Some strains grab you from the name alone. As a born and raised Upstate New Yorker, Saratoga Springs has a special place in my heart. When Nikki Lawley showed me this bud at the B.L.O.O.M. Roc/ Good Life Gang event in Rochester in September, I knew I had to try it.
With a name that calls to one of Upstate’s most famous cities and one of the famous lineages in cannabis (Sour Diesel), this was a strain I couldn’t let slip through my fingers. It seems to be a newer lineage, so here’s what you need to know about the Saratoga Sour strain.
Saratoga Sour by Knack
Knack is a subsidiary of Fluent, which was formerly etain, before it was acquired.
The Lineage
Knack has not listed the parent strains of Saratoga Sour, but they are the original cultivators. I asked Lawley, who shared the strain’s history with me.
Saratoga Sour is a sativa-dominant hybrid strain bred from a cross of Grape Stomper x Sour Gorilla, which makes Sour Diesel and Chemdawg grandparent strains. It is a type I chemotype, THC dominant.
Some hybrids take on the characteristics of their parent strains while others go in the opposite direction. In this case, Saratoga Sour is a classic sativa strain; heady, cerebral, and a little unfocusing.
Bud Appearance
It was this nug that first caught my attention before Lawley shared the strain name with me – and who could resist a beautiful cone like this?
The bud was large, dense, and almost perfectly triangle-shaped. They were light green with slightly darker green leaves and thin threads of light orange hairs weaving their way through. It was heavy and reflective with trichomes (and these give the first hint towards just how strong this strain is.)
Aroma
Saratoga Sour does the Sour Diesel lineage proud, with a strong nose of gas. It’s made nuanced by the notes of earthiness and a light pop of citrus at the end. My nose isn’t quite practiced enough to tell what kind of citrus fruit, but I’d tentatively call it essence of orange.
Flavor
A dry hit of my joints brought gassiness and citrus to the front of the party. It was dank but light, missing the rich intensity of well-preserved terps. Once lit, the fruit flavor comes out strong with undertones of rich earthiness.
Effects
If I had to sum up Saratoga Sour in a word, it would be potent. This strain hits hard and fast with intensely uplifting, cerebral effects. Unlike some sativa strains, focus was not inherent in this one; it was dose-dependent.
When I first tried this strain, I enjoyed an entire joint to myself, and the high swept in quickly. I was totally distractible, prone to drifting off mid-sentence and falling into my thoughts. It was introspective but utterly without a clear train of thought.
Let me be clear: I liked this strain because I like sativas, but it’s strong. This strain played into my fears about indoor-grown cannabis and a lack of balance in the cannabinoids. While I still enjoyed every toke of Saratoga Sour, I had to do so mindfully. Too big a dose would derail my morning and send me straight into la-la land, where my mind carelessly jumped from one idea to the next.
If you’re someone with a high tolerance, this likely won’t be as noticeable for you. But if you’re like me and prefer the presence of minor cannabinoids with your THC, Saratoga Sour can easily knock you down.
No COA
This flower was a gift, so the packaging didn’t come with a QR code or instructions for finding a COA.
Saratoga Sour is a Classic Sativa
It can be challenging to find a good flower in New York. Swiping through dispensary iPads, you’ll find a long list of MSO-grown, high-potency bud and very few options for locally grown and owned.
Saratoga Sour is a strain that does Upstate New York proud. It’s not for the newbies or those with a low tolerance, unless you like a one-hitter quitter. If you’re in New York, I’d recommend getting your hands on some Saratoga Sour (and if it’s the right time of year, perhaps you can even enjoy it at the Saratoga track!)
