Origins and Backstory: Originally bred by JJNYC of Topdawg seeds, Stardawg is now passed around in clone-only form and has been bred with by others. I acquired a clone from a friend of a proven Stardawg female. She is originally a cross of Chem 4 and Tres Dawg.
Appearance: Eye-popping, the lime-green, trichome-encrusted flowers from this plant have incredible bag appeal. They tend to come in smaller, golf-ball shaped nuggets. The buds are very dense, very bright and resinous, and have bright orange pistils to further catch the eye. Clearly, appearance was taken strongly into account for whoever selected this phenotype.
Aroma: Stardawg absolutely reeks classically of skunky, dank cannabis. Listed in order of prevalence, Stardawg smells of gasoline, diesel/jet fuel, skunk, burnt rubber, body odor, coffee, dirty feet, bad breath, garlic, onion, old rug, and guava juice. It is incredibly powerful, and can offend non-smokers easily in my experience. A jar will make you crinkle your nose in a strange sort of satisfied disgust. It smells like a classic Chemdog strain, disgustingly-awesome. I absolutely love the near-revolting odor from this flower, and it brings back fond memories of "headies" from the early 2000s.
Flavor: The flavor of Stardawg is sour and chemdawg-like, but is more metallic and guava/grapefruit than its aroma would imply. There is a strong aspect of coffee toward the front end of inhalations, but most of the body odor, notes of dirty feet and other offensive bodily functions are (thankfully?) lost in the smoke. The onion and notes of hashish and spice are subtle but present. The diverse and complex array of flavors puts a spin on the Chemdawg line. Chemdawg lovers will find Stardawg familiar but refreshing.
Effects: Stardawg is a potent, knock-you-out Chemdog variety that is potent and warm as could be. It is a head-numbing/warming indica-dominant smoke that takes one into an hours-long experience. The creeping effects are long-lasting, and will ultimately end in a clouded, foggy stone. It is difficult, if not impossible, to feel the more subtle effects of day-brightening sativas after delving into some Stardawg. Stardawg is very much like a classic Chemdawg; she is very potent, dreamy, euphoric and happy, but there's a more narcotic aspect to Stardawg than I typically associate with the clone-only Chemdawg varietals. The effect is also felt strongly in the head, but does not imbue any strong motivational senses or much creative thoughts. Stardawg is ideal for curling up on a winter night with a loved one to watch a movie.
Overall Experience: Stardawg is an excellent represenation of Chemdawg in a seed line. It has many of the best traits of Chem 4 and Chemdawg D, and both can be detected in the aroma and flavor. Stardawg has some Afghan bred into it, giving some vigor and density to the Chemdawg line. This cultivar is equally adaptable to both the discerning connoisseur, or the casual toker--the smoke is world-class like any Chemdawg, the yields are good, bag appeal is great, and the aroma is incredibly powerful. Stardawg won't please any fruity-sativa lovers, and while a crowd-pleaser, offends the odd smoker who prefers their cannabis NOT to smell like a hint of death. Overall a lovely variety, but as a matter of personal preference, I still find both the Chem 4 and Chem D to be ultimately superior smoke.