It always is a special excitement when a strain has to pass a cultivation test that has been on the market for a very long time already.

And had passed through such a test for the first time many moons ago. With many moons, I mean thirteen years: That’s how long it’s ago that the mighty Warlock crossed my path for the first time, back then still under the label of Magus Genetics.

During that encounter, the “conjuring master” forsooth exhibited impressive magic powers, in the form of a long-lasting aroma spell, a sensational odour intensity that had been unknown up to that point. Warlock was the strain the pungent aroma clouds of which rushed into one’s face right after having opened the stash box, causing a prickling feeling on the skin and then spreading out in the whole room at lightning speed – This really was what I use to call an “anti-discretion” variety…

At that time, rumours about this strain were afloat that some Illinois state troopers had measured confiscated Warlock plants at 29% THC. But Gerrit, the Warlock breeder, distanced himself from that story, calling it a more than dubious creation of legends by somebody. Right he was, because to date no cannabis strain has ever achieved such a THC content, at least not under objectively verifiable laboratory test conditions. And while Warlock certainly is a very potent strain, it doesn’t get near the limits of what’s biologically possible.

About Warlock’s origin – In the early 1990s, Gerrit found some seeds in Skunk and Afghani buds he had bought in a coffeeshop. He planted them into soil and later on crossed the resulting plants with one another. The outcome of that he liked a lot, in the next step crossing his best Skunk with one of his male Skunk/Afghani crosses.

Thus the foundation for the Warlock strain was laid, as Gerrits Skunk x Skunk/Afghani plant turned out to be a stunning lucky punch that he kept on selecting and stabilizing in the following breeding generations. Gerrit also got prominent support for Warlock – In the mid nineties, the popular Amsterdam Coffeeshop Bluebird exclusively sold his Warlock weed, bringing this strain a permanently growing following.

The next step on the ladder of success was taken when Gerrit gained third place with Warlock in the Bio category of the High Times Cannabis Cup 1997, it was his first participation. In the following year, Warlock seeds became commercially available, quickly establishing themselves on the seed market.

Although genetically she’s an indica-dominant plant, Warlock’s appearance and effect are more leaning towards the sativa side: Strong branching, long-lasting elongation during flowering, a very high calyx-to-leaf ratio and a high that is more located in the head than in the body, having a stimulating, sativa-driven effect.

Warlock is well-known for its trademark “popcorn bud” look, consisting of plenty of unusually evenly rounded calyx clusters. With 55-60 days, her flowering time is fairly moderate – Not just suitable for hectic people, but certainly also not over-taxing people’s patience. The more so as they get rewarded with excellent yields of 400-500g/m2.

In the first four weeks of flowering, there was a noticeable stretching effect, but not as strong as expected. The flower tops are about to join the “thick & dense” category, already now, there are tons of nicely shaped buds protruding from the plants, with many resin glands on them. And that intense sweet smell in the air unmistakably comes from those five Warlocks.“

Six weeks into flowering, they had kept on gaining a lot of weight, as reported by The Doc: “Magnificient fatties these are, like straight out of a picture book – chunky, corpulent and heavily sweating, in the form of countless resin drips. Meanwhile the first flower hairs have turned brown. I guess that the official flowering time of 55-60 days will come true here.

In the last two weeks I won’t give the plants any fertilizer, but only flush them with Clean Fruits from Green Buzz Liquids.” Three of the five Warlock plants The Doc then could harvest after 59 days of flowering, the other two remained two more days in the grow room. “I am stunned by the homogeneity of this strain, as all these five plants are incredibly fat and compact, each of them crowned with 10-12 top colas that look like beams, and they are hard as beams, too! Not to speak of the fact that the final heights were 75-82 cm, only a scope of 7cm difference in height for five plants from seed – most amazing. And the buds look like densely sprayed with resin. Warlock has very finely proportioned resin glands that spread out over the entirety of flower leaves, too.”

While The Doc was amazed by the invariable abundance of flowers, one thing made him marvel even more: Two of the plants distinctively smelled like raspberry – There it really was, that very rare Warlock raspberry pheno, present with two plants even! “A particularly delicious sort of fruit aroma that I haven’t encountered so far with any other cannabis plant. The other three plants also have a fruity touch which, however, is more sourly, as described by Serious Seeds”, The Doc enthused.

So Warlock, the magician, this time also carried “poisonous” raspberries in his richly filled harvest basket (the total weight was 485 grams, i.e. almost 100 grams per plant).  Thus he could put The Doc under his spell already olfactorily, but the true glamour was yet to come as The Doc had yet not tasted those sweet fruits…. But a few weeks later, after the buds had been dried and cured, Warlock’s magic show was ready to begin. Unfortunately, that raspberry aroma wasn’t that distinctive any longer with the dried buds, more a sort of associative thing now. But it still was a highly alluring sweet and fruity aroma, and the same was true for those buds with a more sourly fruit fragrance. The Doc filled his Volcano vaporizer with about a quarter gram of Warlock bud, and the wonderfully sweet tasting balloon vapor instantly made him feel like floating above the ground, a strong sativa turn spread out its wings, quickly carrying The Doc into Warlock’s magic kingdom. Where he would stay for a long time in a very good mood, fairly exhilarated, but also pretty stoned at the same time. Then Warlock’s spell diminished bit by bit, in the end setting The Doc free again.

His concluding remark: “Warlock really left nothing to be desired. What a return of the conjuring master – Impressive, how fresh and vibrant this strain from the 1990s still comes over nowadays. Fat yields after a moderate flowering time, a fantastic aroma and high: What more could you ask for?”

Green Born Identity – G.B.I.

Cultivation data:

Written and Published by Green Born Identity – G.B.I. In Weed World Magazine 118