Origins and Backstory: Northern Lights #5 and the Original Haze are two of the most legendary sativas in the cannabis community. They were hybridized long ago by the late and famous Neville—these seeds from 1989 were kept and passed on (I believe by Clackamas Coot?) to Swami Seed, who has bred them to the F6 generation as of this writing. I purchased the seed at F5, and that is the plant being reviewed here. Both parents have rich histories (and effects to match), and the mere idea of combining their genes is enough to elicit a buzz in a true sativa lover.
Appearance: Obviously a hazy sativa, these flowers have small-but-totally-resin-covered calyxes and pistils protruding in all directions. It is really a striking look—however, since the pistils are so delicate, sativas like this often do not look half as good by the time they reach a consumer in a typical market. One of the myriad benefits of being a cultivator (or knowing one) is being able to get fresh and in-tact sativa buds. Flowers are a light and lime green, with calyxes stacking in small groups and then growing outward from the stem—this gives the sense that the flowers are spiky. They look almost evil or sinister in a way, almost like a cactus. Foxtails are fairly common. Some clusters are a bit airy, definitely not the densely formed indica flowers that most smokers are used to. However, with all the exposed surface area, it gives the consumer a good view into the intact resin glands (one can see they’re intact if the flowers sparkle or shimmer in light, as opposed to being merely “crystally” with a white appearance).
Aroma: The bouquet is reminiscent of many other sativas with Dutch origins. However, I will give a full description for the uninitiated—these varieties are increasingly rare, especially in north America. Overall, the aroma is sweet, spicy, and botanical. The most prominent notes are pine, eucalyptus, frankincense, black pepper, and various aromatic woods. I found it particularly intriguing that many newer American smokers are generally put off by the aroma of this flower. However, a friend from London visited me and sampled this smoke, and commented that it was “classic cannabis scent, definitely not going to be able to hide if you get pulled over with that one!” I thought his comment was intriguing, given that “classic cannabis scent” to most Americans means skunky, putrid, and/or gassy. This varietal does not exhibit any of these traits, but it goes to show the geographical differences in cannabis preferences. The pine, frankincense, and eucalyptus make for a refreshing aroma, one that certainly is not common in north American dispensaries. The aroma is intriguing and while I personally find it very pleasant, it elicits either a love or hate response from others. The smell is interesting, but not the highest point of the flower.
Flavor: If this weed weren’t so damn potent, the flavor and appearance would really be the show stealers. The flavor of the smoke is extremely unique. It is slightly sweet, piney and botanical, almost effervescent, with very strong incense-like qualities reminiscent of frankincense used in catholic church services. The flavor is first and foremost sweet, piney, and frankincense-incense like. The sweetness is not fruity or candied like so many popular American varieties today, but is a subtle sweetness like that of grass on a prairie. There are many subtle flavors that come out further down in a joint, or are only present in some hits from a bowl—these include mint and menthol, compost, and some other very exotic spice-like notes that I have no idea how to describe with words. The flavor is fairly mild, especially when speaking relatively next to OG and Chem varieties. However, it is stunning in its own rite. The flavor is incredibly unique and really only found in very particular haze lines—I am a lover of it, but maybe hit is only because I have come to associate the one-of-a-kind flavor and aroma with the equally unique effects. In any case, the strange and special combination of flavors comes together beautifully in a flavor profile that is not really seen in any other cultivars.
Effects: The effects of this varietal are almost unparalleled, especially in today’s market. It is a soaring and euphoric sativa , and does not sacrifice the slightest bit of potency. In fact, it may be one of the most potent sativas available. The only comparable sativas I can think of are Neville’s Haze (the father of this variety), pure Thai, and the occasional and truly exceptional batch of Jack Herer or Mother’s Finest. The effect is overall racing, cerebral, paranoid, and almost psychedelic. Sometimes after smoking this herb, I have visual light tracing effects. There is a near instant shift in how one thinks, as one begins to associate concepts and ideas that are only loosely related—definitely a creativity-inducer! The effects onset immediately, but do not fully come on for at least 20 minutes, but usually even longer. One is high almost instantly when smoking this herb, but the near-overwhelming potency and paranoia will not kick in for about half an hour—which means care should be taken when using this flower! This can be very fun smoke when taken in the right setting, but can also be an anxiety-inducing smoke when used in the wrong one. With friends, this herb makes me silly, giggly, and probably drops me a few IQ points. It can really loosen up a mood. However, this is not active and motivational smoke, despite being a sativa—when I have smoked this cannabis prior to engaging in my “to-do” list, my list usually does not get done. If I go to a public space, I am generally overwhelmed with anxiety and a feeling that everybody is watching, or at least judging me. It is a general social dysphoria, and can come on with little or no warning. If you are immune to these effects in cannabis as some of my friends have claimed, I would strongly encourage sampling this flower—it might give you an experience you’ll never forget! If the reader enjoys horror movies, they could probably forget Netflix for a night, and simply smoke some of this varietal before running errands. Terrifying indeed!
Overall: This is one of the greatest sativas on the market today, and nonetheless available in seed form! After growing it, it is pretty obvious why it’s not commercially available. While it does not exhibit many of the typical shortcomings of sativa varieties (i.e. extended flowering time, low yields, etc.), the reasons for keeping this out of a commercial facility are understandable. The plant grows tall and is structurally a bit scattered, and the buds are somewhat airy as well as leafy. This makes canopy management difficult for mass production, and trimming is certainly not an easy activity. Even if a commercial cultivator could get over these hurdles, the flower quality and bag appeal quickly degrade with packaging and transportation—much faster than a “golf ball” structured indica might. There are just too many opportunities for this flower to go awry in a commercial setting. However, the quality of smoke is enough to keep any serious enthusiast or small-scale grower engaged. The potency is unparalleled, even by many indicas and OG plants—it is truly in a league of its own. The frankincense and typical “haze” aromas will be a point of nostalgia for many smokers as well, and I frequently receive messages on instagram being asked if the variety smells of frankincense. I personally love having jars of this on my shelf, and it is a great option to impress friends with sheer sativa potency or euphoria, or to induce silliness and giggles into a gathering. However, it is not a jar I reach for for an everyday smoke, as it can be too much at times. I am struggling to produce an apt analogy, but it might be like having a James Bond replica vehicle as a daily driver—I certainly wouldn’t complain about driving such a vehicle, but something about it just isn’t ideally suited for going to the grocery store, and is over the top in some regards. Overall, this is a variety absolutely worth trying, and running enough to have some flowers on the shelf at any given time. It is incredibly special in many different ways, but she won’t be in my flower room every cycle.