Counter culture is facing a bit of a paradox at the moment. For decades, the counter culture used marijuana users as a sort of devil-may-care image that told the world “I’m beyond the curve, I’m sophisticated, I’m not afraid to push the envelope.”
Now, however, marijuana is increasingly becoming mainstream — things tend to lose their transgression when they’re being marketed to stay-at-home moms as a part of a handy topical ointment — so, what is to be done? Forsake cannabis? Reverse the dichotomy and go puritan? Or, double down and specialize in increasingly obscure strains?
Doubling down is the obvious answer, that way you don’t have to give up on your favorite herb. Going super niche is a common practice that has worked for coffee aficionados, so why can’t it work for you too? Here are some of our favorite niche and obscure pot strains.
Laughing Buddha
There’s nothing more appealing to faux-sophisticates than the affectation of spirituality. That’s why the name of this particular strain is a perfect fit. Laughing Buddha, despite being an award-winning strain of sativa, is still somewhat under-appreciated. It has a sweet, fruity smell with hints of spice. It produces a thick, dense, and potent smoke which should leave you feeling happy and giddy. It gets its name from the jovial mode it leaves its users in, frequently causing them to dissolve into peals of laughter. The buds of Laughing Buddha are dense and frosted with an above-average amount of trichomes, which are responsible for its distinctive aroma.
LA Confidential
This one is for the cinephiles, after all, there’s nothing better than having two conversation subjects you can bore people at parties with. LA Confidential isn’t obscure, but it is a dense and complex strain that has a lot to analyze. Its scent is a complex mix of spice, citrus, and a fresh herbal aroma. Its distinct lime green appearance and faint purple leaves are instantly recognizable. However, there is so much to this fantastic strain that any cannabis hipster worth their salt should be more than happy striking up a conversation with, “Have you ever smoked LA Confidential, I mean, REALLY smoked LA Confidential?”
Chocolope
This is a call back to the bygone era of chocolate strains. In the ‘80s sativa strains with sweet coffee and chocolate flavors were all the rage. Grow company, DNA Genetics, felt it was time for a revival, so they brought about Chocolope by crossing Chocolate Thai with Cannalope Haze. The results are the closest you can get to the halcyon days of the ‘80s. As you stick it to Reagan (even if several decades too late), you can enjoy the strain’s euphoric effects and amazing aroma.
Sour Urkle
You’ve heard of Purple Urkle, well, this is like that but more obscure. Sour Urkle is a hybrid strain with a balanced flavor. The mild hints of fruit break through the dense, diesel smell for a more complicated aroma. This is certainly a nighttime strain — when you enjoy it, make sure you’re all set to spend a long time on the couch or in your bed asleep.
Pink Kush
You like your green to be green? How mainstream! You should try pink. This strain has a strikingly different appearance because, as it is cultivated, it has a dusting of pink covering its flowers and parts of its leaves. While this often disappears when it is properly cured, it’s not unusual to see a hint of pink in your herb. It has a classic kush taste and smell and has a powerful body effect that makes it perfect for relaxation.
