The Drop: 5 strains hitting menus in January

This month of The Drop, Danté Jordan’s column rounding up all the can’t-miss strains and dabs from the best brands and growers, looks at anticipated releases from Candy Paint Flowers, Flight Path, and Ball Family Farms.

Another month, another round of new cannabis strains for you to enjoy. After checking a whole slew of brands at Hall of Flowers in Palm Springs, I came away with not only a much deeper knowledge of the true players in California cannabis, but also a much deeper knowledge of what fire the people should be smoking.

Here are five strains hitting dispensary menus in January.

Candy Paint Flowers: January 996

Candy Paint Flowers was my favorite brand from Hall of Flowers. It had strong homie-from-around-the-way energy. While most of the other brands were there to put on a huge show, the Candy Paint owners were posted up at their booth like, “We’ve got fire and we know it.” The weed really is the truth, too. The Bolo strain sample they gave me looked great and smoked even better — the taste and potency were *chef’s kiss*. In January, in addition to Bolo, Candy Paint Flowers will be dropping a strain called January 996.

January 996 was bred by Seed Junky Genetics and is a cross of Gelatti and Kush Mints #11. Candy Paint has been growing the strain for about two years now, and they use Ambrosia nutrients to bring out its full potential. The brand told me January 996 smells like a gassy OG strain with light menthol and candy-flavored undertones, despite having no OG in its lineage.

You stand a good chance of experience a potent head rush and calming effects from January 996, which is marketing language for, “This strain is about to sit you on your ass.”

Available: California

Flight Path: Jealousy

Flight Path is brand spanking new. Fresh brand, fresh weed, fresh everything. It’s exactly what The Drop is about: letting people know about brands and strains that they may not find unless they’re deeply rooted in the culture. Flight Path grows some great weed too. In January, it’ll be releasing Jealousy and a bunch of Jealousy crosses.

Jealousy is another Seed Junky Genetics creation and this is Flight Path’s very first harvest of it. The strain tastes like sweet cream and candy with a Gelato finish on the smoke. Those flavors are brought to you by limonene, myrcene, caryophyllene, and linalool terpenes. Expect a potent body high with some cerebral stimulation.

I smoked a sample of Flight Path’s Jealousy and immediately said, “YUP. They got one.” Grab some Flight Path if you’re in California — it could be your next new favorite.

Available: California

Find Jealousy strains

Viola: Wappa

I first fell in love with Viola’s concentrates in Oregon. Specifically, it was the Huckleberry Pie — it was just so damn fruity. Now, Viola is running out a whole new line of strains in the Beaver State. There’s Tangelo Kush, Tropicana Cookies, and Wappa. Those Wappa dabs hit, boy.

Wappa was bred by Paradise Seeds. It is an indica-dominant cross of Chemdog and Royal Kush that packs sweet fruity flavors with floral accents. Paradise Seeds described the Wappa aroma and flavor as a wonderful strawberry and cherry bouquet. Its terpene profile is well balanced with a predominance of myrcene, caryophyllene, and linalool.

The most commonly reported effects of Wappa are relaxation, happiness, and euphoria. What that really means is that Wappa is a feel-good strain that will likely make for a perfect daytime smoke.

Viola told me that the effects should hit you with an intense, but not overwhelming, body high.

Available: Oregon

Find Viola

Find Wappa strains

Ball Family Farms: Clubber Lang

Fam. Clubber Lang from Ball Family Farms is a prize, do you hear me? I cracked that bag and damn near needed shades to look at the buds. Those milky-white trichomes were shining all over the place. Diamonds dancing like a Drake and Future song. And the smoke? Man, listen.

Ball Family Farms’ system of naming proprietary genetics after classic Black characters in cinema is so dope to me. Named after Mr. T’s character in Rocky III, Clubber Lang from BFF is an indica-dominant hybrid. It is a collaboration with the Sixty Four & Hope dispensary. Clubber Lang has a cookie dough flavor with a lingering sweetness to it. Honestly, after a few hits of it, it reminded me of the sweet bready flavors of birthday cake (the dessert, not the weed strain).

The effects do an excellent job of honoring the name. Clubber Lang was known for hard-hitting punches, and so is this weed. A few hits into it, I said, “oh yeah, the Ball Fam got a new hitter on their hands.”

For me, the Clubber Lang high started with a potent head high that eventually spread to my body. It had me like, “Wow, I did not mean to get this high. I love it.”

Available: California

Find Ball Family Farms

Huckleberry Hill Farms: Whitethorn Rose

Last, but certainly not least, is Whitethorn Rose from Huckleberry Hill Farms. It’s not a newly bred strain, but it is the most unique weed that I’ve come across since finding Flavor Crystals from Sub X in Seattle around February 2020.

Whitethorn Rose is a cross of Paradise Punch and Lemon OG. It was bred by John Casali of Huckleberry Hill Farms. With its incredibly diverse terpenes and fast onset of effects, Whitethorn Rose is a true example of how incredible sun-grown cannabis can be. You’d be doing your palette a true disservice by not smoking it.

Whitethorn Rose’s vibrant fruity flavor is what makes it so unique, it quite literally tastes like chewing up a handful of Skittles. Some have defined the flavors as sweet, berry, citrus, and even spicy with hints of cinnamon and cardamom. Whitethorn Rose’s complex flavor profile comes from its dominance in limonene, caryophyllene, and linalool. If there’s any strain on this list that you should definitely sprint out and get, it’s this one. It’s so good you might cry.

Available: California