Mandarin Cookies Cannabis Strain Review + Info
A potent, excellent strain, Mandarin Cookies offers both incredible flavors and fantastic effects all in one.
Flavors
Common Usage
Effects
Growing Info
There are innumerable cannabis strains out there that breeders and cultivators wish to share with the world. Classic strains like OG Kush and Girl Scout Cookies are all about sharing the love and spreading their genetics across the world.
While this is a beautiful ethos to have as a cannabis grower, there are some strains that are simply too good to share with the world. There are a few strains that must be protected to help preserve their unique genetics.
The Mandarin Cookies strain from Ethos Genetics is one such strain. As a trademarked, proprietary strain, you will struggle to find this outside of Ethos Genetics’ stores.
But, if you were to get lucky enough to find some at a dispensary, what can you expect? What is the Mandarin Cookies strain like?
What Is the Mandarin Cookies Strain?
The Mandarin Cookies strain has a surprisingly controversial breeding history, with various dispensaries arguing about its specific parent strains.
The creators and original breeders, however, provide a very clear and definitive answer. They used both Ethos Cookies #12 and Mandarin Sunset to create this potent sativa-leaning hybrid, despite others’ insistence that it comes from Girl Scout Cookies.
Regardless of its parent strains, Mandarin Cookies is a strain you have to be careful of. Toking aside, this strain has a tendency to dominate when used in cross-breeding experiments.
There is a general assumption that both parent strains will contribute equally to the resulting strain’s effects and flavor. However, if you use Mandarin Cookies as a parent in a new strain experiment, you will likely end up with a slightly altered Mandarin Cookies phenotype rather than a true crossbreed.
As a result, this strain is typically only used for recreational and therapeutic purposes, rather than as a parent strain.
But that’s fine, because Mandarin Cookies’ effects make it worth it to grow and keep regardless. The moment you first smoke Mandarin Cookies weed, you will notice an intense head rush and a big burst of energy filling your body.
Any negative thoughts, feelings, or emotions will dissipate, leaving you feeling happy and carefree as if you didn’t have a care in the world. The high starts to develop as it goes, progressing into more of a mental experience and leaving your body in a peaceful, chilled out restfulness.
Being primarily sativa in its genetics, this strain won’t really knock you out, but the relaxation it offers makes it very easy to fall asleep at the end of its high.
Aroma
With such a flavorful sounding name, it is no wonder that this strain possesses such an incredible aroma and flavor profile.
As you crumble Mandarin Cookies’ buds, expect an intense rush of earthy aromas, plus a kick of classic kush as well. However, the primary aroma is one of pleasant citrus fruits; imagine a crushed lime fruit mixed with a kiwi, and you will get close to the aroma profile of this strain.
Flavor
While its aroma is undoubtedly a strong positive, it is the flavor of Mandarin Cookies that keeps people coming back to it. As the name would suggest, expect the bright taste of mandarins to coat your tongue as you take your first puff of this strain.
The flavor is acidic, tangy, and vibrant, with a wonderful undertone of complex citrus and herbaceous flavors. There are even a few nutty flavors on the back-end that really show themselves as you exhale.
The experience is like biting into a big mandarin that is especially sweet. There are so many extra flavors that your head almost feels dizzy trying to comprehend all the foods it reminds you of.
Appearance
Mandarin Cookies’ buds are surprisingly gorgeous, different from most other sativa-leaning strains. The nugs are exceptionally long and thick, looking almost like green beans hanging from luscious vines.
If the strain has been subjected to cold temperatures during the last few days of its growing cycle, then the buds also show a bit of purple beneath the green leaves. This gives it a wonderful second layer of color, perfectly contrasting with the deep yellow and amber pistils coating the buds.
There is also a great deal of flavorful white trichomes that poke up between the leaves of this bud, letting you know you are in for an exceptionally potent experience.
Mandarin Cookies Strain Grow Info
Growing your own Mandarin Cookies can be a pretty arduous experience because the original breeders keep tight control on this strain. Mandarin Cookies seeds are only available in feminized form in an effort to control home breeding experiments using this strain.
In fact, most places don’t actually stock Mandarin Cookies seeds, and Ethos Cookies themselves don’t always keep it in stock either. Your only hope is to find someone already growing Mandarin Cookies and obtain a clone from them.
If you get lucky enough to get a hold of a Mandarin Cookies clone – or even some seeds – look forward to a smooth growing experience.
Being a sativa, it can tick along pretty well with too much interference, though a little bit of trimming and temperature control go a long way. Just like most sativa-leaning hybrids, Mandarin Cookies tends to grow quite tall and thin, so it might require tethering to ensure that it doesn’t topple over itself.
To encourage more lateral, sideways growth, it would be best to trim down the plant’s tip in a process known as topping. This will encourage the plant to put its effort into growing to the side, creating more useful branches that will give you harvestable bud.
Expect a pretty typical eight to ten weeks to flower and a pretty low nutritional requirement when growing this strain. Besides topping, trimming, and light manipulation, you really don’t need to do too much work at all, making it perfect for inexperienced growers.
THC Content – Highest Test
Mandarin Cookies cannabis is well known for not only being incredibly delicious but also for its incredible potency.
While the precise quantity of THC in this strain is under some dispute, Ethos Genetics and various lab tests show the THC content of Mandarin Cookies to top out at around 26%.
This is an incredibly potent THC quantity and is more than enough to overwhelm even the most frequent of marijuana users.
CBD Content – Highest Test
Most cannabis strains that have been bred to be as potent as possible tend to not have much CBD content, with most having absolutely none at all.
Mandarin Cookies is a little different, however. Despite all odds, the breeders of this strain have managed to add a little bit of CBD to its huge quantity of THC, balancing everything out.
Expect around 1% CBD in your Mandarin Cookies bud, which is certainly a lot better than most strains.
Medical Benefits of the Mandarin Cookies Strain
When you get a cannabis strain that boasts so many relaxing and happiness-inducing feelings, it is only natural that people will look to use it as a medical strain.
Mandarin Cookies can be a great help when it comes to treating both stress and anxiety, thanks to its ability to make you forget all your problems. From the moment you first try Mandarin Cookies, you will find yourself incapable of remembering what was troubling you.
Mandarin Cookies also has excellent use in inspiring creativity. While this is pretty common in sativa-leaning strains, Mandarin Cookies is well known as a powerhouse strain for kick-starting your creativity.
If you are struggling to finish any projects or creative tasks, a little bit of Mandarin Cookies might be just what you need.
It isn’t just psychological issues that this strain can help with, though; it is also helpful when it comes to physical ailments.
Those struggling with long-term chronic pain conditions could find some relief from this strain. Mandarin Cookies’ high THC content allows it to suppress pain and ensure that your day is a little bit brighter. Furthermore, migraine sufferers can enjoy some relief as this strain is considered a good one for holding back the pain of migraines.
Just like the fruity, citrus-forward flavor profile of this strain, Mandarin Cookies will leave your day bright and shining, without any cares in the world.
Possible Side Effects of the Mandarin Cookies Strain
As is the case with all potent cannabis strains, there are always going to be a few side effects.
First of all, expect both dry mouth and dry eyes to make an appearance after smoking Mandarin Cookies. They aren’t anything to worry about, though, as a nice cold glass of water and some eye drops will take care of them without too much work.
The only real side effects of this strain that you need to concern yourself with are to do with taking too much. As Mandarin Cookies is a particularly potent cannabis strain, it is easy to accidentally smoke too much at once.
While most people would like to think that they can handle any amount of cannabis, the truth is that certain strains, like this one, have a lot of THC in them. So if you wind up taking too much at any one time, then you are going to feel a few extra side effects.
Taking too much will likely lead to spikes of anxiety, as well as feelings of both paranoia and overstimulation. Migraines are also another reported side effect of taking too much Mandarin Cookies, which is especially odd considering that many people use this strain to help treat migraines.
As long as you are careful with the amount you take at any one time, you should be fine.
Final Thoughts on the Mandarin Cookies Strain
The Mandarin Cookies strain is considered pretty elusive among most cannabis lovers; it’s both hard to find and hard to get seeds to grow your own.
However, some dispensaries and online stores sell it, so if you are lucky enough to find it, you should grab it when you can.
Bursting with rich, vibrant flavor and packing a hugely creative and pleasant high, this is a strain designed for chilled out afternoons. However, it is also great for when you need a bit of a creative push to keep you moving in a positive direction.
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