Abstrax Tech 2023 Strain of the Year: Durban Lemonade

Durban Lemonade highlights the potential for growth and improvement in an industry that’s ready to step into the spotlight. Read on to learn more about our 2023 Strain of the Year.

When it came to selecting our strain of the year, we could have featured a best-seller, a name-brand cultivar, etc. However, 2023 was a landmark year for innovation and discovery in the cannabis and hemp industries. So, it only felt right to select a cultivar that was a reflection of those scientific breakthroughs and game-changing collabs… and it obviously needed to have an unforgettable aromatic profile.

With that in mind, Durban Lemonade was the obvious choice.  

Learn about its origins, aroma, effects, and why we believe hemp-derived Durban Lemonade is a defining cultivar of 2023.  

Durban Lemonade Strain Origin

The origins of this hemp-derived profile are part of the reason we feel it deserves a spotlight. In 2023, we partnered with Terplandia because of their unwavering dedication to promoting education and delivering the highest quality natural terpenes. It’s through this partnership that we’ve been able to bring Durban Lemonade to the public.

Before hemp was grown for flavor and aroma, it was originally used for textiles, CBD extraction, etc. This led to hemp that mainly smelled of grass and hay regardless of strain variety. After six years of intentional breeding, however, Terplandia has transformed the way people think about hemp flavor and aroma. 

Durban Lemonade is an exquisite example of the incredible smell and taste they’ve been able to carefully breed into hemp. And it all starts with genetics that are meticulously bred from a single source for maximum flavor and aroma yield. Relying on a single source and origin makes it possible to control the entire process from genetics and phenohunting to harvesting and refining. This particular family-owned farm also utilizes dry farm practices with zero pesticides.

CULTIVAR ORIGINS

Durban Poison x Lemonnade

From there, the hemp-derived terpenes are distilled from FRESH (never frozen) live flower within thirty minutes of harvest. Then, we use molecular distillation to further refine them for the highest quality possible. No fillers, no solvents, and no additional isolates. This is Durban Lemonade as nature intended.

Born from a six-year odyssey of meticulous plant breeding, Durban Lemonade isn't just another hemp cultivar – it's a symphony of invigorating aromas and robust vitality. Selected from over 120,000 individual plants, only the very best were chosen, each meticulously screened for their strength, resilience, and the ability to produce an intoxicating bouquet of invigorating terpenes.

Dr. Kirk Azevedo

Team Leader of Genetics and Cultivation

The Durban Lemonade Aroma

Speaking of “a symphony of invigorating aromas,” the Durban Lemonade profile is one for the books. With parents Durban Poison and Lemonnade, it should come as no surprise that Durban Lemonade has an endless supply of hazy citrusy goodness. Calling it complex would be an understatement. 

Dominant terpenes d-Limonene, δ-3-Carene, and trans-β-Ocimene are just three of the 326 aroma compounds that work together to create this unforgettable aroma. While d-Limonene isn’t all that surprising, both δ-3-Carene and trans-β-Ocimene are generally found in much smaller quantities. It’s quite rare for them to be among the dominant terpenes of an aromatic profile.

Where some citrusy aromas come across as tart, the hazy elements of Durban Lemonade give them a softness that borders on gentle. Add in the grounding notes of wood, invigorating pine, and herbal elements of spice, and you’re left with an aromatic masterpiece that’s exceptionally fresh and bright.

Durban Lemonade Effects

In just a few words? Peaceful. Relaxing and yet invigorating. That hardly covers it, though. 

So, picture this.

You slowly open your eyes and take your first deep breath at the start of a carefree Sunday morning. As a cool, crisp wave of citrus and pine stimulates your senses, it feels as though the day is brimming with promise… and it is. You slowly stretch your limbs and feel a lazy smile bloom across your face. It’s going to be a great day.

Experience the Abstrax Tech 2023 Strain of the Year Today

We believe the unparalleled quality of Durban Lemonade is a testament to what the cannabis and hemp industries can and should be doing. From farming and extraction to putting products in customers' hands, we have a responsibility to strive for excellence in everything we do. 

While we really can’t overstate just how phenomenal its aromatic profile is, Durban Lemonade is so much more than that. It’s an example of excellence in hemp. It highlights the potential for growth and improvement in an industry that’s ready to step into the spotlight. 

Durban Lemonade is absolutely a defining cultivar of 2023, and we view it as a stepping stone to even greater achievements in 2024.