Pink Marshmallow, and the Comfort of the Familiar

I’m keeping this week particularly short, which I know I frequently promise before a long post, but this week I mean it. It’s the Monday following Thanksgiving, and while I did smoke a fair amount of weed this weekend, both at Thanksgiving proper and at the mini Friendsgiving we did in Massachusetts with our LotR Bowl friends, I didn’t have the kind of time to sit down and write, so this is being done admittedly last minute.

But, this week’s strain is so good that it can stand on its own without a long narrative or allegory or lesson introducing it. That strain is Pink Marshmallow, and it falls into a category I’ve written about and reviewed before: strains in the Strawguava (Strawberry Guava) lineage. Specifically, Pinky here is a hybrid of Strawguava and Marshmallow.

Since my Strawberry Guava by Divine Buds review in early April (which I’ll admit was largely based on flower that I’d smoked well before that date, since I was cramming 30 reviews into 30 days that month), I’ve experienced several more variations on that strain, and while I still stand by my very positive opinion of that cultivation, it seems to be the most mild of the versions of that strain. Most Strawguava I’ve had since has been headier and more euphoric, though otherwise similar. And as the parent strain of so many strains I’ve really loved recently, I’m seeing that euphoria carry through in these offspring. Such is the case with Pink Marshmallow, which was grown by Cannabis Caveman, who has really become one of my favorite growers. I wrote about them just a few weeks ago in my Blue Lime Pie review here.

Pink Marshmallow has an understated aroma of sweet berries and mango, with a delicate floral overtone. Beneath it lies an earthy, loamy green, like creeping thyme. For those of you of an age with me (so mid- to young Gen X’ers), it has the smell of the basement of that one friend’s house back in the 80’s, the finished basement that still smacked of the 70’s, plus an NES. The basement family room with orange shaggy carpet and wood paneling on everything from walls to the cable box. Everything is super clean and well-maintained, and there’s that oddly sweet smell in the air. It’s that.

The buds are simultaneously fluffy and dense, generally large and well-shaped, dry and lightly tacky to the touch, and easy to break apart. It smoked really well, both in a bowl/bubbler, or a pre-rolled joint, with a smooth mouthfeel and a medium body, if just the tiniest bit spicy on the throat-feel. The flavor completely morphs, however, into a rich and creamy caramel, with a touch of earthiness and nutty bitterness from the Marshmallow parentage. It’s a very pleasant smoke, which a number of people I’ve shared it with have agreed.

The high is consistent with my initial expectations. The head high is largely upliftingly euphoric, a touch fuzzy around the edges, but otherwise a good social high, both brainy and a little giggly. The body high calming and lightly tingly, not as heavy as Marshmallow by itself, lending itself to a more pain-relieving type of overall body effect. I won’t lie though, I do get a bit munchy and thirsty with this one, so heads up.

I said I was keeping it brief, and I will. Pink Marshmallow is one of my top strains right now. I’ve been recommending it for weeks now, and while I feel like I’m shortchanging it by not having a long story, I also like to think that this one really does stand on its own merits. It’s an excellent strain, grown very well, and as it has a strong high that also doesn’t go too far in any one direction, makes for an excellent strain for sharing. With the holidays here and more to come, I recommend stocking up on this one for when you’re with your loved ones this season. Or any time. Enjoy.