The Signature Series: How DNA Genetics Struck 24K Gold with Tangie Gas

It’s the definitive “Tangie Gas” cultivar and it’s all thanks to master cultivators DNA Genetics. Learn about this Signature Series collab and the meticulous journey to 24K Gold (AKA Kosher Tangie).

Some cultivars make headlines, but 24K Gold made history. Bred by DNA Genetics using two of the most celebrated parents in cannabis, Tangie and Kosher Kush, 24K Gold quickly earned a reputation as a fan favorite that proved gas and citrus could coexist in perfect harmony. 

It carried the unmistakable brightness of ripe tangerine, the sweet spritz of orange peel, and the bold, grounding weight of OG fuel. This combo won countless awards, sparked breeding projects across continents, influenced dispensary menus around the world, and it defined an entirely new category of gassy aromas in cannabis which we now call Tangie Gas.

Want all the technical details about how we crafted our 24K Gold Signature Series profile? Read all about it in our White Paper!

In partnership with DNA Genetics, we’ve been able to map Tangie Gas profiles with molecular precision, learn what makes the 24K Gold aroma so unique, and carve out a place for it in the prestigious Abstrax Signature Series. 

Read on to learn 24K Gold’s origins, celebrate the expert cultivation skills of DNA Genetics, and discover the emerging possibilities for Tangie Gas in the wider flavor landscape.

DNA Genetics: From SoCal Legends to Global Tastemakers

Founded by Don Morris and Aaron Yarkoni in the early 2000s, DNA Genetics (“D & A” for Don and Aaron) had one mission. They wanted to share the California cannabis experience with the rest of the world. 

Before moving from Los Angeles to Amsterdam, they exported California cannabis genetics to parts of the world with limited access to them. That international relocation, however, put them on the path to greatness. In a less restrictive breeding environment, they were able to work openly, compete in global competitions, and connect with cultivators from around the world.

DNA Genetics focused their efforts on plants with distinct sensory identities. Using these as building blocks, they bred hybrids that immediately impacted cannabis culture and chemistry. 

This dedication to their craft has made them one of the most decorated breeders of all time with more than 200 awards across categories and continents, including fourteen cannabis cups and inclusion in High Times’ Top 10 Strains of the Year. In 2009, they were even inducted into High Times’ Seed Bank Hall of Fame.

Their work did more than win awards, though. DNA cultivars like LA Confidential, Chocolope, and Tangie, completely reshaped consumer preferences. Their genetics brought bright citrus and tropical characteristics to European menus that typically featured earthy, hash-forward profiles. In California, their work brought a fresh, new appreciation for OG gas by featuring it alongside fruit flavors.

It was their Tangie cultivar that marked a clear turning point, though.

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Before 24K Gold There Was Tangie and Kosher Kush

Spun from a cut first acquired by Crockett Family Farms, Tangie reimagined the citrus-heavy flavors of a 1990s cannabis delicacy, Tangerine Dream. DNA immediately recognized its potential, introduced it to international markets, and it went on to become one of the most decorated and iconic citrus cultivars in cannabis history.

Some find it bitter, acrid, or pithy, while Tangie fans adore its crisp, zesty juxtaposition against the more traditional earthy, herbal notes found across standard menus. Part of its pungency is due to an abundance of sulfur compounds also found in tropical fruits — tropicannasulfur compounds (TCSCs). 

Want to learn more about Tropicannasulfurs? Curious about how we discovered TCSCs were the true culprits behind loud citrus notes in exotic cultivars like Tangie? Read all about it in Science of Exotic Cannabis Three: The Trio of Tropicanna!

Despite its polarizing aroma, it’s not hard to see why Tangie scooped up so many awards. Its ripe tangerine aroma disrupted markets where sweet, fruity profiles were rare. Its success ignited a global appetite for citrus-dominant cultivars that’s still going strong today.

The other powerhouse parent of 24K was Kosher Kush with a reputation as one of the loudest OG Kush phenotypes ever circulated. It delivered a full-spectrum of gas with dense fuel notes layered with earthy pine, subtle citrus, and a mouth-coating quality that lingered.

After refining a cut of Kosher Kush, DNA Genetics entered it into competitions where it went on to secure three straight High Times Cannabis Cups for Best Indica. At one point, two Kosher phenotypes were even entered for the same competition resulting in the cultivar tying itself for first place.

For DNA Genetics, the opportunity in front of them was clear: pair Tangie’s tropical punch with the deep, grounding gas of Kosher Kush. Their objective was to refine the citrus while flooring the gas to please those objecting to the sharper nature of Tangie without abandoning its exotic aroma.

Spoiler alert: they totally nailed it.

The Cultivation of 24K Gold and The Birth of Tangie Gas

Bringing the biochemical complexity of these titans together did more than just cultivate a unique hybrid. It highlighted what was truly special about both Tangie and Kosher and created a new gold standard cultivar at the same time. 

24K Gold, sometimes referred to as Kosher Tangie, delivers a burst of ripe, juicy tangerine supported by persistent notes of fuel for something wildly complex. It’s as loud on the top notes as it is on the finish and it manages to bridge and balance two powerful sensory worlds. Kosher brought the gas, Tangie brought the citrus, and the resulting cultivar gave us Tangie Gas.

While “gas” may be shorthand for pungent, fuel-like aromas that command attention, not all gas is created equal. Today, there are distinct subcategories with unique chemistries and balances of aromatic compounds. This has encouraged sophisticated consumer appetites for novelty and higher expectations for craft cultivation. 

For example, OG Gas is the prototypical benchmark and is primarily powered by sulfurous prenylated cannasulfur compounds (PCSCs) like prenylthiol and prenyl thioacetate. This subcategory, which includes OG Kush and King Louie XIII, is known for its dense diesel and earthy citrus with a resinous, lingering mouthfeel. 

Chem Gas pairs PCSCs with heterocycles like indole and skatole for savory exotic cultivars that turn up the dank with nose wrinkling profiles. This includes cultivars like GMO or Chem 91 that some consumers drool over while others wince.

Cultivars with sweet, fruit-forward top notes and a gassy underbelly often fall into the Candy Gas category. Cultivars in this category, from Sherbinski’s wildly gassy and sweet Bacio Gelato to its offspring like Runtz, have surged in popularity recently. These aromas are thanks to rare berry-forward esters like senecioates combining with PCSCs.

Tangie Gas stands apart with bright, citrus-dominant profiles that have a deep, sulfur-driven backbone. Think diesel-soaked oranges that are sweet, hefty, dank, and invigorating. Tangie Gas profiles contain a harmonious blend of TCSCs and PCSCs, as well as dominant terpenes d-Limonene and β-caryophyllene — and 24K Gold is easily the definitive Tangie Gas profile. 

Demand for gassy citrus hybrids continues to increase, making Tangie Gas a non-negotiable category on menus across Europe and South America. In analyzing 24K Gold, we’ve not only captured Tangie Gas in its complete form, but we’ve also established a chemical and sensory benchmark for the global cannabis industry. 

24K Gold Key Chemical Findings

The brilliance of Tangie Gas lies in volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs), esters, aldehydes, alcohols, and other non-terpenoid molecules that work together in precise ratios. Abstrax refers to these compounds as cannabis flavorants, and many exist at trace levels that traditional terpene testing cannot reliably detect.

That’s why we use comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC-TOF-MS/FID/SCD) as well as gas chromatography–olfactometry (GC-O) and sensory panels. This multi-layered approach, pairing cutting-edge analytical chemistry with human sensory validation, is what allows the Signature Series to move beyond generic terpene profiling into the realm of complete, breeder-approved authenticity.

Want technical details about our analytical techniques and equipment? Ready for some heavy duty, nerdy science? Get ALL the information in The Signature Series: 24K Gold

So what exactly did we find between the shimmer and shine of 24K Gold?

• Tangie, Kosher, and 24K Gold were all dominant in β-Caryophyllene, followed by d-Limonene and Linalool in near-equal parts. However, our sensory panel found 24K to be more similar to Tangie than Kosher Kush. This aligns with our understanding that terpene content alone does not drive aromatic differences across cultivars.
• Our flavorant analysis found a few minor but key tropical components, such as 1-octanol, n-butyl n-hexanoate, 1-decanol, and (Z)-dec-4-en-ol. Fatty alcohols octanol and decanol are often found at higher concentrations in varieties with strong citrus notes and they’re especially abundant in 24K and Tangie.
• While we only observed a single critical PCSC in our Kosher Kush sample, 24K and Tangie contained several highly coveted TCSCs including 3-mercaptohexanol (3MH), 3-mercaptohexyl acetate (3MHA), and 3-mercaptohexyl butyrate (3MHB).
• 24K Gold contained lower amounts of intensely sharp 3MHB compared to Tangie, which explains its softer, sweeter citrus aroma. This combination of unique TCSC levels with the powerful gas of prenylthiol is what drives the finely tuned aromatic experience of 24K Gold.

This analysis is a prime example of how combining two very different varieties can showcase the best of both worlds. The cannabis industry has long understood DNA Genetics’ masterful ability to “fine-tune” a variety’s aroma profile, and now there’s data to back those skills up. 

At the end of the day, 24K Gold represents a headlong rush into the future of selective breeding in modern cannabis cultivation.

The Golden Future of Cannabis Research and Cultivation

While our Signature Series profile is the most authentic 24K Gold representation in existence, some enticing mysteries remain. For example, our analysis revealed a handful of odor-active compounds with no matches in existing libraries. That indicates the presence of rare cannabis flavorants the world has yet to identify.

DNA Genetics expertly united flavor categories that had long remained separate in exotic cannabis. Their union provides the chemical blueprint for Tangie Gas which is now central to international flavor landscapes. Further mapping of this chemistry could explain how this cross achieved such an impact as well as provide a foundation for deliberately extending the category in reproducible ways.

We also want to study how Tangie Gas behaves across formats. Sulfur compounds easily shift, which alters the balance between fruity, gassy, and savory expressions. Studies across vape, beverage, edible, and concentrate systems will be essential for maintaining the same flavor and aroma across applications.

Plus, gas categories aren’t done evolving! As we analyze more cultivars, Tangie Gas may diverge into substyles defined by their own ratios of fruit, gas, and earth. Establishing sensory standards and reference chemistry for each will allow breeders and manufacturers alike to meet exact specifications and for consumers to easily recognize them on the shelf.

What is clear now, though, is that this category has the chemistry, cultural relevance, and versatility to stand tall beside OG, Chem, and Candy Gas as a foundational style in modern exotic cannabis.

Abstrax Tech | Signature Series Promise

This work will move forward in close partnership with breeders like DNA Genetics who provide true-to-source material. By combining their expertise with advanced analytics, we will continue to expand the exotic spectrum and deliver verified, repeatable flavor blueprints that preserve cannabis heritage while driving innovation.

Collaborations like these create Signature Series profiles that aren’t just good or great, but that are absolutely perfect. Our Signature Series hit the ground running with Jack Herer, Bacio Gelato redefined what’s possible in chemical analysis and flavor experience, and 24K Gold defines and quantifies Tangie Gas profiles.

Signature Series 24K Gold is a guarantee that you’re buying the authentic profile of this iconic cultivar and that it’s been signed off by DNA Genetics.

DNA struck Gold with 24K, now it’s your turn! Bring the definitive Tangie Gas profile in all its authentic radiance to your menu today!

1. Oswald, I., Paryani, T., Sosa, M., Ojeda, M., Altenbernd, M., Grandy, J., Shafer, N., Ngo, K., Peat, J., Melshenker, B. G., Skelly, I., Koby, K., Page, M., & Martin, T. (2023, October 12). Minor, Nonterpenoid Volatile Compounds Drive the Aroma Differences of Exotic Cannabis. ACS Publications.
   
   
2. Paryani, T., Sosa, M., Page, M., Martin, T., Hearvy, M., Ojeda, M., Koby, K., Grandy, J., Melshenker, B., Skelly, I., & Oswald, I. (2024, June 19). Nonterpenoid Chemical Diversity of Cannabis Phenotypes Predicts Differentiated Aroma Characteristics. ACS Publications.

DNA Genetics 24K Gold | Signature Series

SHOP 24K Gold

A child of Tangie and Kosher Kush, 24K Gold introduced the world to "Tangie Gas". Bred by DNA Genetics, one of the most awarded and influential names in cannabis history, this profile honors the legacy of California flavor that changed cannabis forever.