Origin and Backstory: A rare gem bred by @meangenefrommendocino, Cherry Pyromancer is a cross of HGAS (High Grade All Stars) Cherry and Cherry Limenade F5. I have not really seen it grown elsewhere and don’t know much about the HGAS Cherry, but Cherry Limenade (or is it Limeade?) has won the Emerald Cup. Everyone I have spoken to about Cherry Limenade has nothing but good things to say; the terpene profile is supposedly spectacular. I do find it interesting that Meangene mentioned his favorite smokes are the Rootbeer and Black Lime, that the “wow” factor of the Cherry Limenade is lost after having constant access to it. In any case, this is some very special weed, and is currently the closest thing to Cherry Limenade that I’ve personally smoked.
Appearance: The growing plants are visually stunning, and the dried flower has a bag appeal similar to Cookies. The plants themselves are rich with color, leaning toward deep purples, some pinks, and even reds, before drying and curing into a mix of deep purple and a vivid green. These look like some version of a Cookie plant—buds are dense, with bulging, egg-shaped calyxes stacked on top of one another, forming bulbous floral clusters. Resin production is prolific, and the stout, nuggety buds beg to be fondled and sniffed (although I try my best to avoid the fondling!).
Aroma: A jar of Cherry Pyromancer (or is it Cherry Pie-Romancer?) is a trip—a friend (@wondermademedoit) and I spent the better part of 15 minutes huffing a jar, attempting to articulate the finer notes. There are certainly cherry-cough-drop and cherry blossom smells up front, but plenty of chemical funk too. The chemicals come off like a sterilized bandage that has been freshly opened, or like a medical supply closet in a Dr.’s office. There are also notes that one associates with “old people,” or the smell when deep in a retirement home. Also of moderate strength is vinyl, baby powder (or is it baby oil?), and some kind of plastic. Overall, it is appetizing and enjoyable, as well as bizarre, but I would describe it as cherry cough drop/medical supply closet in a retirement home/vinyl.
Flavor: The absolute high point of the flower, Cherry Pyromancer’s flavor is something to be completely savored and beheld. The aroma translates entirely to flavor, but the smoke is even more nuanced on the palate. The first detectable notes are of cherry blossom, cough drop, and vinyl. These quickly give way to an intense flavor of clorox bleach that completely coats the mouth. While most non-smokers probably find the assumed flavor of bleach abhorrent, it is really something amazing and delicious. The bleach flavor, equal in strength to the sterilized-bandage flavor, dominates the palate before returning to the cherry blossom/vinyl combo. There are hints of the dirty feet/retirement home, but these are put in the far background. Cherry Pyromancer has one of the most intense and nuanced flavors I have ever experienced in cannabis, and it will keep you smoking long after you’re stoned.
Effects: The effects of Cherry Pyromancer are immediate and intense. I consistently get a facial blush, and flushing of blood to the surface of my skin when I smoke this one—wild! I tend to puff this one until I feel almost like I smoked too much weed, and start to feel somewhat uncomfortable. After riding this feeling for just a few minutes, it generally comes down into a very pleasant and relaxing state of being. While the intense peak is relatively short-lived, the overall stone is not. Cherry Pyromancer had me super high for a little bit, and moderately high for a while to follow. It’s a very warm, happy, relaxing effect for the majority of the experience.
Overall: This is one of the most interesting flavors of cannabis I have come across. A bizarre mix of cherry blossom, sterilized bandage, bleach, and old folk funk, Cherry Pyromancer is incredibly exotic and compelling. The stone is not the most impressive in the world, but I didn’t think it was lacking either—it certainly is enjoyable, and will hit harder than many other plants I’ve smoked that have won cups. The flavor really coats the mouth in a way that makes you think, there are levels to this. The intensity and complexities of the aroma and flavor make Cherry Pyromancer a plant I will be breeding with in the future, and will certainly want to always have around. A keeper for sure.