Origins and Backstory: Bred by Meangene (@meangenefrommendocino if you’re new), Red Hindu is a building block of many other cultivars. It was released via Aficianado Seeds in their debut, and I believe this is the F3 population that @deepoutthere pulled from to create these F4s. I acquired the F4 seeds, and grew them in full Colorado sun during the 2021 season.
Appearance: The plant was aggressively topped by a rabbit, and this resulted in the plant branching off and creating a shrub of itself—I’m not sure what it would have looked like otherwise, but it finished slightly shorter, and very much stouter than the rest of the plants in the garden. That being said, each branch on this plant was a towering cola of impressive girth, density, and production in every sense of the word. The plants yellowed strongly in senescence, with very mild red and purple coloring on some of the foliage. The buds are thick, dense, and look like high quality greenbud from the 90s and 2000s. It’s just big, chunky nugs that are both resin-heavy and pistil-apparent. Despite finishing late in very low temperatures, neither plants nor flowers turned purple. Very dense buds and a satisfyingly compact structure.
Aroma: I haven’t smelled or drunk mondo juice in likely 2 decades, and actually forgot about its existence, but on smelling the live flowers I immediately recalled Mondo juice. The dried flower is rich and fruity, juicy even, noticeably of grapefruit and citrus. Lavender is also prominent, both floral and perfumey, as well as a crisco-like note that is in the same vein of last season’s And It’s Deep Too!. The two strains actually have a lot of similarities in aroma and other traits, and are related somewhere. Finally, lurking in the background are earthy, mineral heavy loam and mossy forest floor-like notes. Overall, a very enjoyable reminiscent of weed from years past while remaining a thing of its own.
Flavor: Grapefruit candy-lavender-moss (there are definite notes on the palate of all the above) with strong mineral notes makes for a compelling profile and smoke. My favorite aspect of consuming Red Hindu, the flavor is unique, understated, but surprisingly satisfying. While floral, sweet, and perfumey up front, the aftertaste is thoroughly mouth-coating and telltale dank—it is unmistakably high grade botanical-skunky-weed in a way that neither the aroma or flavor are in a direct way. The aftertaste is just as fun of an experience as the taste itself, as it seems to shift in character entirely. I love it.
Effects: A chill and laid-back smoke, Red Hindu exhibits traits typical of indica weed. This is high-inertia bud, good for just chilling. Depending on exactly what you like, Red Hindu might be a decent social smoke too. Red Hindu is relaxing without being overwhelming, and makes for mellow conversations and social interactions. I appreciate smoking it in the evenings after dinner and/or before bed, especially if I haven’t smoked earlier in the day. It’s whatever the weed equivalent of having a beer would be. You get an enjoyable effect great for couch surfing, but it’s not debilitating or paranoia-inducing either. This lack of smacky-effect might be off-putting for some heavy tokers, but there’s definitely a place on my shelf for weed like this.
Overall: Overall, Red Hindu Kush features many desirable traits. It’s vigorous and easy-growing, high-yielding with girthy, dense flowers, responds well to training, has a strong and diverse aroma (and an even better flavor). I can see why Mean Gene of Freeborn Selections has made Red Hindu a contributor of so many of his breeding projects—it’s a genetic line that seems to have nothing but great traits for the grower. However, I can also see why it wasn’t a stopping point, and more of a stepping stone—smoking pure Red Hindu may leave smokers wanting something more. The flavor is unique, complex, and interesting, but the current popular demand for artificial-like aromas would not find it overly attractive (my speculation anyway). I appreciate breeders who do unique things that you can’t find elsewhere, and Red Hindu has a lot of that. It’s special weed but is not popular among everyone—some of my friends really enjoy it while others really do not. That’s fine, more for me!