If you’ve been around this industry, you know High Times as one of the number one places to get your cannabis news. They talk about everything from the very first strains ever cultivated to some of the legal battles being fought to bring cannabis to the federal market. That all being said, there are very few strains out there that earn the High Times’ prestigious label of “legendary,” but Skunk #1 earned that and more. In this strain spotlight, we’re going to pay this prolific hybrid its due.

What is Skunk #1?

Hop in for a little bit of time travel because we’re heading back a few decades to the 1960s and 70s. During this time, the marijuana growing industry shifted from focusing solely on landraces to creating hybrids of these landraces. This started an influx of hybrid marijuana plants, and one of the most well-known strains from this era of hybridization is Skunk #1.

Skunk #1 (aka Skunk or the Original Skunk #1) is an indica-dominant hybrid (65% indica and 35% sativa) that was given its name because of its scent—a punch of pure skunk. Likely, the popularity of Skunk #1 spread like wildfire because its THC levels were so moderate, making it friendly for both recreational consumers new to the industry and seasoned cannabis experts.

Today, many strains owe their heritage to Skunk #1.

At some point in California during the 1970s, three prolific landraces—Afghani, Acapulco Gold, and Columbian Gold—were brought together by Sacred Seed Co. to create Skunk #1. Eventually, Skunk #1 was brought to the Netherlands, where it became the parent strain to an impressive number of hybrid plants, including White Widow.

You can likely guess the answer to this question. Skunk #1 smells like skunk. Actually, that skunk smell is one of the main reasons why Skunk #1 started to be grown indoors—its stench was too much. There are some nuances to the scent, however. Some cannabis enthusiasts say they can smell some sweetness to the strain, others insist it’s more sour-scented than anything. Without question, if you plan to consume Skunk #1, be sure you’re in a well-ventilated spot or plan on smelling it long after it’s lit.

With a scent like skunk, you might be worried that this hybrid has an overall unpleasant flavor but that isn’t the case. Skunk #1 tastes earthy with just a hint of sour to that flavor. There are some reports there’s also a bit of pine to the flavor too, but overall, it’s not considered unpleasant tasting at all.

Because Skunk #1 is one of the original hybrids, it’s safe to say it has created a number of strains and also inspired a number of others. Here are a few of our favorite skunky strains:

Indica-Dominant Hybrid

Like Skunk #1, Super Skunk is a 65% indica and 35% sativa hybrid created by a cross with the Afghani landrace. Its THC levels tend to be on the high end of moderate at 19% THC, and it also has just a splash of CBD in it too at 1%. While you absolutely can get that skunk flavor and aroma with this strain, Super Skunk also tends to lean a little spicy and sweet, making it unique to its parent strains.

Sativa-Dominant Hybrid

A sativa-leaning hybrid, Lemon Skunk was created using a cross of two unnamed Skunk phenotypes to capitalize on their lemony flavor. Though there is a skunky flavor and aromatic undertone to this strain that makes it fit in perfectly with the Skunk family, it leans sweet and citrusy in flavor and tangy in aroma. Lemon Skunk climbs the THC charts a little bit, topping off at 22% THC. It also has 1% CBD and 1% CBN.

Sativa-Dominant Hybrid

If you’re looking for a skunky sativa-dominant strain, look no further. Thanks to a cross between Skunk #1 and a strain in the Purps family, Purple Skunk lives up to its parentage with a sweet-meets-skunky flavor and aroma that tastes and smells like grapes. Purple Skunk remains in moderate levels of THC at 18%, and like Lemon Skunk, it also has 1% CBN in it.

There’s something fascinating about indulging in one of the original hybrids, and because of this, we get a lot of questions about Skunk #1. Here are just a couple of the most common questions and their answers:

Is Skunk #1 indica or sativa?
Skunk #1 is an indica-dominant hybrid.

Is Skunk #1 a strong strain?
Skunk #1 is a moderately strong strain with up to 19% THC.

Is the Skunk #1 strain exotic?
Skunk #1 is not considered exotic because it has been used to create countless hybrids, and it continues to be enjoyed today.
 

Purchasing Skunk #1

It’s almost impossible to walk into one of our dispensaries and not find a Skunk-family strain available. Talk to your favorite budtender to see if they stock the OG Skunk—Skunk #1—and if they don’t, they’ll be able to show you other skunky varieties they have available to try. You might even discover that one of your favorite strains owes its lineage to Skunk #1.