A name can mean everything or nothing about a strain, which got us deeply pondering when this huge sample nug came our way from Oasis in Phoenix. As a moniker, “Garlicane” is so specific that we just had to see how well it lived up to its name. And live, it did. An amalgamation of GMO Cookies and Slurricane, this mutant is essentially an immense variety of hybrids and landraces squeezed into a complex lineage, all coming together in a well-rounded but heavy indica that satisfies both ends of the spectrum. 

   The selection resembled Wonderland-grown cloves. The nugs were pleasantly plump and “trichome-laden,” bright neon with dark indigo calyx peeking through grisly auburn hair. The taste was just as exotic: we were treated to the blueberry-lemonade of OG, layered with the full fruity splash of Gizmo, with the earthy creaminess of GSC playing a postlude. She indeed possessed a wild spice, a musky, almost “Umami” essence that was -- you guessed it -- admittedly reminiscent of garlic. 

   True to form, first puffs brought on a “slow moving hurricane” and we could feel ourselves getting “more stoned by the minute” as the pulsating waves brought us comfortably into welcoming shores. Almost immediately, we were subdued, in-tune with the world’s rhythms. Both mind and body were stimulated, abuzz, pacified and reverberating, while also lifting higher into the clouds with random thoughts and whimsical euphoria. 

   We were very relaxed. “VERY RELAXED,” repeated one critic. “It helped me decompress and enhanced motivation,” wrote another. We weren’t pulverized or comatose -- simply, mellowed. Forgetting life’s turbulence, all senses were heightened despite the phenomenal chill. That made for a great dining prelude, bolstering each flavor by 1000% -- such that even the plainest of cuisine was absolutely delicious, the best feast we’d ever enjoyed. 

   The experience lasted from 1-3 hours, for many of us, in a drowsy dive for the couch or bed. Still, we felt the full spectrum of effects, each experience unique to the critic. And the cool thing is, phenotype to phenotype of this strain from AZ Nectar Farms varies enough that you can widen that spectrum even further (sibling “E” reportedly has a stronger undertow than our “F” sample). If you’re looking for a light night cap full of thrills and joy, look no further than this bold beauty--you’ll never forget a name like “Garlicane.”