Chocolate Thai is a famous landrace strain of cannabis that has been around for almost 60 years now. For those unfamiliar with landrace strains, they’re essentially the “purebred” equivalents of cannabis strains that have remained unaltered and unenhanced over the years. This strain was originally grown in Thailand and was incredibly popular in the United States throughout the 60s, 70s, and much of the 80s.

As the name suggests, Chocolate Thai nugs are dark in color, often appearing like large chocolate chips. During the 60s, 70s, and 80s, Chocolate Thai was sold in the form of “Thai Sticks” which were essentially buds of Chocolate Thai, tied to the stem of the plant with hemp wick. If you know an old stoner that bought weed during these decades, ask them if they had ever come across any Thai Sticks, it’s likely they’re very familiar with them. This early form of promotional packaging was necessary because the thin, lanky Sativa buds often fell apart in transit, turning into shake and bunk weed.

These days, Chocolate Thai is making the equivalent of a reunion tour. The strain is alive and well nearly 60 years later thanks to a few special growers such as Drawoh dedicated to preserving this ancient landrace strain. This fact cannot be understated enough, as most growers have trouble keeping the plant alive and flowering these days. Although it is no longer the dark brown brick weed tied to stems anymore, it still retains its chocolatey scent despite losing its popular brown color. Although the bud isn’t incredibly pungent out of the packaging, when broken or ground up the chocolate, coffee, earthy, spicy scents are aerated and become very strong. Expect modern Chocolate Thai buds to be dark green in color, with hairy pistils and a thin coating of trichomes.

At an average THC level of just 12%, Chocolate Thai is one of the strains many experienced smokers recommend to new and amateur patients. This isn’t to say the potency is low, on the contrary, most reviews of the strain list its strong potency despite its THC levels to be one of its defining elements. Don’t expect the taste of the hits to be drastically different from the smell, as the only thing burning does to this bud is accent its spiciness and its citrus aftertaste. Many medical patients report using this strain because its high leaves you feeling upbeat, energetic, and creative, without being “too much.” Those who suffer from anxiety and stress know that heavy-Sativa hybrids are often dangerous as they can lead to paranoia and recursive thinking. However, Chocolate Thai is the perfect “beginner’s Sativa” as it manages to make those who suffer from ailments such as depression, insomnia, and PTSD focus on what’s in front of them, rather than worrying about alternatives or other intrusive thoughts.