Origins and Backstory: I won’t even go into the backstory on this one; if you’re curious and ignorant, you can search things like “Josh D OG” and “Triangle Kush Florida” or listen to the Pot Cast. There is plenty of information out there—rather than screw it up, I invite the reader to do their own investigations. In any case, this is one of the most legendary and revered clones of all time and it is highly likely that all other OG cuts (Ghost, SFV, Fire, etc.) are ancestors of this amazing plant. I was fortunate enough to be gifted this clone by @bocobeans. Regardless of its origins and your thoughts on it, this plant has irreversibly changed cannabis in America (and consequently worldwide) for eternity. It is a bit humbling to grow a clone with so much history behind it, and inspires wonder. In any case, after growing and smoking this flower, I am completely of the mind that this is one of the finest cannabis plants ever produced. I grew this plant using beyond-organic methods in full sun at around 5300’.
Appearance: Triangle and other OG cuts are usually identifiable due to their signature characteristics—they tend to produce tight buds built on a somewhat lanky frame, and the top-heavy plants usually end up sagging at harvest. The buds themselves are tight floral clusters of incredibly resinous calyxes, and are always green—this plant has no genetic proclivity for purpling, even when exposed to low temperatures or other stresses. The densely packed, pine cone-shaped green buds have typical dark orange/red pistils that are typical of many strains, but the way the calyxes stack on top of each other gives OG a sort of signature appearance. When grown to full maturity, any veteran can spot OG buds or at least can tell when a plant is related to OG. It definitely has a look!
Aroma: Triangle Kush has an endearing bouquet, and is world-class. It is at once skunky, sweet, sour, and chemical. It smells of lemon pledge, pinesol, pine tree, gasoline, jet fuel, acetone, nail polish remover, and rubber. It is unbelievably deep, and is one of a handful of strains that never gets old. Unlike some complex strains, Triangle Kush’s aroma is incredibly intense, and can be described as one of the “loudest” flowers around. My particular outdoor sample here started off with more emphasis on lemon peel, lemon pledge/floor cleaner, and gasoline. After a six-month cure (at the time of this review), the tones mentioned at the beginning of this paragraph have all mellowed out to be evenly-expressed. The acetone and nail polish remover scents are particularly strong at this point, while the lemon, citrus, and gasoline have died a bit into the middle. They are still present, but much less up front. Triangle has less rubber and asphalt tones than most OG cuts, and I would say is on the sharper end of the spectrum. The janitorial chemical aromas come through hard, but it is still very much an OG-dominant aroma as opposed to a Chemdog-like one. In my experience, Chem plants tend to lean more toward “rotten” nasty funky aromas. While many OG plants have a lot of funk, the Triangle doesn’t have much of that nose-crinkling character that only weedheads enjoy. It is hard to accurately and originally describe this one, as OGs have been smoked and reviewed so many times. Overall, this one is heavy on the sweet-skunk, solvents, cleaner aromas, and lemon, and the notes blend together into a really attractive package. The aroma is at once recognizable as OG, but veterans will definitely be able to discern between Triangle, SFV (more citrus), Ghost (more gas), and others.
Flavor: As if the smell isn’t overwhelming enough, the flavor is equally as incredible, if not better. The smoke is immediately lemony as well as fuel-like with notes of diesel and jet fuel. The first pull is heavy on pine and nail polish too. It has markedly different emphases than the smell, but there is a lot of crossover, and it will have you reach for more. When Triangle is on the fresher side of harvest, it is really lemony and fuel like. After a cure, the flavors meld together and it becomes equally lemony (think warheads or other candies—not peel or juice) and skunky, but there are also earthy notes on the back of the palate not far from peat, forest floor, or moss. The gas seems to die down with a cure. The flavor really evolves through a bowl or joint, and you get a full spectrum experience. I have had hits that taste like lemon floor cleaner, lemon peel, skunk spray, dirty basement, northwestern forests, jet tarmac, and beyond. Even minutes after smoking, the flavor continues to change in the mouth. Tasting Triangle Kush is really a lovely experience, and certainly helps contribute to the overall legend and majesty of this clone.
Effects: Triangle Kush hits hard and fast, but the full effect won’t manifest for 20-30 minutes. I can feel Triangle by the time I exhale my first hit, and the effect quickly builds. I feel it first in the forehead as a sensation of the frontal lobe floating, and it starts to settle into the cheeks and behind the eyes shortly afterward. This is the kind of weed that will give you forehead sweats. Take a day off, load up the bong, and take an over-confident hit—BOOM. You’ll be sweating, hot and flushed, and feeling like this is your first time smoking again. You can really layer the hits with this one—while you’re still coming up on the first hit, take another, and you can ride the high of Triangle Kush like a series of waves. This is incredibly strong, giggly, silly weed that put OG on the map. I love the high from his herb, and frequently want to share the experience with friends so that they can relate. When you hit the right dose, this is incredibly awesome weed that can facilitate experiences you simply cannot have in a sober state of mind—which is what we’re all really after. Overindulging can easily make one paranoid, and I recommend going slow with this one—regardless of how awesome it tastes. The effect eventually settles out of the forehead-sweating rush and into a more mellow, laid back effect that is great for nights in, movies, munchies, and really just all classic activities associated with cannabis. This is great for good times with friends and loved ones as well as good times alone.
Overall: I cannot overemphasize that this is some of the best cannabis on the planet. This plant captures a “Win” in every category, whether you are a cultivator, connoisseur, or both. The plants are beautiful without a tough trim, but the flowers themselves are of the highest order. The aroma is incredibly intense and layered, with so many notes attractive to cannabis lovers. The lemon-cleaner-solvent-fuel smell is incredible, and I am honestly puzzled that I never get sick of this strain. It’s hard to believe people were smoking this weed almost 30 years ago—it is just so good! The bouquet matches the flavor, with many of the better notes translating into the smoke and onto the palate. The flavor is addictive in itself, but the potency of this strain will prevent most smokers from puffing away for taste alone. The smoke really coats your mouth with a skunky, fuel-lemon flavor that will keep your tongue roaming around your mouth long after you’ve exhaled. The stone from Triangle Kush feels incredibly euphoric while also being chilled out and mellow (providing you don’t smoke too much), and will quickly become a favorite and staple on any regular smoker’s shelf. Chances are if you’re reading this, you’ve smoked herb before, and have a few favorite things to do when you’re high. If that’s the case, Triangle Kush will most definitely enhance those activities and make them more fun or engaging for you. This truly historic weed is an all-time favorite of mine. Triangle Kush has helped shape American cannabis, and is just as relevant 30 years later.