Benzil is a long-standing Originals CBD customer with over 27 years of cannabis knowledge. He's not a marketer - he's a genuine head. These products were sent by Originals CBD for review purposes, and as always these are his completely honest words. Meet Benzil - The CBD Head Behind Our Strain Review Series
A Quick Note Before We Start
This review is part of a series. If you haven't already, head back to Part 1 where Benzil explains why he avoided EU flower for two years and what finally changed his mind - then read the Amnesia Haze review first. The Plutonium is up next.
Plutonium - Background and Genetics
As far as I could establish, Plutonium is an exotic, heavily Indica-dominant hybrid whose lineage stems from Master Kush, OG Kush and Wonderhaze genetics - and is apparently something of a rarity in the EU market. Coming in at a healthy 14.7% Total CBD content, it all looks very good on paper. But what's it like in the flesh?
First Impressions - Following a Hard Act
The Amnesia Haze set the bar high - genuinely higher than I expected going into this whole endeavour. So the Plutonium had its work cut out from the moment I reached for the Mylar. Would the Premium EU Indoor range prove to be consistently impressive across the board? Or was the Amnesia Haze a one-off?
Aroma - Kushiness With a Sour Twist
As soon as you open the Mylar you're hit with a savoury, earthy and peppery pine plantation aroma. This has got a real kushiness to it with a slightly sour, almost pineapple background. Genuinely gorgeous - and just like the Amnesia Haze, immediately impressive from the moment you crack it open.
Appearance - Frosty, Compact and Reminiscent of White Widow
Tall, compact, lime-green buds coated in an abundance of trichomes. Seriously, this flower is frosty and reminiscent of a bit of old school White Widow. Like the Amnesia Haze it grinds up really well and almost fluffs up double - so you get plenty of bang for your buck here. Again testament to how well this flower has been cultivated, dried and cured.
Taste - What It Smells Like Is What You Get
The EU Consistency Question - Answered
The taste is so very similar to the aroma - which really brought home to me just how far EU flower has come since I've been avoiding it. It does seem that the dark days of EU flower tasting nothing like how it smells are, quite happily, over. Savoury, earthy, peppery and kushy throughout - consistent and enjoyable from first to last.
A Sign of Things to Come
This is actually one of the most encouraging things about the Premium EU Indoor range as a whole. The fact that the aroma carries through into the flavour tells you that the curing has been done properly - that the terpenes have been protected and preserved rather than lost during a rushed or careless finishing process. This is what we've been missing from EU flower for years and it's genuinely exciting to see it done right.
Effects - Indica Is There, Just Not Quite at US Level
The Body Sedation
A lovely sedation in both body and mind follows consumption. The classic Indica qualities are absolutely present - a settling, warming, body-centred experience that's exactly what you'd want from a Master Kush and OG Kush derived strain. Genuinely enjoyable and exactly what the genetics promised on paper.
Where It Falls Slightly Short
This is where the Plutonium is lacking just oh so slightly for me personally. Being a heavily Indica-dominant strain coming in at 14.7% Total CBD, I was expecting a little more intensity. The effects were there but just not quite as intense nor as long-lasting as I would have experienced from a US Indoor or Outdoor alternative at a similar CBD percentage.
That's not a criticism of the flower itself - it's more of a reflection of just how high the benchmark has been set by the US Indoor and Outdoor ranges. A year ago this would have been exceptional. In the context of what's now available from the US, it just falls fractionally short on effects intensity.
Verdict - A Viable Alternative With One Small Caveat
Is this Premium EU flower a viable alternative to US flower? Yes - I most definitely think it is. The quality is clearly there, the curing is exceptional, the aroma and flavour are consistent and enjoyable, and the genetics are interesting and well executed. The one caveat is effects intensity for those who have become accustomed to the power of US Indoor or Outdoor flower at higher CBD percentages.
But here's the thing - not everyone needs or wants that intensity. For daytime or early evening use, for those who find stronger strains a little too much, or for anyone building a varied rotation that doesn't always need to hit at full power - the Plutonium absolutely earns its place.
And as a contingency plan if US supply ever becomes an issue? This is exactly the kind of EU flower I was hoping to find when I started this whole endeavour. Mission very much still on track.
Next up - the one I had the most complicated feelings about going in. Super Lemon Haze. One of my all-time favourite Type 1 strains gets the CBD treatment. Stay tuned.
Stay blessed, stay lucky. Until next time. Peace.
- Benzil