Profile + Review: Dutch Treat (Flower)
Read on for more...
Origin and Popularity
While its origin remains somewhat mysterious, this strain is believed to have been brought into existence by Jordan of the Islands, a renowned Canadian breeder out of Vancouver Island, who fused the ever-popular Northern Lights (heavy euphoria and sedation) and Haze (energetic and creative) strains to create this beauty¹. Dutch Treat’s gentle relaxing and chat-producing qualities give us a few clues to its popularity and cult-status in Amsterdam coffeehouse culture. In addition, this cultivar’s Northern Lights parent is highly respected in the region and is believed to have been cared for and bred by what later became Holland’s own Sensi Seeds, the world’s largest cannabis seed producer and seed bank. The strain also enjoys acclaim by breeders, growers, and enthusiasts stateside, having received honors at the 2012 LA Medical Cannabis Cup² and the 2019 Seattle Cannabis Cub³.
Genetics (Northern Lights x Haze)
Dutch Treat is regarded as a hybrid cultivar, which is helpful in describing its balanced physical and mental effects. In the Northern Lights parent, you have a relaxing strain with notes of earthy spice and subtly sweet citrus, powered by high myrcene (dank earth), caryophyllene (spice), and limonene (lemon!) levels. Fun fact, Northern Lights is the product of Thai and Afghani landraces (or original strains - hearty, distinct profiles that cropped up in certain global environments before commercialization).
In the Haze parent, we have a much more energizing and mentally stimulating strain (pinene as a leading terpene), that has its own set of spicy-earthy and slightly fruity notes, with myrcene and caryophyllene rounding out its top three terpenes. When these two strains come together and produce Dutch Treat, you get a unique “middle of the road” cross of the very different effects of its parents.
Here, the more simplified indica/sativa/hybrid naming convention can get a little wonky. Both Cannabis Cups mentioned earlier were awarded to Dutch Treat in the Sativa category (even though the Hybrid award category exists), whereas Leafwell treats it as an indica-leaning hybrid⁴. Wikileaf categorizes the strain as an indica (4). Because the terms indica, sativa, and hybrid come from physical descriptions of our understanding of differing plant shapes and our associated experiences, there’s some room for wiggle. Regardless, this strain provides measurable physical and mental relief.
Read more about strain classification ins and outs here.
Now let’s get into this gorgeous flower some more:
Experience Notes
To best take in the experience of this strain, I made time for multiple sessions so that I could reflect on and tune my observations. I enjoyed a few joints (rolled in NYC’s own ASH papers) and some time with my Crafty+ dry herb vaporizer. Note: If “dry herb vaporizer” sounds like alien technology, don’t worry. Dry herb vaping is a method for heating plant material up enough to extract flavors/aromas/effects without producing smoke and the negative health effects of combustion. I highly recommend portable or desktop dry herb vapes to those who enjoy flower (or mixing flower with concentrate) but want to cut back on smoking and taste more of the actual plant itself.
Aroma
This strain has a green and punchy nose, with notes of sharp pine, mint, astringent citrus, and crisp aromatics many find reminiscent of eucalyptus. One deep inhale woke up my senses and instantly made my mouth water in a way that reminded me of the classic energizer Jack Herer.
Taste
On first inhale, I experienced a bright and clean open of pine and earthy greens, with a relatively low “funk factor”. Instead, I found these flavors to be wrapped up in a delicate sweetness taking on the flavors of citrus, apples, and pears. Pops of peppercorn sparkled on my palette as I let the smoke linger.
Smoke Profile
In keeping with its only slightly skunky taste, I found Dutch Treat’s clouds to have a lighter-smelling profile and linger. Resinous pine and woodsy notes really opened up and transformed as the flower burned up. I was taken aback by, and muttered to myself bewilderedly about the fragrant woody notes of palo santo/gaiac wood that seemed to be streaming from my joint like incense.
Effects
I went into this session curious, but admittedly a little tired from a full day and a lack of sleep from the night before. The first thing I noticed after lighting up was that my social meter started to rev. I caught myself at numerous times expressing my joy out loud in not-so-quiet expressions of “Oh. My. God.” and “no no no that’s...pear.” I was also able to get in the mindset to synthesize some product feedback I had wanted to deliver earlier in the day. I felt social but not in an energetic and anxious “squeeze toy in my chest” kind of way. I instead felt relaxed and easygoing, with a more natural desire and ability to engage and put creative thoughts together.
Pronounced physical effects followed naturally from the mellow social buzz. I noticed relief and relaxation start in my head and work its way down my body. What felt like pressure behind my eyes and in my head started getting deflated away by the breath. That loosening trickled down my neck, spine, shoulders, and to the rest of my body until I was fully in the flower’s embrace. What made this strain great for me, from a physical perspective, is that it provided noticeable relief without making me feel “couch-locked” or unable to be expressive in my body. With additional social and thought-provoking properties, I would find the soothing effects of Dutch Treat a great fit for:
A relaxing evening with friends or in nature
Journaling, meditating
Engaging in flow-based dance or movement like yoga or tai chi
For an in-depth look behind this flower (and the crew responsible for bringing its beauty to Brooklyn and beyond), read on here.
Sources
1 - “Dutch Treat Marijuana Strain Information.” Wikileaf, www.wikileaf.com/strain/dutch-treat/. Accessed 20 June 2024.
2 - Downs, David. “2012 High Times L.A. Medical Cannabis Cup Winners.” East Bay Express, 15 Feb. 2012, eastbayexpress.com/2012-high-times-la-medical-cannabis-cup-winners-1/.
3 - “The Winners of the 2019 Seattle Cannabis Cup Aka Dopeland.” High Times, 19 Aug. 2019, www.cannabiscup.com/winners-2019-seattle-cannabis-cup-aka-dopeland/.
4 - “Dutch Treat Marijuana Strain.” Leafwell, leafwell.com/cannabis-strains/dutch-treat. Accessed 20 June 2024.