascar and is known for its trip-like psychedelic effects. For sativa enthusiasts, I think the combination of exotic landraces from Malawi, Thailand, and Madagascar is almost too exhilarating to handle. Apollo 11 is a personal favorite sativa of mine, originally from Brother's Grimm seeds. Bodhi has inbred her genetics and selected for the Genius phenotype, known for making the user "become a genius" with accelerated and insightful thinking. She is electrically-euphoric and inspiring, and has a floral pineapple cheeto aroma. The lineage still gets me excited just thinking about it. This can be a bit confusing, so here's the formal geneology: (Zamal x (Malawi x Thai)) x Apollo 11 F3 'Genius'.
Appearance: Phenotypes differed greatly. Those leaning toward Apollo 11 put out giant sativa baseball bats of hairy, easy-to-trim colas. I also had a phenotype that was incredibly-branchy, and begged to stretch through the ceiling. She put out smaller, more spindly, landrace-looking flowers. The other phenotypes finished buds were highly frosty, and really reminded me a lot of Apollo 11, and of Bodhi's Genius Thai which I have seen a friend grow. The Apollo 11 structured plants definitely have bag appeal with a very high calyx-to-leaf ratio, gigantic and dense, and a good frost content. The individual flowers look like big, hairy, green grenades or fat alien pine cones.
Aroma: The aromas were fairly diverse among phenotypes, exhibiting notes from tropical pineapple/mango/guava, red apples, savannah grasslands, hashy spice, and hops. My favorite phenotype is a bit fruity, very reminiscient of red apple skins, freshly-sliced mango, dry summer grasslands, citrusy hops, and hints of caramel and vanilla. While complex, the character of the aroma is only mild to moderate, as is the case with many landrace sativas. I certainly appreciate all the different notes of this bouquet, but something like Amnesia Haze or Moonshine Haze will produce more of a "wow" factor from discerning noses. This bouquet is complex and very intriguing on many different levels, but takes a sativa connoisseur to really appreciate. I do not anticipate the masses having the same enthusiasm in smelling this jar as I personally do.
Flavor: The flavor of this variety is similar to the aroma. It is complex but understated, mild yet enjoyable. The flavor of red apple skins is prominent, with hoppy, India-Pale-Ale flavors coming in closely behind. The flavor of mango and vanilla are unfortunately lost entirely, but the caramel retains a position in the background. The flavor is a bit grassy, making me think of what ganja from the '60s and '70s must have tasted like. While nice, I do not think the flavor will be the aspect of this flower that keeps the user coming back. Overall, the flavor is a pleasurable but not entirely lip-smacking.
Effects: Easily the highlight of this particular variety, I adore the unique effects of the Zamaldelica x Apollo 11. Without wasting time, each toke of this flower will take the user noticeably and immediately higher. There seems to be no cloudiness or dreary dream-state effects with this herb, even if one has over imbibed. Each bit of smoke is like a hot air current for a balloon--it sweeps the user higher and higher with seemingly no limit, coming in waves. It is light, floaty, and uplifting. My favorite phenotypeis mildly psychedlic, creating a mindspace like the come-up of mushrooms. While social and chatty with friends, this ganja can be a bit racey or inspire social paranoia with strangers. However, the racy/paranoid aspect of this cannabis is really fun, unlike the sometimes-terrifying effects that I personally have experienced from pure Thai and Cambodian varieties. This flower sweeps you up with the sort of floaty, light-headed feeling across the head that rosin or good hash can sometimes give, and regularly gives me butterflies in my stomach. It produces a bubbly, energetic, curious, and even nervous sensation that makes one want to giggle and run around outside. I would also consider this herb highly creative and personally insightful, and is beautifully positive. It reminds me of a psychedelic and nervey version of "In the Pines," and I actually prefer this variety to the typical Hazes and other more terpene-rich narrow leaf drug varieties. I cannot say enough good things about this wonderfully light and memorable, euphoric sensation.
Overall Experience: The bag appeal, ease-of-growth, yield, and effect are enough for me to continue to grow and smoke this variety. I have always had a soft spot in my heart (more likely my CB1 and CB2 receptors) for psychedelic, positive sativas or narrow-leaf drug varieties. This one hits home in that respect, and has found a place among my favorite sativa plants. It is such a beautiful and rare thing to be able to capture the awe, wonder, and happiness of a psychedelic experience in ganja, and this cultivar does it with short flowering time and high yields. However, I will have to say that the aroma and flavor are really the low points of this flower. Perhaps with a larger selection, I could have found more terpene-rich phenotypes. Despite this, she is a plant worth keeping just for the effects and convenience. I cherish these flowers for my morning and day-time smoke, but I do not imagine the concentrates impressing flavor-hunters any time soon. If you like zingy head-tripping-bright-day sativas, this is a must in your stable. Another gem from Bodhi.