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Ohio Medical Marijuana Strain Review:
Dark Helmet by
Galenas
Is The Schwartz Strong With Dark Helmet?
Review & Photos by: Randy Shaffer
Packaging: First Impressions
Dark Helmet is cultivated by Galenas out of Akron, Ohio. Packaging for Galenas cannabis is in keeping with other strains, like Lemon G. The blue pouch is fairly simplistic, and just the right size for 2.83 grams. I also really like all the terpene details they offer on the back of the packaging. Though a tad difficult to open, this pouch does the trick — but I would highly recommend using scissors to open your pouch the first time.
It is also worth noting that Galenas Cannabis is Certified Kind, which is as close to organic as medical cannabis can get without federal regulation. Patients should receive a handy info sheet about Certified Kind when they buy Galenas cannabis from Ohio dispensaries.
Cannabis Look: Out of the Bottle
Dark Helmet is not the most dashing of cannabis strains. Rather, there’s a muddy appearance to this one that’s somewhat underwhelming. That’s not to say this cannabis is poorly cultivated, or that this bud is bad. Rather, this just isn’t a stunner of a strain up close.
Oranges bath over the greens, softening the sharper colors of the leaves, like purple and pine. Trichomes absorb this orange as well, giving the bud a slight amber hue.
The nugs here are light-to-medium density. Most nugs in my pouch were on the smaller size — about the size of a pea, with one larger nug about the size of two quarters.
How Does It Grind?
Grinding this strain is pretty easy. In just a half dozen turns, I had a wonderfully fluffy consistency, perfect for vaping. This strain leans a little moist (but not too much) which should make for a smooth tasting vape.
About 7-9 nugs from this pouch should give you roughly 2-3 bowls for vaping. The large nug yielded about 2 bowls.
Smell Before Vaping
Dark Helmet’s name doesn’t give you much context about how this strain will smell up close. And adding more difficulty — this strain doesn’t have an intense odor.
In fact, you can even grind this one, leave the grinder open and it won’t fill your space with its aroma. Rather, you’ll need to dig right into the flower to gather up its sweet, lemon zest.
There’s a strong hit of citrus complemented by a smooth pine accent, and just a hint to lavender. But perhaps the most intriguing aroma is apple. The scent is like a fresh-cut honeycrisp, just waiting to be enjoyed.
My lone issue with this aroma — I wish it were more pronounced. This strain leans subtle, which is unfortunate because I rather like the gentle accents of this strain, especially the apple.
The Taste Test
I vaped this medical cannabis with an Arizer ExtremeQ vaporizer. I like to start my first bag at a lower temperature to open the terpenes, and work up to a higher temp to vaporize the cannabinoids.
The pinene terpene grabs the wheel as the sweet aromas of Dark Helmet take something of a backseat when vaped. This strain favors a more earthy or woody taste. Lemon notes are more subtle when vaping, but add a delicious aftertaste.
The honeycrisp apple aroma translates well to flavor, softening the bite of the pine, and adding a lovely sweetness to the overall experience. This sweetness actually increases the longer you vape, which was a welcome surprise.
This strain isn’t too harsh or intense, in terms of diesel flavor or bite. You may experience mild coughing, or a little tickle in your throat. But this isn’t a strain that will have you heaving for several minutes. Perhaps the only real letdown here is that the strain leans a bit spicy, leaving a bitter aftertaste on the tongue after the lemon notes wash away.
Dark Helmet would pair very well with a honey bourbon or a sweet herbal tea. I also enjoy a dark roast while vaping a spicy strain as the coffee helps pass the spicier accents.
Medicinal Benefits and Side Effects I Noted
Note: The medicinal benefits noted in this strain profile are for educational purposes only, and are not a substitute for the advice of a medical practitioner or licensed budtender.
Dark Helmet by Galenas is an indica strain, a cross of Forum Cut Girl Scout Cookies and Jawa Pie. The pouch I purchased from my dispensary contained cannabis with 20% THC and 0.00% CBD.
My medical marijuana patient consultant suggested I give this strain a spin for its calming relaxation effects and inflammation relief.
Dark Helmet is correct. There’s a soothing headband effect with this strain that massages the back of the skull, trailing down the neck and spine. This effect continued to radiate for several hours. It felt almost like sitting in a massage chair.
This strain took a little while to work in my system, but once it did, I felt as though I had been enclosed in a warm bubble. My senses were calmed, and my muscles were relaxed. Joints became less stiff.
Anxiety was also tempered. Any worries about the day felt distant. I couldn’t wait to slip under my covers and close my eyes.
Dark Helmet would be best used in the late evening. It can be draining, or cause couch-lock, so be warned. If you have any chores or work, get it done before medicating with this strain. But be ready for the relaxing, meditative experience Dark Helmet can provide.
Final Thoughts on Dark Helmet
Dark Helmet was an enjoyable vape, with an earthy flavor, a spicy lemon aftertaste, and sugary accents throughout. I do wish the sweeter notes from the strain’s aroma were more dominant, but that doesn’t mean Dark Helmet doesn’t have a lot to offer patients. This indica is wonderfully relaxing, and should help get you in a good headspace just before bed.
Have you sampled any of the strain from Galenas? If so, let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Please be aware: Percentages of THC, CBD and terpene profiles can vary greatly between cannabis harvests. This means that some strains profiled at 420oh.io will contain higher, exact or lower percentages of active chemical compounds when purchased at Ohio medical marijuana dispensaries during different harvest seasons.
What’s immediately noticeable is just how well trimmed this strain is compared to some others on the market. There’s no excess leaves or even thick stems —
Impressive mixture of amber pistils and creamy trichomes. The pine green leaves are absolutely covered here, barely visible beneath the dreamy sea of pearly white.
What’s immediately noticeable is just how well trimmed this strain is compared to some others on the market. There’s no excess leaves or even thick stems —
[…] to start fresh, with a new batch of strains. In other words, don’t expect to see Lemon G or Dark Helmet on shelves this spring … at least for […]