It's a NYC (Diesel) Thing
By Joseph Fortenberry
As a winner at nine different High Times Cannabis Cups, including three 1st place prizes, it’s hard to argue against the status, desirability, and importance NYC Diesel holds in the world of cannabis.
And, thanks to its sativa lineage, this strain belongs in the Big Apple: Energetic highs wrapped up in the smell of grit and gasoline. Who hasn’t had that experience pounding the pavement in Manhattan?
NYC Diesel’s Hazy Origins
The origin stories of so many cannabis strains are hazy and obscure. NYC Diesel, despite its long lasting popularity and solid place in the strain pantheon, is no exception.
Probably the best known and most widely accepted story goes like this: In 1997 Soma (think one name, like Cher), the geneticist and cannabis cultivator who founded Soma Seeds, was gifted a bag of seeds by a friend from New York.
This bag contained a variation of the strain known as ‘91 Chemdog (or Chemdawg) and once Soma had grown the plants to maturity he was left with five different phenotypes (or variations) to choose from. One variation had a unique grapefruit smell that caught his attention so he chose that one to further develop, crossing it with an Afghani-Hawaiian landrace cross to create the distinctive NYC Diesel strain we know and love today.
After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City, Soma decided to rename the strain to New York City Diesel as an homage to his hometown and to the origin of the seeds.
NYC Diesel’s Terpenes: What’s That Smell?
Well known and loved for its incredibly flavorful and aromatic qualities, NYC Diesel captivates people with its signature citrus and diesel aromas. The main terpenes responsible for this strains’ delightfully pungent and infiltrating smell are myrcene, limonene, and caryophyllene.
Myrcene makes up about half of all cannabis terpenes and is found in other aromatic plants like mango, thyme, lemongrass, and basil. Limonene, which is most commonly found in citrus peels, gives NYC Diesel its trademark red grapefruit and lime smell. To round out the profile, caryophyllene offers the spicy, musky, and fuel-like notes that helps put the diesel in “NYC Diesel.”
Known to completely overpower grow rooms and storefronts with its incredible smell, NYC Diesel packs an aromatic punch that’s sure to please the nose with its recognizable and delicious skunky profile.
The NYC Diesel Experience
Known for being a favorite among creatives and artists, the truth is NYC Diesel is a strain that deserves its moniker. It’s famous for offering energetic and euphoric experiences that fit right into a city that never sleeps. Look to NYC Diesel for a cerebral high that’s great for boosting creativity and focus.
Which begs the question: Is NYC Diesel sativa or indica? Like most cannabis strains out there today, NYC Diesel is a hybrid cannabis strain. With sativa-dominant genetics, this strain typically sits at a 70/30 sativa/indica split that tracks with its “classic sativa” traits for inducing energy, euphoria and creativity.
If you’re looking for therapeutic benefits, NYC Diesel can help boost mood and appetite. As a sativa-dominant hybrid that’s known to have an energetic buzz (while also clocking in at above average THC levels), be sure to start low and go slow with this strain if you’re prone to paranoia or anxiety when consuming cannabis.
Don’t Sleep on NYC Diesel
If you get the chance to try NYC Diesel, don’t pass up on this classic cannabis strain. Reach out to find out if we’ve currently got it in stock. Diesel’s genetic line is long and robust, so chances are we’re carrying one of its many descendants.