The Drop: 6 strains hitting menus in May

This month of The Drop, Dante Jordan’s column rounding up all the can’t-miss strains from the best brands and growers, looks at anticipated releases from INSANE, Subdued Excitement, Veritas, and more.

My favorite part of smoking weed is catching a new strain that just hit the shelves or checking out some new genetics that are sweeping through the industry. Those looking to cop new genetics the way sneakerheads scoop up limited runs on the SNKRS app know what I’m talking about. So every time I walk into a dispensary, my first questions are: “What’s new?” and “How fresh is it?” 

That’s why this column exists. Instead of having to constantly check your favorite brand’s Instagram page to see any news of a release, I’m looking to get all the can’t-miss drops right here in my new monthly column. Future columns will have strain news from your favorite brands, and I’m even planning to hear from growers themselves. 

To keep an eye on when your favorite brands drop new products, simply “favorite” strains and brands on Weedmaps and you’ll get notifications when they’re dropping in your area. All you need to do is make a profile here to get started. 

After reaching out to some of my preferred breeders, growers, PR teams, etc. to see what’s hitting the streets, The Drop is your new monthly answer.

INSANE: Maraschino Cherry

INSANE

If you know weed, then you know Cypress Hill helped make cannabis culture what it is today. You also know B-Real wouldn’t put out some garbage with the legendary reputation he has. That being said, in May, his INSANE brand by Dr. Greenthumb flower line is dropping a new strain called Maraschino Cherry. 

It is indica-dominant, has thick hairy buds, and the sweet, floral flavor screams cherry blossoms. For the terp-heads, the fruit-centric strain is packed with limonene, humulene, and linalool.

Available: California 

22Red: LA Punk

22Red

22Red is a brand owned by Shavo Odadjian from System of a Down. This month, they’re dropping a new strain called LA Punk, a lil’ indica-dominant job with Sunset Sherbert lineage. 

The brand’s founder told me that it has that berry sweet but earthy Sunset Sherbert vibe and kicks out a stoney hours-long type of high. Additionally, this is a proprietary cut that Shavo plans on keeping as an exclusive, so LA Punk will be in rotation for a little while.

Available: California 

Subdued Excitement: Apple Fritter 

Subdued Excitement

Subdued Excitement is one of my favorite growers in Washington. The team used to put out some of the best GMO I’ve ever seen, and now they’ve got Apple Fritter in the garden too. Apple Fritter seems to be the next strain that’s about to be in every hybrid on every menu, but I’m good with that. It really is a pretty enjoyable high. 

Apple Fritter is a cross of Sour Apple and Animal Cookies that makes you feel content and comfortable. The high reminds me of some old school Blue Dream, while the nose on Sub X’s Apple Fritter smells just like sweet candy apples. On the taste, it comes through slightly sweet and earthy. Caryophyllene, limonene, and pinene are its dominant terpenes.

Available: Washington 

Freddy’s Fuego: Oreo Blizzy 

Freddy’s Fuego

Freddy’s Fuego is known for gas. That Larry Cake and Hell’s Bells they put out last year is still some of the tastiest weed I’ve ever come across, so anytime they have something fresh coming down the pipeline, I’m on it. 

Oreo Blizzy is a new strain they’ve phenohunted and are mad excited about. It’s a cross of Ice Cream Cake and Sunset Sherbert. It has that familiar gassy kick that Freddy’s is known for, with a spicy, somewhat floral complement to the taste. The effects are nice too, definitely a good afternoon smoke. It’s got one of those highs that settles you down right after 2 p.m., when you’ve realized that it’s okay to just finish what you can for the day, instead of getting stressed about all of the things you can’t. Know what I mean? One of those. 

Available: Washington 

Eastwood Gardens: Horchata x Runtz 

The first place I went to after getting back to Portland from Costa Rica was Archive. The first strain I heard someone ask for was Horchata x Runtz. That dispensary didn’t have it but I found it somewhere else, and BOY. Eastwood Gardens done done it again.

Eastwood is a brand known for putting out super potent, gassy strains, and this Horchata x Runtz that they dropped on Cinco de Mayo is no different. First Elephant Ears, now this. 

The flower is stupid coated with trichomes on top of the Prince-suit-purple buds that scream diesel flavors. And the high? Stoney. As. Hell. It hits all in the head and eventually leaves you feeling stuck in a trance. You definitely don’t want to miss this drop. Peep their Instagram to know which stores have it.

Available: Oregon 

Veritas Fine Cannabis: Forbidden Melonz 

Veritas Fine Cannabis

I don’t have much experience with the products in Colorado, but when I visited Denver last year for a sit-around-the-crib-and-do-nothing bachelor party with some friends, that Strawberry Shortcake from Veritas stuck out to me. I reached out to them to see what they had hitting the block for the month, and at the top of May, they’re running their very first cut of a new strain called Forbidden Melonz. 

Forbidden Melonz is a cross of (Forbidden Fruit x Zkittlez) that was then crossed with Melonaid. A few stores you can find it at include: A Cut Above, Colorado Best Budz, and Cookies in Denver. A full list of dispensaries where the strain will be sold will be listed on the Veritas website’s “Find-Us” map.

Available: Colorado 

Featured image by Gina Coleman/Weedmaps