Word of advice for smoking with the oldheads, be prepared to hear about the good old days. They aren’t easily impressed either. Not only are long-time users living in its present renaissance, but they saw the golden age of cannabis. Afghani, Landraces, Kush, and Chronics, I understand completely.
Many lived in an era where some of the worst buds ever, were still alongside the purest and most extraordinary strains of all time, there was no in-between. This is no discredit to hybrids of course, but the reality is that many of us won’t have the pleasure of experiencing some incredible strains in their most potent and natural forms, especially sativas.
Panama Red
Alternative Solutions
CLASS: S
GENOTYPE: Sativa Landrace
PHENOTYPE: Sticky, Musky, Dense, Peppery, Frosty, Piney, Purple
OVERALL RATING: S
I understand how important sativas can be for stress, anxiety, and staying on the go. Personally, it never felt like I could produce my desired effects from sativa strains. Either they were too mild and I smoked right through them, or instead of relieving anxiety, the opposite effect occurred. Also, although sativas excel at mood elevation, they lack consistency for me when it comes to aches and pains. Often, I’ll have to block out the issue mentally, and doing so while trying to enjoy flower can dampen the experience. I felt I had already seen what sativas had to offer me, but I respected what they could do for others. Regardless, there was one sativa that I noticed is constantly in the back of everyone’s mind, and would jump off the tongues of even the heaviest and most long-term cannabis users.
Panama Red.
Alternative Solutions does a fantastic job keeping this classic in rotation. Panama Red has been around since the 60s, but Alt-Sol breathes new life into it. I will never forget the face my father made the first time he tried Panama Red with me. Watching an OG fan light up from a sativa is an incredible feeling. As a pure landrace, it can be easy to assume that Panama Red will be focused, energetic, and mentally stimulating, similar to others in its class.
But no…No. It is the pure definition of being stoned. I’m sorry if that’s a blunt way of putting it but I am speechless.
Y’all let me explain something to you. I am sitting here right now, with half a joint of Panama Red, watching it burn in my hand as I come up with words to describe how I’m feeling.
Seriously…this? This is DIFFERENT.
Panama Red is such a unique sativa, it makes you rethink the entire classification. I have not seen sativas the same way since I tried this strain. The smell that it lets off is so potent, that the moment you open the lid you are met with a pine musk that pulls you in by the nostrils. For me, it even has a subtle biscotti-like hint to it, likely due to the magical curing process by those at Alt-Sol. Purple hues surround it entirely, but it’s covered in a sea of trichomes so dense that I can’t even make out what shade of green it is.
All of my stress was obliterated after the first few pulls and now it’s as if Panama Red has wrapped itself between and behind my eyes. Personally, I have not felt this blissful and carefree in what feels like forever. Although some sativas are focused and intended to be thought-provoking, Panama Red performs in the exact opposite way. The heaviness that it provides stays cerebral for a long time, and my worries feel practically non-existent.
The peace it provided was so dense and serene, it almost turned me into a bobblehead. My pain felt alleviated without making my body heavy, and I found myself getting up and doing tasks like walking my dog and cleaning the house without even thinking about what I was doing. As fantastic as these effects were, I wouldn’t recommend Panama Red for those who look for more mentally alert sativas. The euphoria Panama Red provides is so heavy that it can be hard to focus on the tasks in front of you.
Panama Red is a strain I would recommend for decompressing after a long day at work or on a day off while binging your shows. Don’t be surprised when you crash though. Panama Red is a roller coaster of effects, and naturally, once you have reached its mental peak, you may feel it drop down more in between the eyes and eyelids; quieting thoughts to the point where feel yourself drifting off to sleep. This is due to Panama Red’s abundant terpene profile that is stacked with myrcene and caryophyllene, two essential oils often found in Indica flowers.
Although Panama Red is a sativa landrace, it can be enjoyed by most consumers, even Indica users, due to its incredible entourage of effects. You may notice an immediate hint of pinene that stimulates Panama Red’s mental relief; a predecessor to its heavy serenity and calming tendencies. Panama Red is better than ever when in the hands of Alternative Solutions. Not only have they completely changed how I see sativas, but they have reminded us that no matter what, some strains will always stand the test of time.