Origins and Backstory: I received this from an anonymous friend, who is the only person to date to have flowers grown with enough integrity that not only will I smoke them, but I will write about them. He is a lover of fruity, sweet, hazy varieties from the days of yore--a truly nostalgic stoner. I believe he ordered a single seed from Amsterdam, and this was the phenotype.
Appearance: The floral clusters from this AK-47 specimen are densely put together, and highly resinous. The quantity of trichomes alone is enough to get one excited. I appreciate the density of these bright green flowers, and it matches their grenade and/or golfball shape. Coloration of calyxes and pistils are about par for the course, and there is no purple tint on any of the flowers--some different cultivars from the same garden exhibit purple coloration, making the pure green on these flowers notable. This looks like high quality indica or hybrid bud.
Aroma: The aroma of this sample was the biggest surprise to me. A whole bud placed under my nose brought immediate and pronounced notes of sweet, pink grapefruit. When buds are broken, the bouquet deepens with complex scents of cotton candy, sandalwood, haze, spice, and velvet. It is a smell that reminds me of Amsterdam hazes more than anything else, which was greatly surprising. Everyone has their own experiences, but the AK-47 of my youth was a much woodier, softer smell, almost like an old cedar or pine box. In totality, this sample of AK-47 is not what I would expect, but is appetizing nonetheless. The overall aroma could be stronger, and I suspect that other phenotypes with similar aromas of higher intensity could be found.
Flavor: The flavor of the smoke is similar to that of aroma, with a lot of direct translation. There are definite grapefruit and wood (but no pine) flavors, more of a sweet-spicy-woody than the flavor I recall from my younger days. I would assume that Amsterdam has done some genetic rearranging since then, but it's equally possible my memory is warped. The flavor is tasty and enjoyable, but is not about to convert the OG or Cookie heads of today.
Effects: The effects from the AK-47 surprised me as well. I would have thought that compared to the OGs and Chemdawgs of today, AK-47 would pale in potency. This is not the case, and a three-hit bowl keeps me lifted for up to four hours. Effects are felt first and foremost in the temples and on the sides of ones head. Immediately, there is a gliding/floating sensation that comes into perception, building in intensity until a general sense of happiness and euphoria is prominent. Concerns seem a lot less serious, the world seems a lot friendlier, and I seem a lot happier. The effect is floaty, wispy, and cloud-like, and reminds me a bit of a less-focused Super Silver Haze. I think this sample is more toward the indica spectrum of things than SSH, but certainly mirrors the heady effects to some extent. It is happy and inspiring smoke, and truly is almost entirely felt above the neck, besides some mild tingling in the extremities. It seems to hold all of the positive aspects of narrow leaf drug cultivars without the drawbacks of raciness, paranoia, dysphoria, etc. This smoke also tends to inspire creativity and curiosity, which makes this the grower's particular favorite.
Overall Experience: As expected, this sample of AK-47 did not conform to my old memories. However, judged objectively, it's a surprisingly high-quality flower. The bag appeal is excellent, and I couldn't imagine any smoker not being happy going with the resinous, sparkling, green grenades. However, I am not alone among smokers to look down my nose at most of the contemporary Dutch gene pool. Elite clones from the American underground (and now, the not-so-underground) are in a league entirely superior to most of what can be found in Amsterdam. There is of course the odd exception. While I personally preferred other varieties from the same grower, this AK-47 has a plethora of positives. This flower is strong, euphoric, uplifting, and active. To be especially appreciated is the uplifting effect which is consistently creative. How much more valuable can a mind-altering substance be? For artists, philosophers, and creatives of all kinds, this is a great one to have on the shelf. The aroma and flavor, while pleasant, do not stand up to other well-known (typically American) seed lines or elite clones in my opinion. While enjoyable and pleasant, it is just not quite complex enough for my adoration. This is a great variety to be able to draw from for creative endeavors, but is not my daily driver of choice, nor is it a varietal I would pull out to impress OG/Kush/Chem lovers.