Product Name: Pennywise Strain from Montana Kush
Brand: Montana Kush
Category: Flower/ Smokable
Star rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Summary: a rare find of a type II flower in a recreational dispensary
I bought this eighth of Pennywise in Montana, from Montana Kush, a vertically integrated cannabis company that came to me highly recommended. I stopped into their Gallatin Gateway location, a gorgeous showhouse for a log cabin company. It was quintessential Montana, with giant timber beams, large windows, and gorgeous mountain views.
The dispensary was set up deli-style so I could smell the strains I was interested in before I bought them – always a perk. I smelled two type II strains, and Pennywise’s aroma stood out to me, so I grabbed an eighth.
About Pennywise Strain
Pennywise is a type II chemotype, meaning it has a balance of THC and CBD. It’s a cross between two other type II strains, Harlequin and Jack the Ripper.
It’s unusual to find type II flower in dispensaries, and I always buy them when I can find them. This Pennywise flower had 8.42% THC and 9.16% CBD, making it almost a perfect 1:1. The COA also showed 0.28% CBGa, and the top terpenes were myrcene (0.33%), caryophyllene (0.14%), and limonene (0.09%).
Bud Appearance
The buds were small and compact, a pleasant olive green color with pops of rust red hairs. By the time I got these buds, they were quite dry and could be crushed between my fingers.
The label on the bag told me this flower was harvested in July of 2024, making it nearly a year old. Frankly, that’s a little too old to sell in my opinion, but it makes sense why the flower was on sale.
Aroma and Flavor
It was the aroma that drew me to the strain, and it was strongest when the buds were in the deli-style jars. In my bag, the smell is light, but there are discernible notes of fruitiness and dankness. The aroma is slightly stronger when ground up, fruity and dank with notes of rich earthiness. But the smell dissipated quickly in the grinder, and not much of the flavor came through in the smoke, likely owing to how old these buds are.
Pennywise Strain Experience
As a type II strain, I was expecting a balance of uplift and functionality. I expect type II strains to give me a gentle mood boost and a sense of calm in my mind without robbing me of my ability to focus and get things done. Pennywise mostly hit the mark.
It wasn’t a potent smoke, but it gave a slightly stoney effect in the mind. I was functional but a little spacey, prone to zoning off into the distance mid-task or conversation. I wouldn’t use this strain for detail-oriented work, but it’s fine and functional to move through my morning and do certain tasks.
The age of the bud likely had a lot to do with this. Cannabis degrades due to heat, light exposure, and time. With this bud nearly a year old, it’s likely that much of the CBGa had degraded to almost non-existence, and some of the THCa had degraded to CBN
Look, I wanted to like this strain – and I did, but there’s no denying that the age of the bud impacted every part of the experience. Had I known I was buying year-old bud, I would have picked another strain. This is the oldest weed I’ve knowingly smoked.
I don’t think weed should be thrown out just because it’s a year old, but it is quite challenging to store weed properly for this length of time. For this bud to still retain the aroma and potency it once had, it would have needed to be stored in an airtight container in a refrigerated space where the temperature and humidity did not fluctuate. Given the dryness of the bud and the lack of aroma, I can confidently say that’s not how this bud was stored.
About Montana Kush
Montana Kush is a locally owned, vertically integrated cannabis company with several dispensary locations throughout Montana. They began in the medical market in 2009 and transitioned into the recreational market. All of the flower is cultivated in Gallatin Gateway, Montana, and then processed internally before being sold in their dispensaries. Montana Kush sells flower, prerolls, concentrates, and edibles.
