Genetics: Pure Iranian Landrace
Region: Hamadan (N.W. Iran)
Sourcing: The Landrace Team
Latitude: 34 N
Elevation: 1850m (6000 ft)
Purpose: hash and buds
Height: 1.5 – 2 metres
Harvest: September/Early October
Aromas: forest berries,sweet citrus,strawberries,orange candy
Flavour: hashy
Effects: narcotic,relaxing,anti-depressing,calming,creative,floaty
Phenotypes: 2
Characteristics: resinous
Growtype: outdoor,greenhouse,indoors
Hamadan is a historic and cultural city in green foothills of the 3574m Alvand Mountain in Western Central Iran. It may be in the foothills but it is still high up, at around 1,850m. It is the Capital of the province of Hamadan.
The city enjoys long, hot, dry and sunny summers that last until October and cold, snowy winters. In fact, it can get very cold from November until April so the plants will grow best in hot, Mediterranean climates, unless cover and shelter are provided.
There were two main phenotypes initially observed. The first, a sativa-leaning plant of about 2 metre tall. It quickly built large clusters of very fluffy and aromatic flowers. The resin was very good, with medium sized, fairly sticky glands which were easy enough to collect.
The second phenotype was a much shorter and stouter plant with very tight and dense buds that gleamed with copious quantities of resin. In every way a hash plant and a very pretty one at that! It wouldn’t look out of place in any modern indoor garden.
Either plant can be smoked as herbal cannabis but the effect and flavours is far far better when the plant is processed into hash using a combination of both phenotypes. Individually, the effects can be a little ‘one-sided’ but they come together beautifully.
The shorter hash-plant phenotype, when smoked as herbal cannabis, tastes very hashy and the effect is a strong narcotic one with a lot of focus but little in the way of creativity. The effect of the taller plants, on the other hand are creative but floaty and without body.
When the resin is collected and mixed before pressing into glorious hash, however, magic happens and the result has a wonderful, medium-strong and well-balanced effect. It’s obvious that the farmers of Hamadan have been doing this for years and generations. They know exactly what they are doing.
Whilst growing, the flowers of both phenotypes range in aromas from a pungent strawberry to a sharp orange candy. You can get either aroma from each phenotype but the more indica plants have a sharper, more orangey background earlier on, whereas the taller plants have large, fluffy flowers that smell very loudly of strawberries to begin with. It’s a lovely aroma that is a joy to experience every time you tend your plants.
The plants themselves grew very healthy and needed little in the way of extra fertiliser – just a very low level organic feed with each and every water and a nice boost/tonic – like seaweed extract added in, too. The organic soil can be amended with rich organic matter and the plants will be happy and grow fast, lush and large.
The flowering times were about the same for both phenotypes and the plants were finished by late September/Early October. They could go a little longer in very Northern zones but you’ll need to watch out for moulds (just in case) as these plants have come straight from Iran and although fairly tolerant, might still suffer a little.
Overall, the Hamadan plants surprised us with their modern, sweet aromas of forest berries and sweet citrus fruits whilst growing and with their top quality hash, with its well balanced effects and typically Middle-Eastern flavours. The two phenotype work beautifully together and are so much more than the sum of their parts, once they are in unison.
If you are a fan of Iranian cannabis or Middle Eastern hashish then this plant is very worthwhile and you’ll never regret growing it. The finished product reminds us more of Turkish hashish than the Pakistan or Afghanistan types but it’s certainly a fusion of styles and influences, made distinct and unique, over the generations.
Very fun, easy and enjoyable plants with a sweet and fruity aroma and along with the Iranian Balochistan, Esfahan, the Shiraz, the Kermanshah, Razavi Khorasan, South Khorasan, Yazd, a great new entry into Iranian cannabis. Enjoy!
