Smoke Report - Nirvana Northern Lights

Discussion in 'Smoke Reports' started by Shiva Blaster, Aug 2, 2012.

  1. #1 Shiva Blaster, Aug 2, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Aug 2, 2012
    Hi GC! :wave: I harvested my very first crop in early June and I've been meaning to get around to conducting a proper/thorough smoke report as promised in my grow journal. I've been insanely busy lately, but as I've got a few minutes to smoke and do some writing, here goes!

    My first grow was a multi-strain grow using ProMix HP under a 600 W MH/HPS using a modified Lucas formula grow with GH's MaxiBloom and Koolbloom. All plants were flushed for a full 2 weeks prior to harvest, and have been curing in jars for a full 8 weeks now.

    The 3 Nirvana Northern Lights in my garden yielded 3 very different phenotypes, so I will be conducting a smoke report for each one. I will start with the first pheno today and update this thread at a later date when I have time to report on the other two. Each phenotype will be receive its own rating, which will be used to assign an average rating to the strain as a whole. This is my first grow, so I will be rating the characteristics of each strain/phenotype relative each other, as well as the weed that I normally smoke in my area. Hopefully others will find this helpful :)

    Now to roll one up and get started.......


    INFO
    Tester (and Grower) Name : ShovaBlaster
    Strain : Nirvana's Northern Lights (fem, pheno #1 - 'sweet cherry berry pheno')
    Method Smoked : 1/2 g rolled into a joint (no tobacco) with Zig-Zag whites.

    PLANT APPEARANCE/DETAILS
    This was an extremely easy plant to grow (as were the other two phenotypes). I vegged for 5 weeks under a 600W MH and then flowered for 8.5 weeks under a 600W HPS. Very low maintenance plant,not at all finicky with watering or nutrients. I had zero issues with it during the entire grow. Plant not topped or trained at all, and was allowed to grow in its natural form. It grew to a final height of 3' with a typical indica growth pattern. Not branchy or stretchy at all. Very low odour in all growth stages, no telltale skunkiness. I will add a link to my grow journal later for those that want more details/pics of the plant itself and/or my grow.

    On a scale of 1-10:

    Overall plant appearance: 7 - nice looking, healthy plant, nothing too special
    Ease of growth: 9 - I was a total newbie but had zero issues. Enough said.

    YIELD
    This is my first grow, so I don't have anything to compare the yield to. This plant was one of the smallest and most compact of the 6 plants in my garden, yet yielded the same or more as plants twice the side due to the density of the buds and short inter-nodal length. With a final cured weight of just under 2 ounces (53 g). I would have to say that this is quite good considering the small size of the plant, the lack of any LST/HST, and the fact that it was my very first grow. I had to induce flowering when it was only 14" as I had a few other plants that were getting too tall. If allowed to veg for another week or too and lst'ed, I'm sure this pheno could have yielded 3 ounces or more.

    On a scale of 1-10:

    Yeild: 8 - good to very good yield


    BUD APPEARANCE
    Buds are small-medium sized, but quite dense.......some of the tightest nugs out of my entire crop, and denser than most of what I have been betting lately. Light green in colour, but appears lighter than they actually are due to being covered is frosty trichomes (90% cloudy, 10% amber). Buds absolutely covered in hairs, so much so that the buds take on an orange/red appearance from a distance.

    One a scale of 1-10:

    Density- 8 buds are not airy whatsoever, excellent weight and density
    Bag Appeal- 8 buds look fabulous, better than 90% of the stuff I see locally
    Trichome Production- 7 buds are nicely frosted


    SMELL
    This is where this pheno of Northern Lights really shines. When I open the jar, my nose gets blasted by sweetness! I've never encountered weed that smells like this stuff: a very sweet floral smell accompanied by a fruity smell somewhere between cherry and grape. Not even the slightest hint of the typical skunky weed smell. If I left my jars open in a room, most people would not recognize the smell as being weed. This stuff smells so fantastic that I want to eat it. The buds are extremely sticky and a grinder is needed to break them up, and there is a hint of skunk once the buds are broken up, but it is very faint.

    On a scale of 1-10:

    Smell: 9 -absolutely delicious, and different than anything I've ever smoked. I spent 12 days in Amsterdam a few years back and never encountered/smoked anything that smelled quite like this.

    TASTE
    To begin, I'll mention that joints have always been/still are my preferred method of smoking. I have owned pipes and bongs, and use them occasionally, but I enjoy the relaxing aspects of rolling and smoking a spliff and feel like I can better enjoy the taste and flavour.

    I would describe this pheno as a mild smoke. It burns very nicely/uniformly for how sticky it is, and burns to a fine white ash. Zero crackling/popping. It is very light on the palate, and extremely smooth on the throat and lungs. A tiny tickle and cough with the deepest of hits (far deeper than I ever take) but that's about it. There is a mild taste to the smoke, a slightest hint of a sweet floral/cherry taste very similar to it's smell. The taste built during the 4-5 minutes it took me to finish my morning joint, and left a pleasant cherry-like still noticeable 15-20 minutes after smoking. It tastes very different than the weed I'm used to getting, none of the skunk or diesel fuel I'm used to. Very subtle and enjoyable smoke.

    On a scale of 1-10:

    Flavour: 8 -subtle yet very unique (for me at least)
    Smoothness: 9 -amazingly smooth, almost perfect in my opinion.

    BUZZ
    To begin with, I am a daily smoker that consumes roughly a gram per day on average.

    The buzz came on very gradually, starting in the head after I'd smoked about 1/3 of my joint. It built into a nice head buzz which is easy on the brow and immediately imparted a feeling of happiness, relaxation as well of a nice little rush of motivation. Spent the first hour of my buzz writing this, and mowing my lawn. A subtle relaxation in my body and muscles accompanied a relaxing (buy far from crippling/couch-locking) body buzz which did not at all sap my energy or motivation. Buzz lasted 2.5 productive hours with no tiredness or heavy indica comedown.

    Buzz profile: 60% head, 40% body
    Buzz length: 2.5 hours

    On a scale of 1-10:

    Potency: 6 - slightly above average potency
    Quality of buzz: 8 - very good and enjoyable buzz, very functional and social high. No unwanted crippling comedown.

    Summary

    All in all, I am extremely pleased with this phenotype of Nirvana's Northern Lights. I've dubbed it my "sweet cherry berry" pheno. It's taste is something totally new for me, and it's effect matches quite closely what I look for in a buzz. More sativa-like in effect than expected for an indic a strain, great mix of head and body buzz. A nice combination of pleasant/original smell, smooth smoke, and functional/social buzz. This particular phenotype provides me with almost everything I could ask for in a nice daytime smoke, which is precisely what I will be using it for. The fact that it is only slightly above average in potency is not a bad thing for me as I was hoping to get at least one nice, light daytime smoke from this grow in addition some potent night-time weed. I chopped all my plants before too much amber was present as my tastes lean more towards functional buzz over couch-lock.

    Growth Rating: 9 - solid yield and ridiculously easy to grow, low odour
    Smoke Rating: 8 - great smell, smooth taste, perfect daytime smoke

    Overall "Sweet Cherry Berry" pheno rating: 8.5

    I would recommend this phenotype of Nirvana'a Northern Lights to anyone, especially beginner growers. Great combination of ease of growth and quality. For those looking for a heavier stone, I'm sure this could have been achieved by letting it go another week for more amber.

    Taking all factors into account, this pheno is a definite winner in my books. Considering the low price of what I paid per bean ($7), I couldn't be happier with this one....a total steal. It's a shame I'm not yet running a perpetual garden, this phenotype would definitely be considered a keeper in my eyes.

    Thanks for reading :) Coming soon: Nirvana Northern Lights "purple" and "coffee" phenotype smoke reports. :smoke:
     
    • Like Like x 1
  2. Oops, pictures didn't show up for some reason. Here's bud shots of the final cured product that was sampled for this report:
     

    Attached Files:

    • Like Like x 1
  3. Awesome info! I picked up some Nirvana Northern Lights from Attitude and was a little skeptical about this strain but this post is really easing my mind now. Thanks for the insight
     
  4. [quote name='"SORCelement"']Awesome info! I picked up some Nirvana Northern Lights from Attitude and was a little skeptical about this strain but this post is really easing my mind now. Thanks for the insight[/quote]

    Thanks! No need to be skeptical, it's a fantastic low-cost choice and perfect for newbies. The only complaint I have with the strain overall is that it might not be the most stable.....out of three seeds, I got 3 different phenos. That said, I like variety and none of the phenos were duds by any stretch. All yielded the same at 2 ounces give or take a few grams despite different growth patterns. I will submit reports on my other 2 phenotypes soon :)
     
  5. Hey ShovaBlaster, very happy to see how things turned out for your grow. And DAMN!!!! EXCELLENT smoke report. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
    I can write about how-to's & what & why's all day long but when it comes to smoke reports the best I could ever come up with was,
    "Smoked half a joint... decided to take a shower... half way through forgot if I'd washed my face or my ass so started over... got afraid the shower drain would clog and I would drown...."

    When I harvest my next round over the coming couple of weeks I'll send you some samples if you'll write the smoke report for me!!! In the meantime I will be watching for the next pheno report.

    BTW, did you keep a clone of the Cherry Berry?
     
    • Like Like x 1
  6. I just ordered 1 seed of this strain from Nirvana. Hope I get the good one. Thats what you get though when you order the cheaper seeds. Less stability. There was another Northern Lights from Sensi that was $20 per seed. I bet we'd get better stability with that one. I am really excited about this strain. I've always wanted to try it.
     
  7. Nice report, I really like Nirvana seeds. I've grown their auto short rider, and their photoperiod blue mystic, and just harvested their bubbleicious, I think Nirvana has some stellar genetics for a few of their strains.

    Want to try this Northern Lights now!! Enjoy the smoke man!
     
  8. [quote name='"Olde School"']Hey ShovaBlaster, very happy to see how things turned out for your grow. And DAMN!!!! EXCELLENT smoke report. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
    I can write about how-to's & what & why's all day long but when it comes to smoke reports the best I could ever come up with was,
    "Smoked half a joint... decided to take a shower... half way through forgot if I'd washed my face or my ass so started over... got afraid the shower drain would clog and I would drown...."

    When I harvest my next round over the coming couple of weeks I'll send you some samples if you'll write the smoke report for me!!! In the meantime I will be watching for the next pheno report.

    BTW, did you keep a clone of the Cherry Berry?[/quote]

    Thanks for the comments Olde School! I couldn't be happier with the results of my first grow :) Sadly, I did not keep a clone of her.....this first grow was a trial run, and I wasn't set up to grow perpetually or have mother plants. I'll be tweaking/adding to my grow lab soon so that I'll be mother plant-capable when I start back up in the fall :)
     
  9. [quote name='"Irie67"']I just ordered 1 seed of this strain from Nirvana. Hope I get the good one. Thats what you get though when you order the cheaper seeds. Less stability. There was another Northern Lights from Sensi that was $20 per seed. I bet we'd get better stability with that one. I am really excited about this strain. I've always wanted to try it.[/quote]

    I fully agree on seed cost vs stability. Hopefully you get a keeper! All 3 phenos that I grew out were solid (despite being quite different) which is a good sign. Good luck with your grow!
     
  10. [quote name='"RooRgle"']Nice report, I really like Nirvana seeds. I've grown their auto short rider, and their photoperiod blue mystic, and just harvested their bubbleicious, I think Nirvana has some stellar genetics for a few of their strains.

    Want to try this Northern Lights now!! Enjoy the smoke man![/quote]

    Thanks! A lot of people knock Nirvana, but I would recommend them to anyone starting out or looking for less expensive genetics. I also grew their White Widow with great results. Lots of variable phenotypes with both strains I grew, but all plants were healthy and productive.....no Hermies or duds. I paid less than $40 for 5 seeds (3 NL, 2 WW), and yielded 10 ounces of quality smoke on my first go.....not a bad investment IMO :)
     
  11. I been following ur grows for a while. looks great i can't wait to see the other 2 updates. And thanks for all your help and advice you gave me. Your fine work is paying off sir shova.
     

  12. ShovaBlaster, over the next month I'm going to be starting up a new bonsai-mother technique I've been researching and formulating. Watch for a near future grow journal for the details.
    I can never seem to be able to hold more than 2 or 3 mother plants before I run out of working room. My intent is to be able to hold many strains as bonsai mothers, then grow out donor mothers as the needs and whims for variety strike my fancy. Along with a simple bubble cloner to feed a veg grow, this could be the "variety" answer many of us find ourselves looking for. All in a 4' wide shelf footprint.
    Keep some extra space in your grow lab. You've got the fever now, you'll be needing it!!!!
    Be seeing you around the forum soon.
     
  13. Looks lyke straight dank good job man
     
  14. Thanks! For supposedly 'cheap' genetics and my first grow, I'm ecstatic. I still have to find time to submit reports on the other 2 phenotypes I got, but they all turned out great and are keeping me nice and blazed ;)
     
  15. I am curious to see how 'purple' the purple nl got. Thank you for the report, good descriptions of smell, and the taste sounds about the same for my Nirvana NL expereince. You might want to check into SnowWhite, your smell description sounds similar to what I found in snow white :)

    Good stuff man, thanks for sharing.
     
  16. [quote name='"Norcali"']I am curious to see how 'purple' the purple nl got. Thank you for the report, good descriptions of smell, and the taste sounds about the same for my Nirvana NL expereince. You might want to check into SnowWhite, your smell description sounds similar to what I found in snow white :)

    Good stuff man, thanks for sharing.[/quote]

    Thanks for the comments :) I'll try to get a purple pheno smoke report up this weekend.....been crazy busy. The buds aren't bright purple or anything, although every leaf went completely purple by the end....some tiny bud leaves are purple, with the buds themselves having a darker color somewhere between blue-green and purple. I'll attach a bunch of pics with my report.

    I'll check out snow white for sure, although I'm mixing it up as far as breeders go for my second grow. I've decided on Next Generation's Dynamite and Female Seeds' Ice and will be putting in my order this weekend......getting the itch again! ;)
     
  17. Hey everyone. I've been super busy lately, but here is my second phenotype report for Nirvana's Northern Lights -

    INFO
    Tester (and Grower) Name : ShovaBlaster
    Strain : Nirvana's Northern Lights (fem, pheno #2 - 'midnight grape')
    Method Smoked : 1/2 g rolled into a joint (no tobacco) with Zig-Zag whites.

    PLANT APPEARANCE/DETAILS
    This was an extremely easy plant to grow (as were the other two phenotypes). I vegged for 5 weeks under a 600W MH and then flowered for 8.5 weeks under a 600W HPS. Very low maintenance plant,not at all finicky with watering or nutrients. Plant not topped or trained at all, and was allowed to grow in its natural form. It grew to a final height of 3.5' with a typical indica growth pattern. Not branchy or stretchy at all. Very low odour in all growth stages, no telltale skunkiness, instead had a very sweet smell in all growth stages.

    The real magic occurred in the last 2 weeks of flowering when the entire plant turned a very deep purple. This has to be genetic rather than due to growing conditions as it was the only plant out of 5 to do this.

    On a scale of 1-10:

    Overall plant appearance: 8 - strong plant, purple colors late in flower were amazing. Small buds compared to my other plants however.

    Ease of growth: 9 - Zero issues, very hearty, vigorous plant.

    YIELD
    This was the bushiest of the 3 Northern Lights phenos, and expected it to be my biggest producer. It didn't produce buds as big as the other plants though, and ended up being the lightest plant at 49 g. Although only 5-6 g less than most other plants, this plant was the bushiest and crowded out the plants around it.....it was 50% bigger than the 'cherry berry' plant yet produced less.

    On a scale of 1-10:

    Yeild: 6 - very average, definitely on the low side considering the size of the plant


    BUD APPEARANCE
    These buds have some fantastic bag appeal. A dark blue-green with some purple hues to the bud leaves (buds did not turn fully purple like the rest of the plant). Buds are small and medium sized but VERY dense. Lots of red/orange hairs and excellent trichome coverage (85% cloudy, 15% amber).

    One a scale of 1-10:

    Density- 9 excellent weight and density
    Bag Appeal- 8.5 buds look amazing
    Trichome Production- 8 buds are nicely frosted


    SMELL

    This pheno has a sweet smell somewhat similar to the 'Red Cherry Berry' phenotype, except milder and more of a grape-like sweetness. Some very subtle diesel/musky undertones when broken up. More complex than the Cherry pheno.

    On a scale of 1-10:

    Smell: 9 - delicious sweet grape smell, mild but very enjoyable. Complex and subtle undertones.

    TASTE

    Fantastic. More of a full-bodied/flavourful smoke than the 'Cherry Berry' phenotype. A very pleasant sweet yet earthy taste, with a grape/blueberry like aftertaste. This phenotype also smokes extremely smooth, yet produces a thicker and more expansive smoke that easily fills the lungs without any unwanted harshness.


    On a scale of 1-10:

    Flavour: 8.5 - great sweet taste, highly enjoyable
    Smoothness: 8 - very smooth for the weight of smoke

    BUZZ

    Wow. I was expecting a potency close to that of the first NL pheno, and that was NOT the case, haha. This purple pheno is a MUCH stronger smoke, and a 1/2 gram joint kicked my ass. The stone is heavier on the brow and more in the body....much more of a narcotic high, not nearly as functional as the previous phenotype. Definitely not a 'wake and bake' smoke if you've got stuff to do. Great late night/chill out smoke, would be very effective for treating both pain and insomnia.

    Buzz profile: 60% body, 40% head
    Buzz length: 3.0 hours

    On a scale of 1-10:

    Potency: 8 - considerably stronger smoke
    Quality of buzz: 8 - great late night smoke, very relaxing high

    Summary

    Overall, I am ask very please with this phenotype of Nirvana's Northern Lights, which I've dubbed "Midnight Grape" due to it's taste and effect. I'm pleased with the variety in effect when compared to the 'Red Cherry Berry' phenotype, as well as with the potency. The smoothness is excellent, and the originality and quality of flavour make it a winner in my books. I've never had genuinely "sweet" tasting bud before this grow, and I savour the smell and taste every time I smoke this stuff.....has me reaching for the jar over and over again. The only complaint I has with this phenotype was the disappointingly low yield vs. plant size.

    Growth Rating: 7.5 - strong and hearty plant, low odour, lower yield
    Smoke Rating: 8.5 - great smell and appearance, smooth and sweet taste

    Overall "Midnight Grape" pheno rating: 8.0
     
  18. Here are the pics.
     

    Attached Files:

  19. Thanks for sharing ShovaBlaster. I have some reg NL beans coming soon and I am finding and reading posts in anticipation. I grew Querkle my first time out and absolutely loved the smell, taste, and buzz of that strain. A Dank low yielding Purple Skittle! An Inidca head buzz! That's almost an oxymoron. I had 1 Female out of 3, and of course I had cloned all but the female! So bummed. My next 3 beans died off and not sure why, so after spending about $10 a bean, I thought a cheaper alternative would be my next route. Hense, the Nirvana purchase. TGA subcools beans have about 15 strains engineered into each plant. You would think the Phenos would be all over the place. I hear they usually are, but mine were all similar. Northern Lights, genetics are simple and have been stabilized over decades of growth. I am surprised to hear yours are all different, but also excited at the same time. I wonder if any of Nirvana's beans have been mixed with other genetics, or beans get mixed up sometimes. I'm just guessing, but you do kind of get what you pay for. Your Midnight Purple pheno having matured a little more should produce a more narcotic high. You know this, I'm just sayin. I think about 10-15 percent amber is great. I guess its ok to sacrifice some trichs for the expotential addition of more trichs. Can't wait for the next report. Keep up the good work.
     
  20. what happen to all your other buds? i been waiting forever for the smoke reports for the other NL and Widow..... I hope your ok and everything is fine.
     

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