Platinum OG comes to us from the folks over at Apothecary Genetics. Their contributions over the years to the world of cannabis genetics goes without saying, but for good measure chances are you’ve heard of Grape Ape, Old School Jams, JaCure Og, KAIA KUSH™, Silverback, and Sour Grapes. Formed in Northern California in 2004 by founder Brett Bogue, Apothecary has played a large role in the modern landscape of the cultivars we have come to know and love today like Zkittles, Runtz, and today’s topic Platinum OG.
Platinum OG Strain Review
Every now and then, we’re fortunate enough to evaluate what we call a “prime expression” of a particular strain. It’s the version you could put on Leafly as the textbook example, one that checks every box and delivers an elite experience. By every metric, Platinum OG is exactly what we’re looking for in a proper example of OG. Even though OG is around 30 years old, it’s much more complex than its contemporaries in nearly every regard, but you need to smoke it to truly understand the legend.
Platinum OG is a cross of (Platinum Kush x SFV OG) and in our opinion we find basically all the traits to be a perfect middle ground between the older and newer generations of OG Kush. The scent is a burnt rubber gas that’s right in between the offensive funk and lemon citrus ends of the OG spectrum. The flavor is perfectly analogous, coating the mouth and leaving us with heavy Kush breath. The effect is forcefully relaxing and mentally distracting, with a long duration and a slight drooping of the eyelids. The giant, chunky, forest green nug was gorgeous and the smoking experience was quite smooth. If you’re looking for an OG with some serious gas, Platinum OG s a prime example of it.
Platinum OG Strain History
Platinum OG is an award winning cultivar, taking 2nd place for indica flower at the 2016 Santa Cruz Cannabis Cup when Kind Peoples Collective entered the classic. Apothecary themselves have quite the list of awards, having taken first place four different times for Grape Ape, in addition to the same placing for Kaia Kush at the 2007 Cannabis Cup and again in 2015 for JACURE OG at the Jamaican Cannabis Cup. Second place awards would come in 2004 and 2005 at the IC420 and Inglewood Cups respectively for Lemon Pezz and Goo. Their first competition IC420 also saw them take third place for Livity as well. All of these awards are evidence of the amount of time, energy, and love that goes into the cultivation and breeding of cannabis for this breeder.
“I became very ill and was looking for an alternative medication for my illness. It was during that time that I found hemp and cannabis as a perfect alternative solution. I realized then that I needed to create Apothecary® Genetics,: shares Bogue on Apothecary’s website. “Through my world travels, I have been able to find “landrace strains” of hemp and cannabis, breed them and create hybrids that are suitable for industrial hemp and pharmaceutical grade Medical Cannabis.”
The lineage of Platinum OG starts with Platinum Kush times Joe’s OG Kush. Platinum is a staple in the eyes of many old school smokers, being a mix of Master Kush (Hindu Kush crossed by itself) and a famed Afghani Indica landrace.
Joe’s OG Kush is the San Fernando Valley (SFV) cut of OG crossed with an unknown landrace cultivar known as Lemon Pledge. SFV OG is chemdawg crossed with the Lemon Thai and Pakistani Hindu Kush sativa and indica landraces.
Platinum OG Effects: Indica or Sativa
Due to its lineage, Platinum OG comes in at 75 percent indica, which doesn’t define the traits but rather helps point us in the right direction of effects, terpene profiles, and how the plant may express itself in the grow room.
This cultivar doesn’t take any time getting to business once it’s consumed, bringing a positive, relaxed and cerebral high that often takes tension out of the muscles to make for a calming full-body sensation. Some cultivars you can consume and wait for it to kick in, but this is not one of them. In fact, those that are low in tolerance to cannabinoids may be immobilized from couchlock rather quickly with the sedative aspects to the high. The later in the day you smoke it, the more likely you are to succumb to its tiring properties, so there is merit to microdosing throughout the day. For those that can’t seem to get their head to the pillow for a proper night’s rest due to pain or anxiety, there’s something to be said about Platinum OG.
Like most types of cannabis, there’s a high probability users will experience dry eyes and mouth upon smoking Platinum OG, so be sure to have some form of hydration nearby to combat it.
Platinum OG Strain Terpenes
Platinum OG’s most dominant terpenes help tell the story of this cultivar. Myrcene is known for allowing for the crossing of the blood-brain barrier easier and for being sedative in nature. D-Limonene has been known to counteract the potential for lower moods from myrcene heavy indicas, saving this cultivar for those with depression from having an adverse reaction. Caryophyllene has been widely examined for its anxiety relief properties, which is why a lot of people are told to sniff black peppercorn if they’ve over consumed cannabis and are panicking. Finally, Linalool is notorious for being a part of calming and sedative cultivars, since it’s also the dominant one found in the lavender flower as well.
On first glance, Platinum OG clearly gets its name from the undertones of the shade of silver of the same name. Above the dense green core is an abundance of orange hairs and trichomes, though typically not in their normal sticky fashion. Small purple leaves are often spread throughout which compliment the dark green stems of this cultivar very nicely.
Once the nugs are ground up into the tiny dense rocks that follow, Platinum OG fills the room with a hashy mix of pine and a faint hint of citrus fruit. The pine laced bowl of spicy herbs takes a pungent turn from the smell, even throwing in bits of wood and coffee to neutralize the rather loud flavor profile of Platinum OG.
Platinum OG Seeds, Yield, and Grow Info
Platinum OG can be grown in both settings, but is best suited for a sunny, warm, outdoor climate. Guides claim a flowering period of about 9 weeks, with room for a little bit of variance. The fact that it is as tough as a rock with its resistance to mold, mildew, and diseases makes it friendly to those that are new to cultivating and live in humid regions.