Strain Review: Chocolate Mint OG by Truly Oreganic

Chocolate Mint OG by Truly Oreganic is connoisseur-quality cannabis at a reasonable price, offering a functional, indica-leaning hybrid high and complex flavor.

Photo by Matt Stangel

Strain: Chocolate Mint OG

Parentage: Emerald OG x Grandaddy Purps

Breeder: Humboldt Seed Organization

Grower: Truly Oreganic

Cannabinoid Content: 17.7%

Terpene Content: 2.4%

Nose & Mouth: Identifying the scents associated with any cannabis strain is a process of working from large to small, and when it comes to Truly Oreganic's Chocolate Mint OG, the upfront impressions are towering: gregarious greetings of grassy bamboo husk packed with fresh lavender and gently browned butter conceal more subtle impressions suggesting the bitter middle ground between lemon pith and dark chocolate.

Alongside the dark chocolate, the titular descriptors continue to exceed the nominal: mint can be detected, but it's an earthy quality that combines with the woody, herbaceous elements to suggest a range of comparisons, including camphor and still-air, attic musk.

Considering parentage, West Coast staple Grandaddy Purp's signature linalool (the aromatic compound associated with lavender) and beta-caryophyllene (a scent molecule found in hops, rosemary and clove) are undeniably present, while a more subtle limonene, citrus note renews interest in the west coast failsafe.

When smoked, the flavor mirrors the scent with deepening tones of aged wood, while gaining notes of perfume and shoe polish.

First Impressions: Whenever I shop for weed, I rely on my nose as a compass.

A strain that smells fantastic will always earn my purchase over shelf mates with greater THC percentages, hyped genetics or an alluring visual appeal.

Simply put, if a varietal doesn't smell awesome, it'll probably result in a less-than-desirable experience and is likely best left alone.

At most shops, shopping with my nose is easy—I just sniff around until something stands out and go with that—but there are a few dispensaries around town where I always have a hard time choosing.

Farma is such a store, demonstrating visit after visit a shared eye for the odiferous flower—and whenever I drop in, I make a point of trying out offerings from various price points, if for nothing else than to save a little money where I can, but without skimping on the olfactory and gustatory experience I expect of connoisseur-quality cannabis.

A few weeks back, I stopped by the de facto House of Smells to peep the small-batch offerings from Scissortail Farms—a garden that recently reaffirmed its place on the top shelves of dispensaries around town after garnering several first place Dope Cup awards for their very fantastic Tangelo Haze (which I reviewed a few months back)—but my nose guided me toward a less-spendy strain, Chocolate Mint OG, which rivals the aromatic appeal of higher-priced offerings.

Nose as my guide, I wasn't let down. Chocolate Mint OG's psychoactive properties live up to its olfactory nuances, leaning toward the indica—warm and centering on the relaxed side of mellow—with a feelgood emotional uptick that lends itself to conversation and social settings.

In small doses, Chocolate Mint OG offers gentle euphoria alongside soothing body notes, while larger sessions can produce sleep-inducing effects.

Over several weeks and a half-dozen sessions, I found the strain to be a great option for when I wanted to take a load off without putting a definitive end stop on the day—an ellipsis of relaxation and mood enhancement.

Selling Point: Not only is this Bandon-based operation selling connoisseur-quality flower at a reasonable price, but it packs in a high terpene-to-cannabinoid ratio, meaning that the psychoactive effects go farther than what's suggested by the THC content on the label.

In addition to the cultivar's flavorful rewards, its high strikes a functional balance between body buzz and mood stimulation—an indica from the lighter, functional side of things; warm and fuzzy, but not sluggish.

It's a high that's well suited for recreational enjoyment—there are indicas out there that better lend themselves to outright pain management or sedation, and sativas with more potent mood elevation, but Chocolate Mint OG incorporates just enough of both to make for an experience that satisfies across the spectrum of cannabis effects.

And a final, personal selling point: Chocolate Mint OG passes the scent-to-flavor quality test—the nose accurately translates to the mouth—achieving a complexity that rivals higher-priced options from lauded Oregon farms.

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