Back when I was in high school and college in a large midwestern city -- late 70s - early 80s -- the most common and generally preferred weed was what was called "Colombian." You could occasionally find some sinsemilla like what is so common today, but it was rare and expensive. The Colombian (who knows where it really came from) was mostly buds, had lots of seeds (ugh), and was golden brown in color. Most notable about this weed though was its aroma. "They" used to say the good stuff "smelled like a musty basement." That's pretty much what it did smell like, though I think I would describe it more as "earthy." Not at all unpleasant. I've never smelled anything like it in the last 20 years. What I'd like to know is, how did this stuff get that smell? I think I heard somewhere years ago that it came from a fungus. The fungus was supposedly a result of it being packed tightly when wet and exposed to high temps during shipping. That was also the reason for the golden-brown color. Is this true? Was I (and everybody I knew) smoking fungus-laced weed for all those years?
Usually mass produced weed gets its smell from either mold, mildew, or whatever it was packed in to throw off the dogs. Around here it is moth balls.
If it is an earthy smell within the bud, it is the natural terpene profile for the strain. I used to get Columbian, Thai, Mexi and especially Panama Red. The PR smelled like dirty gym socks freshly dipped in a super rich soil mixture with hints of wood, spice, floral and citrus. We were lucky and the PR was sensimilla, a rare rare thing at the time. Occasionally we got what was first called green bud, a minty type of skunk, and of course the one I want to this day, the Roadkill Skunk that made your entire day. It was rare, and only came from local growers, and those were few and far far between back then. Still, nothing ever beat the Chocolate Thai I got in the 80's...ahhh the good ol days. Maybe its just nostalgia, but find me some rks and choco thai seeds, (to go along with the haze, maui and african seeds I have) and Im set for life. Thats more to play with genetically than any one man could have time to breed properly.
Ha! An 'Earthy' smell is EXACTLY how I might describe ONE of the last strains I grew! That's it, exactly. I thought I may have "fucked up"...cause it smells...well....EARTHY! And yet, yes...there are overtones I detect also....hmmm... thnx....I feel better now! Carry on... :qbluewacko:
My buds come out smelling like my crawlspace after i dry em, only on the outsides though, once you break a nug open they smell nice. I wish i could dry my buds and have them smell like fruits like watermelon oranges strawberries grapefruits etc....
IMHO that musty smell is from poor handeling, a lot of the schwag I see coming from mexico has that smell. they harvest and just pile up the plants to dry em they always lose some to mold but most do ok and dry out ok but they do pick up a moldy smell as a result. I have a mexican freind that brought me some buds from there that were properly dry and cured it was a total different thing and this was from a commercial feild. so poor drying and then squishing it to hell and transporting will make it worse properly dried and cured the same weed is just lovely
