Why I Only Sample Test In A Joint

Before anyone gets offended, yes, I know a bong is quicker. And yes, I know there are people who can clear a bong before I’ve even finished rolling my joint. I’m not here to tell you how to smoke your weed. If you prefer a bong, keep rippin’. We all have our preferred methods. But when it comes to phenohunting and making selections, I firmly believe a joint is the best tool for the job.

And no, this isn’t because I’m trying to be pretentious about it. I’m simply not asking myself, “Does this get me high?” I’m trying to understand what makes that particular phenotype worth keeping.

The Long & Short: Nuances in the smoking experience may seem trivial, but can play a role in pheno hunting an subsequent breeding. Smoking a joint over a bong, gives you more control over your smoke distribution, and ability to pick out these small differences.

I’m Not Selecting For “Good Weed”

When I’m testing a phenotype, I’m not really trying to establish whether it’s smokeable. I’m trying to establish what makes this particular plant interesting. I’m looking at the aroma, the flavour, how that flavour develops, what happens on the inhale, what changes on the exhale, how long it persists and what is left behind once the smoke has disappeared.

I’m interested in the differences between phenotypes that, on paper, might look remarkably similar. One can have incredible terpenes on the nose and produce a fairly average smoke, while another can smell relatively unremarkable in the jar and completely change once combusted. One might hit you with an incredible initial flavour but disappear almost immediately, while another starts quietly and then develops into something that sits on the palate for minutes.

Why A Joint?

For me, the biggest advantage is control. A joint gives me the ability to take a small, controlled pull, allow the smoke to sit in the mouth, move it around and actually pay attention to what I’m tasting before inhaling. I’m not simply trying to get as much smoke into my lungs as possible. I’m tasting it, and paying close attention to the experience, constantly drawing reference to previous smokes.

And yes, I realise that sounds ridiculously obvious, but I think a lot of people don’t actually approach cannabis this way. They tend to smoke it, get high and decide whether we enjoyed it or not. Maybe they’ll classify it as something like “sweet”, “skunky” or “gas” – but that says very little. It’s perfectly fine when you’re smoking recreationally, but phenohunting isn’t really about whether you enjoyed the smoke. It’s about understanding it.

The Smoke Changes As You Smoke

One of the things I find particularly useful about a joint is that the experience isn’t static. The first few pulls can be completely different from the middle of the joint, which can then be completely different again towards the end. The chemistry of cannabis smoke changes throughout the smoking process, so you’re not necessarily experiencing exactly the same combination of compounds from the first puff to the last.

That gives me the opportunity to pay attention to the progression. What does it taste like initially? Does the flavour become stronger after a few pulls? Does something completely different appear halfway through? Does the sweetness disappear and leave something earthy, gassy, spicy or resinous? Does the flavour keep developing, or does it simply flatten out? And perhaps most importantly, what does it leave behind?

Because that lingering character is something I value enormously. There is a difference between something tasting good and something having presence. Some flowers give you an incredible initial flavour and then disappear almost immediately. Others leave a persistent resinous texture across the pallete, accompanied by long-lasting flavour. I don’t necessarily want the loudest first impression. I want a smoke that keeps giving me information.

And Then There’s The Dry Pull

I also like taking a dry pull before lighting the joint. Obviously, it isn’t representative of the final smoked product, and I wouldn’t use it as the sole basis for a selection, but it can be incredibly informative. Sometimes a flower has a really interesting character on the dry pull that doesn’t immediately present itself once combusted. Other times, you can almost get an indication of where the flavour profile is heading.

I find it particularly useful when comparing several phenotypes from the same population. It gives me another little piece of information before combustion enters the equation, and sometimes those little pieces of information are what separate a “nice plant” from something I actually want to investigate further.

This Isn’t An Anti-Bong Campaign

I’m going to make this very clear because someone will inevitably read the title and prepare their angry comment. I don’t think bongs are bad, and I don’t think you can’t properly appreciate cannabis through one. I certainly don’t think smoking a joint somehow makes you a better smoker.

The point is simply that different methods give you different ways of experiencing the plant. A bong may be your preferred way of assessing potency, onset and overall impact, while I find a joint gives me more control over the sensory progression I’m interested in evaluating. For my purposes, that’s why I use it. Not because it’s objectively superior for everyone, but because it’s the method that works best for the job I’m asking it to do.

I’m Selecting For Connoisseurs

This is probably the most important part. My selections aren’t being made with the mentality of “Will people buy this because it gets them absolutely blasted?” There are plenty of plants that can do that. I’m interested in something a little more specific.

I’m interested in cultivars that reward someone for actually paying attention. The kind of flower where the nose is interesting before you even light it, where the first pull gives you one thing, the second gives you another and the exhale brings something completely different forward. Where the flavour doesn’t disappear immediately. Where the smoke has character. Where you can sit there afterwards and actually remember what you just smoked.

That’s the kind of cannabis I want to select for.

I’m catering towards the connoisseur who doesn’t just want strong weed. They want interesting weed. They want to know why they like it. They want to be able to pick up differences between cultivars. They care about the nose, the flavour, the burn, the mouthfeel, the finish and the overall experience.

And if I’m breeding for that person, then I need to evaluate my plants accordingly.

Because “Does It Get Me High?” Isn’t Enough

For recreational smoking, it might be. For breeding, I don’t think it is. A phenotype is the sum of a huge number of traits, and the better I understand those traits, the better decisions I can make about what gets carried forward.

So when I sit down to test a phenotype, I’m not looking to finish the joint as quickly as possible. I’m paying attention to the dry pull, the first pull, the inhale, the exhale, the flavour progression, the mouthfeel, the persistence, the finish and, of course, the effects.

Then, eventually, comes the question: Would I actually want to smoke this again?

Because ultimately, that’s still important. It’s just the last question, not the first.

I’m not looking for weed that simply gets the job done.

I’m looking for weed that makes you stop and pay attention.