VidaCann recently announced the addition of several new strains to their lineup: Gelato #33, MAC 1, Super Lemon Haze, and Durban Poison.

Durban Poison is said to have been carefully bred and selected through generations of South African landrace strains, and perfected in Amsterdam – leaving the world with the “espresso of cannabis” – a clearheaded- sweet-smelling sativa that is known for its energetic and motivational effects.

I’ve tried a phenotype of Durban Poison once before, in the form of Fluent’s “Atlas” strain (review here.)

As always, I am interested to see how the same strain will compare at different MMTCs. What I found is that VidaCann’s phenotype is much different from the “Atlas”.

Quick Facts:

Durban Poison (Sativa)

Price at time of review: $50/eighth (Tier 1)

Lineage: Derived from South African landrace sativa

Cannabinoids

THC: 19.55%

CBD: 0.06%

CBG: 0.56%

Total Cannabinoids: 20.07%

Terpenes

Total Terpenes: 2.42% (Kudos to VidaCann and RiSE for including this information on the labels!)

Terpene breakdown and percentages coming soon – check back periodically for updates!

Appearance/Cure

If you’re looking for a strain that has a lot of “bag appeal” (which is one of the least important aspects to me as a medical patient, personally), this is not going to be the strain – or at least the batch – for you. It looks a lot like what pure sativa plants are described as: long, airy, skinny buds with a light green color.

Beyond the inherent properties of the strain genetics, however, I’ve seen much better flower from VidaCann recently. While this flower does manage to be quite sticky, it is very dry – to the point that even a week with an Integra 62% two-way humidity pack was barely able to restore it.

The trim on this eighth was also lacking compared to other recent Vidacann flower I’ve gotten, and there are a lot of leaves (and even parts of the buds) that show signs of light burn. You can see that with the yellowed specks on the flower in the images above.

Finally, the trichomes are small and clear, possibly indicating that the flower was harvested too soon.

While I think this cut of Durban Poison is a good strain (and that will be more evident in the following rating categories), this eighth unfortunately doesn’t seem to come close to reaching the full potential of these genetics.

Appearance/Cure Rating: 5.00/10.00

Smell/Taste

Right out of the jar, the smell of this eighth of Durban Poison is mild, but noticeable. It’s a bit sweet, a bit herbal, a bit earthy, and slightly musky/funky.

When the buds are broken apart or ground up, however, the smell of this flower changes considerably. A diesel/gas aroma becomes one of the dominant smells, coupled with a sweetness, and an almost “nutty” aroma – perhaps like roasted pecans?

Smoking this flower yields a musky, herbal, and sweet taste, with a slightly spicy note on the exhale.

This isn’t a standout strain in the smell & taste category, but it is nice for what it is.

Smell/Taste Rating: 5.90/10.00

Effects/Medical Use

This category is where VidaCann’s Durban Poison really shines, and makes up for the deficiencies in the previous two categories.

This strain and/or phenotype is everything I would expect from a pure “sativa” strain. It is energizing, it is motivating, and it is uplifting. Beyond that, I find this particular cut to be particularly useful for sparking creativity, helping to me to break down any barriers that would otherwise prevent me from tapping in to all of the creative potential that is available.

Just one small hit of this early in the morning is enough to ensure my depression, anxiety, and PTSD are kept at bay throughout the entire workday. The effects of this cut of Durban Poison are also clearheaded, as is often advertised in descriptions of this strain found online. The description “espresso of cannabis” is fitting.

With all that being said, VidaCann’s Durban Poison is most likely best reserved for early morning to early afternoon use. I would not recommend consuming this strain before bed, or in the evening hours.

Possibly good for treating:

• Depression
• Lack of energy
• Lack of appetite
• Minor headaches
• Relief of minor skeletal/muscular aches and pains
• Good for general enjoyment of life/activities
• May help spark creativity

I’m definitely no medical doctor, so please take the preceding conditions only as my own personal observations from using this strain and having experience with a multitude of different cannabis strains. Everybody is different, and every body reacts differently to various medications. 

Effects Rating: 8.50/10.00

Overall Rating: 6.46/10.00

Overall, I would best describe Durban Poison as a “pretty good” sativa strain from VidaCann.

Of the new sativa strains at VidaCann, I prefer Super Lemon Haze at this point – but I do think that Vidacann will have better batches of Durban Poison available in the future. I don’t think this batch reached the full potential of these genetics.

However, my other experiences with VidaCann in 2021 have been excellent, and I will continue to sample and review their new strains as they become available.

As always, thank you for reading, and here’s hoping that you have a great 2021!

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