KGB

KGB smells of pine forest, one user report says, and so strongly that storage deserves some thought. Another report recognizes the sharp skunk smell of older strains. The name is short for Killer Green Bud, a predominantly indica strain from the Vancouver Island Seed Company (VISC) in British Columbia, which according to the breeder goes back to an Afghani hybrid and a Burma hybrid.

Aroma and Flavor:

In essence, the sources describe an earthy, woody and spicy profile. One reviewer noted a musky, earthy smell on the dried flower that recalled forest floor; on breaking it up, a note of Earl Grey tea was added. In flavor it stayed with clear herbal and tea notes without any aftertaste. Strain descriptions add pine and herbs, one of them also floral touches. For the line of another breeder, hashish and a sweet woody note are highlighted, and the aroma is assigned there to the old school.

Some statements differ markedly. One strain description lists apple, berry and diesel, another plum and cheese with sage; the same source describes a sooty smell at first when burned, followed by spicy herbal notes. One user report found the flavor strange, another pleasantly mild. Caryophyllene and pinene appear among the terpenes in two strain descriptions; one names caryophyllene as the leading terpene, the other sabinene.

Genetics and Origin:

VISC lists KGB as its own breeding. After several generations of selection, the cross of an Afghani hybrid with a Burma hybrid is said to have yielded a stable, true-breeding line, which the breeder has since grown for its own use, for production and for further breeding. VISC classes the strain as predominantly indica; one strain description puts the ratio at 60 % indica and 40 % sativa.

According to a cannabis trade portal, the name is older than the strain: Killer Green Bud had been a scene term for high-quality cannabis in the Pacific Northwest since the late 1980s, which VISC then gave to a specific strain. The description of another KGB line likewise speaks of a strain that had spread from the southern United States to Canada in the 1990s.

VISC has kept using KGB in its own breeding: Che came from KGB and Burmese, Copperhead from KGB and Fucking Incredible. Good House Seeds also used the strain for several crosses, including Blue Crazy and Hash Balls #2.

THC Content:

Figures from strain descriptions are far apart. One gives 20 to 24 % THC, another 23 % THC plus 1 % CBG. A third description, by contrast, lists only around 13 to 16 % THC.

Effects:

According to one strain description, the effect starts out stimulating and then turns into a calm that takes over head and body. User reports mention relaxation, euphoria and an uplifted mood, along with silliness, hunger and drowsiness. One report highlights focus, another a physically noticeable effect while listening to music. A further description speaks of relaxation so strong that one can barely get up from the sofa.

Accounts of the onset differ. One reviewer described a fast-onset effect that started in the head and lasted 35 to 45 minutes, accompanied by physical relaxation; other descriptions present KGB as a strain whose effect builds slowly.

Dry mouth is named as a side effect in several reports and descriptions. One strain description also lists a racing heart and panic-like restlessness. For one reviewer the smoke was harsh at first.

Cultivation:

VISC lists the strain for indoor and outdoor cultivation and gives a flowering time of 7 to 8 weeks. In a pot of 2 gallons, one plant is said to yield 90 to 115 g according to the breeder. The VISC version is listed only as regular seed.

According to one strain description, KGB forms dense buds with light green and golden foliage in flower. Dried flowers are described once as small and light green with dark orange hairs and plenty of trichomes, in one review by contrast as dense, with green and purple tones and red hairs. One user report speaks of large, sticky buds.

Versions from Different Breeders:

A line from Alter Ego Genetics is also listed under the name Killer Green Bud. According to the description, Classic Seeds brought the strain to Northern California and passed it on to Alter Ego Genetics for preservation. The description gives no pedigree and makes no reference to VISC. For this version, which is listed as regular seed, 8 to 9 weeks of flowering and 400 to 500 g/m² are stated; VISC gives 7 to 8 weeks for the original.