Best OG Kush for celebrating the anniversary of OG

“Where’s the real OG Kush at?”

Leafly Nation, it’s a question we get asked all the time, like some stoner lament.

The strain won its first award 25 years ago this year, and took over the market, commanding up to $6,000 per pound. But overproduction led to quality declines and critics said it got played out. By the 2010s, OG Kush ceded the sales throne to cookies strains, then cakes, and now zkittlez.

Despite the lament—there are certifiable banger OGs blanketing the land. Set aside your varnished memory of OG from back in the day. In 2022, OG Kush and its offspring still kill it at cannabis cups. They’re a must-stock on dispensary shelves, and a key player in craft grows to mega-farms. The two popularizers Matt ‘Bubba’ Berger, and Josh Del Rosso both have their own brands.

What’s are the best OG Kushes in your state? Leafly’s terp sherpas distilled this hit list featuring the best-selling OG Kushes from award-winning brands on menus in nine leading states. It’s a big country, with a lot of OGs—so plug your faves in the comments below, too.

California

Double OG Chem

Usually, when a strain sweeps the Emerald Cup, you can never find it. Supplies disappear. But Rebel Grown Genetics’ Double OG Chem has proven ubiquitous. Major player Farmer and the Felon pumps it out in California. So do big East Coast chains that slap their own name on it. Expect many of OG Kush’s finest attributes, including a lemon, pine, and fuel smell, with a buzzy, relaxing effect. 

Insane OG

Insane OG’s smell is a benchmark for OG in 2022. Insane is the weed brand from Cypress Hill rapper B-Real, who told us OG Kush changed the LA weed game first in the late ‘90s, and they sold a ton of it.

“In the Southern end of California, OG was queen for a very long time,” said B-Real. “It still is. It’s a high-performance strain.”

In 2022, Insane grower Kenji Fujishima tells us if the gang won’t smoke it, they won’t sell it.

“When you’re talking about strains that are going to be hot, word on the street is, ‘Gas is coming back.’ So—green weed. And a lot of OGs,” he said. “That’s what we are. That’s what we’re going to focus on. Heavy gas.”

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Fire OG

Maybe the OG-est OG in California—Fire OG from Fire Cut of Monterey County, CA bested six other top OGs in Leafly’s California OG Kush battle. Fire OG refines OG Kush with a cross to SFV OG.

Marathon OG

Los Angeles’ Nipsey Hustle-affiliated brand The Cure Co’s Marathon OG has commanded mad respect for years and continues to hold it down for OGs in LA. Late rap great Hussle was an OG connoisseur before his tragic 2019 passing. See also in Cali: THC Design’s Skywalker OG 2.0.; Fig Farms’ OG x OGKB; Josh D Farms OG Kush.

Oregon

Josh D OG

Karma Genetics’ three-deep cross of SFV OG x Triangle Kush x Hell’s Angels OG is named in honor of OG Kush’s popularizer Josh D. Organic, greenhouse growers Benson Arbor took Josh D OG to the winners circle in the 2022 Oregon Leaf Bowl in the Fuel/OG/Chem sub-category of Best Light Dep. Huzzah!

Marshmallow OG

Breeder Compound Genetics’ modern Marshmallow OG has marshmallow notes—sweet, vanilla, and gooey, with a bitterness that evokes carbonized sugar. It’s an intense cross of (Chemdog D x Triangle Kush) x Jet Fuel Gelato). Greenhouse organic growers and award-winners Cannassentials have some Marshmallow OG in stores. Greenhouse hits the sweet spot where affordability meets high THC and terpenes.

Washington

Tahoe OG

One popular theory is that OG Kush originated in the Lake Tahoe, CA region before it went to Florida. Others think the massive seed seller Swerve from The Cali Connection named it. The rugged mountains certainly grew some of the best OG Kush after it took off. Nowadays, major Washington grower Phat Panda runs Tahoe OG all day at a large scale for good value. See also: Equinox Gardens OG Kush.

Venom OG

This easier-to-grow Venom OG turns a bit purple and has a bit of sweetness. It’s a cross of Poison OG and Rare Dankness #1, and grower Cedar Creek Cannabis in Washington grows a mean cut of it.

OG kush cold cure

Take your love of OG Kush to the next level with the isolated, purified essence of the strain—Oleum’s 77% THC OG Kush cold cure from Have a Heart. Cold cure means fresh frozen live rosin that’s had the chance to stabilize (aka cure), as opposed to a more transparent, uncured hash rosin.

Colorado

Triangle Kush

Lots of people think TK preceded OG Kush, and smoke the two to decide for yourself. The brand Natty Rems should have a perfect triangle, on sale at Lightshade.

“Anything with TK or OG in it, I’m a fan,” said OG Kush progenitor Josh D, in a 2019 Leafly chat. “I could just grow TK and OG for the rest of my life, and I don’t need to grow anything else.”

High Octane

Terrapin Care Station has an Heirloom OG x Nigel’s OG that’s super-gassy, lemony, and piney. Others have different things named ‘octane’ and lots of those are good too. See also: Terrapin Strawberry OG, Sour Alien OG. Natty Rems’ Marshmallow OG.

Goji OG

Goji OG takes OG in a sativa-dominant direction. Bodhi Seeds crossed Nepali OG and Snow Lotus for a more gooey berry OG flavor. So popular it’s white labeled at Local Product of Colorado.

Brain OG

Lama brand cannabis grows this Sour Diesel x OG Kush that’s analogous to Headband. Brain OG has an aka—Snoop OG.

Arizona

FPOG cartridges

The influential Fruity Pebbles OG cross mixed in Green Ribbon and GDP to add the fruity pebbles part. That fresh injection of genes leads to a myriad of new flavors atop OG’s core chassis. In Arizona, the Drip brand’s taken home awards for their FPOG distillate carts. 

OG #18 Live Hash Rosin

Farm Fresh in Arizona is leading the pack with this 72% THC solventless extract of the high-performance variety OG #18. 

Nevada

Jet Fuel

You’ll see so much of the ‘fuel’ line of weed come out of the OG Kush family. Cookies on the Strip in Las Vegas carries Jet Fuel, this influential, OG Kush descendant with the super-strength fuel note. Grown by Pheno Exotic. 

Deadhead OG

Need to unwind after that convention? NLV Organics likes growing OGs, including OG #18 and Deadhead OG. Deadhead OG offers a more chemmy OG Kush, crossing Chemdawg and SFV OG.

BTY OG

Fleur Cannabis serves an OG that’s ‘Better Than Yours’ thanks to a no-till living soil grow method that avoids bottled nutrients—which can make weed turn out bland. See also: Fleur Katan OG; Leaf & Vine Banana OG.

Illinois

Hazmat OG

Two-year-old legal state Illinois gets up the learning curve with Hazmat OG—Archive Seed Bank’s Hazmat OG is a cross between the original Chemdawg 91 and Face Off OG Bx1. Spotted at Verilife.

SFV OG

After its debut, OG Kush quickly spread into the San Fernando Valley, colonizing the canyons with fresh lemon and chem terps. The Cali Connection’s Swerve might have marketed SFV OG, a staple to this day. Ozone grows for multiple Chicago dispensaries. See also: Grassroots’ Bubba Diagonal, 93 Boyz Jet Fuel OG; and Ozone OGKZ (OG Kush Breath x Zkittlez).

Oklahoma

Dual OG

In-House Genetics’ True OG and Banana OG form the unique Dual OG, which has a strong sedative effect and is great for making hash. Oklahoma’s wide-open medical cannabis regime makes it a buyer’s market for OGs. Dual OG It runs $138 an ounce at the 420 Cookies Club. 

Massachusetts

Pina Grande

Skywalker OG and Pineapple Chunk combine in Pina Grande—a stunner grown here by Massachusetts’ award-winning Bountiful Farms. See also: Colorado Bubba (Katsu Bubba x Skywalker OG).

Chem #4

We’ve always liked Danny Danko’s theory that Chemdawg is a potential parent to OG Kush or at least a close relative. There’s a reason OG, Sour Diesel, and Chem are often mixed or judged together in contests. Explore for yourself with authentic Chem #4 from the original grower, Chemdawg, sold at the Canna Provisions store under the Smash Hits brand.

And that’s just a taste of some of what OG Kush is doing out there for you in 2022.

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