Before we get this review started, let me just say right up front that Sour Diesel is my absolute favorite Sativa strain. And that means I am both very excited when I try a new version of the strain, and also very critical of a Sour Diesel that doesn’t hold up.

I’ve smoked numerous versions of this strain over the years, from the very top shelf to some rather questionable versions. I expect two very special qualities from a Sour D – a pungent gassy aroma and a gentle, lifting high. When I don’t find these two things I wonder what I’ve just smoked… back in the day I had dealers and collectives try and pass off lesser quality herb as Sour D, just because the name recognition. Sad, but true. My bad experiences with substandard Sour D is what helped me learn to really appreciate it when I came across the real thing!

I am, by default, an Indica guy… I really like Indica-leaning hybrids, the OGs, and the Kush strains. Many Sativas leave me jittery and unsatisfied, so I tend to steer away from them. This is kind of funny because a lot of my first experiences with the herb was smoking Sativa-dominant strains like the original Humboldt Skunk of the early eighties.

The first time I smelled the amazing gassy, diesel aroma of a genuine Sour Diesel, I was hooked – I didn’t care if it was a Sativa or an Indica – I just wanted to smoke that smell. This must have been about twenty years ago. It stood out so strongly from the piney, earthy, grassy herb that was so common at the time… herb my dealers just called “pot” because it wasn’t even a known strain.

Fast forward to 2021, and my, times have changed, haven’t they?!

I was herb shopping last weekend down in Desert Hot Springs at Desert’s Finest – the closest dispensary to our hi-desert cabin. I keep going back to Desert’s Finest for several reasons – they include all the taxes in their menu prices, and they give me a 10% discount because I’m over 55. I had gone there with my mind on an herb from Glass House Farms called True OG. While the bud tender was looking for the jar I noticed they had some Sour Diesel from the same company, and I quickly changed my order!

We had just filmed a review of a hemp version of Sour Diesel that left me a bit disappointed and I needed a positive experience with a classic, old school cannabis Sour D. I recently had a positive experience with Glass House Farms’ version of GG4, so I had high hopes (no pun intended) as I left the dispensary with my herb.

The Look, Smell and Taste

Sour Diesel tends to be a light green color with abundant orange hairs. Because it’s a Sativa it doesn’t have the density that chunky Kush nugs have, but instead have elongated buds that are on the small side and a bit airy and fluffy. This version looked exactly as I would have expected from a genuine Sour D… we were definitely headed in the right direction!

When I poured the 3.46 gram eighth out on the tray I was already in diesel heaven… from the moment I opened the jar a cloud hit me – there was a hint of sweetness, but mostly the smell was intensely diesel. It was exactly what I was hoping for when I saw the jar sitting on the shelf at the dispensary! Just from the smell I could tell we were looking at a premium version of Sour Diesel. Unfortunately the herb was just a bit dry, so when I cut up the well-cured nugs they crumbled a bit… if I had been using my new grinder I would have collected a good amount of kief. [Note: I put the nugs in a mason jar with a Boveda humidity pack and that solved the dryness overnight.]

I loaded the herb up in to my bong and eagerly took a hit! The flavor was delightfully lemony with an atmosphere of diesel. The first taste sensation was sweet lemon, like a Lemonhead candy, and that quickly changed to a sour lemon flavor. The gassy flavors that permeated the smoke were not overwhelming, which is good because enormous diesel flavors can be quite a mouthful. The aftertaste was subtly minty… all-in-all, a great flavor profile!

The smell and taste were so close to Holy Grail territory and was nearly a religious experience – I just wanted to thank God for creating such an amazing plant!

The Effects

There are times I want the herb to hit me like a Mack truck – times when I really need to shift my perspective, fast! That is not what I’m looking for when I settle into a sesh with Sour Diesel, no sir! Instead I am looking for a powerful, yet gentle high – a high that comes in like a good friend, ready to give me a hand up and lift me above the aches and pains of life. It is my Holy Grail of Sativa effects.

This version by Glass House Farms nailed the Sour D effects to a tee – completely spot on! The first few minutes after smoking I felt the cannabinoids move peacefully through my body, relaxing my muscles and my slightly over-stressed nerves. It felt like all my nerves became untangled and insulated with an air cushion. As the relaxed feelings saturated my body the mental lifting began. Within ten minutes I transitioned from a low energy state to a higher state without a discernible line between when I wasn’t high, and when I knew I was high.

If you want an herb that motivates you, puts a lift in your step and puts the day on the right track, I recommend Sour Diesel because that’s exactly what it does for me. Of course we all are a bit different, so this herb may affect you differently, just saying…

The high continued on a subtle level for at least an hour, I’m not exactly sure when it faded out because it wasn’t like a drug wearing off and all of life’s troubles come rushing back in… when this faded so had the aches and pains and I had a lifted mindset for the rest of the evening!

That subtle high was very powerful though – empowering – motivating me to dive into a project that I could have easily put off and just chilled. Instead, I got into the project and enjoyed the process the whole way! I stopped to re-up on another bong toke, but was so involved in my project I forgot to finish the bowl.

The Wrap Up

My hat is off to Glass House Farms, they have done it again, and made me a very happy customer! Their GG4 was great and this Sour D was even better, at least in my book. This is exactly the high I was looking for when I bought the jar, so I’m giving this two thumbs up – and if I had a little extra cash on hand I’d get in my car a drive down to Desert’s Finest and stock up on as many jars as I could afford!

Until later, best of health.

The Low Down