Iwant to talk to you about Oakland, the failed War on Drugs, and Black Girl Magic OG. Let’s step back in time, way back when I first tasted this unique strain developed exclusively for the 1st Lady of the West Coast.
In the beginning, I knew if I was going to write about the real OG, names were less important than the final product, and what a final product this is.
Dipping into the mylar bag, I’m greeted by a gassy, petrol-laced aroma that brings me in deeper into the terpenes. I inhale, and layers of aromatics reveal themselves amongst the perfectly cured nuggets.
The buds themselves are tightly compact and clearly show care in the trimming. No tumble to trim, cement mixers here. This is a time-consuming effort, and it is very evident in the care and quality. But what I do want to stress before I go into the tasting notes is the quality of the curing.
Curing:
So many boutique cannabis companies with the plethora of crafty scents and eye-boggling colors, but what Black Girl Magic OG offers is something deeper. It can only come from patience and time, humidity, and magic. Is this the magic in Black Girl OG? Perhaps this gourmet, craft cannabis is only part of the equation.
The Failed War on Drugs:
I grew up on a farm in New Jersey. How could I possibly understand what it means to be from Oakland, where the war on drugs and the deep stigmas are still in evidence today? I cannot, even though the stigmas against the plant certainly are similar. I empathize with the struggle of the plant having been placed into protective custody for cannabis, and I believe that it was unfairly exposed to a deeply corrupt drug court system based on fear and guilt, rather than championing the cannabis plant as healing and vital.
This experience changed me massively and led to my writing the book named Cannabis Cocktails in 2015. But getting back to Oakland, what a place. Something I’d never be able to comprehend because I grew up so sheltered from that life. Oh, don’t get me wrong for a second. I’ve been recently and seen it for myself. And although I know nothing at all about the struggle, It’s ironic and profound that the thing that connects us (the 1st Lady and me) is the plant herself. This experience is personified in each puff of Black Girl Magic OG.
Oakland:
Back in past-2010… I was a rum judge in Oakland for the Ministry of Rum. That Amtrak and freight train that runs down the middle of the street was particularly intriguing for me. But I didn’t wander around much or stray off the beaten path. People said it was probably not a good idea. I seek out authenticity and real food, real people. Never fast food. I want to eat at the source. I want to be back to experience the local food with a great guide and even better cannabis than I can ever imagine- or remember, like Black Girl Magic OG.
Tasting Notes:
Nose:
Pools of dark bitter chocolate pastilles give way to European Diesel (petrol) and snipped dry-farmed herbs. This strain (Black Girl Magic OG) is curious and inquisitive about who smokes her and captures her magic. Cannabis of this level is distinctive, and it clearly smells like nothing else available. Quality speaks without saying a word.
Mouthfeel:
Enriching and mouth-filling, each drag on a bowl- I used my tried and true- Stonedware “purse-pipe” to achieve oneness with the universe. The experience of holding each hit in the mouth before inhaling deeper is a technique I learned in Belgium back in the 1970s. They usually rolled hashish in with strong Turkish tobacco with less quality cannabis- or no cannabis at all. But the technique of holding and tasting the fine herbs goes back millennia. Cannabis is the same way. I love to experience each hit as more than just a metaphor for getting high. What I want to experience is a Kodak snapshot of each inhalation—that specificity of the experience. Black Girl Magic OG offers this level of craft and passion in each hit. It’s truly uncanny!
Appearance:
Purple and toasty green with crystals and droplets of what is sticky to the touch. Each bud glistens like honey, and I half expected bees to come swarming by for a look-see. This is juicy cannabis that fires up cleanly without any coughing at all. Class Act!
Stone:
If you can imagine a cold and raw day- it’s been raining for weeks, and the wet seems to crawl right into you. But suddenly, out of the background, a wool blanket is draped around your head and shoulders. Wool is naturally water-repellent, and it keeps you super warm, even when wet. This warming feeling, like a temple ball hash high, really centered me into the cadence of the 1st Lady of the West Coast.
I’m truly fortunate to be able to sample cannabis of this quality because Black Girl Magic is completely unknown to the world outside of California. Perhaps if you are anywhere else in the country or the world and you’re reading this blog- you’ll be inspired to taste what magic does to the plant.
Especially from the 1st Lady of the West Coast.
Cheers! WB