Rastafari Rootzfest: Judging Sativa Weed Strains in Jamaica

The island of Jamaica has long been known the her earthy long-flowering sun-grown sativa.

Years ago, stoners had a plethora of exotic sativas from Colombia, Mexico,  Africa, Thailand, Vietnam and other tropical locales. Each had their own distinctive scents and characteristics—something wine aficionados call “terroir” or the essence of the soil. Some of those places have since replaced their cannabis crops with coca plants or poppies, but Jamaica’s sensi scene remains strong, with regional sativa grown in unique microclimates all over the island.

Though the majority of what’s available isn’t always dried and cured properly, the cream that rises to the top has a sweetness and giggly electricity that can’t be found anywhere else. It can remind you of the first time you ever smoked pot.

So, of course, I jumped at the chance to be a part of the sativa judging process to smoke and rate 22 different strains of organic ganja, all grown in Jamaica.

The first thing I did was to go through the entries and get a good look and sniff of every strain.

I quickly found that it was true; this was the weed of yesteryear—the stuff that old timers rave about when they talk about “the good old days”. Some were a bit too musty and dark for my taste and lacked flavor, but the ones I gravitated towards were sweet and fragrant with just a hint of earthiness.

In fact, several varieties really shined through.

The sativa high is perfect for this climate. The heat and sun can wear you down quickly, so a nice blast from a buzzy bud helps keep you going all day and night.

It was truly an honor to participate in this event, which will go down in marijuana freedom history.

Jah bless the Rastafari elders for working with us at High Times and hosting our first Cannabis Cup on the lovely island of Jamaica.

Cannabis freedom is here to stay, and that means anyone can travel here any time to experience the landrace sativa strains that make this amazing place so special and unique.