As we write this post, we’re aware that reading about our decision to name our MAC 1, well, MAC 1, isn’t going to be of interest to everyone. But if you love nerding out on genetics like we do, this post is for you.
This post will be a little long winded, perhaps more technical than we typically like to write, but we felt like it was an important exercise. So here it goes:
Carmel’s Genetics
Most of the genetics we grow at Carmel are either S1’s or F1’s, while we also brought in a bunch of clones when we launched. Our Animal Face for instance is an F1. It’s not a clone only, and we really don’t care. We think it’s an incredible pheno, and believe it can stand up with any Sativa in market today.
When consumers purchase through a licensed cannabis retailer or through the OCS the majority of the flower comes from a pheno selected from a seed. The variety that exists in the market today is largely due to genetics being distributed by seed.
New varieties and flavours have proliferated over the years as a direct result of people seeding their plants, because getting clones across borders or across country just isn’t practical.
We’ve got over 300 different genetics in our seed vault and we’re looking forward to popping all of them. We’ve got a bunch of Thug Pug genetics that we’re launching, Garlic Breath is in market today, and Peanut Butter Breath will be coming to market soon.
We didn’t give Garlic Breath its name, that decision was made for us based off the name on the pack and what the breeder chose to name the strain.
What’s in a Name
When it comes to MAC 1, there are enough resources online that help breakdown the MAC 1 story but for the uninitiated here’s a quick summary:
MAC (Alien Cookies F2 #7 x Miracle 15) is a strain that was first bred by Capulator in 2016. He later made some of his MAC seeds available and MAC 1 was eventually born out of his remaining seeds (first pheno, hence 1).
Our MAC 1 is an S1 of a clone only MAC 1, which we pheno hunted across a variety of other MAC 1 seeds as well as caps original MAC. Much like we don’t call Animal Face “Animal Face F1”, we decided to call our MAC 1, MAC 1 (Cap actually calls his cut MAC1, no space).
One thing we are proud of at Carmel is the degree of transparency we’ve brought to the industry. We’re the first producer to list key product information (breeder, lineage, appearance, aroma and terpenes) directly on our pouch, and because of this many of our competitors will follow.
We’ll continue to stay consistent with the approach that the more you know the better. For MAC 1, we’ve gone so far as to state S1 in the ‘Lineage’ field on our MAC 1 pouch to make sure there’s no confusion.
Don’t do fugazi
We understand the degree of skepticism in the industry around strain names. Many producers have intentionally muddied the waters with the strain names they’ve chosen.
Some have done it in the failed attempt to bring in a “new cannabis consumer”, because actual “street names” was off brand or not premium enough.
Other producers rename strain names to make life easier on their supply chain. For example, if you call your product Bobby’s Batch, one month it can be Exodus Cheese and the next month it can be Sour Kush.
The final reason, and perhaps the most egregious is when some producers will knowingly rename a strain name to capitalize off the “hype”. If GG4 is popping but you only have a Sour Kush, just rename the strain and you’ll be able to capitalize off the momentum and namesake of GG4.
Carmel has never, and will never participate in the antics we discussed above. If we do, send us the link to this article and Vince carter dunk on us.
If the only MAC 1 you’ll smoke is MAC 1 which is specifically Capulators cut, that’s great. We think that Qwest has this in market and generally speaking the cutting has been passed around enough that it’s pretty accessible through “alternative” channels.
We decided to launch our MAC 1 because we think it stands up to anything else that’s in market, and were blown away by its aroma, taste, bud structure and bag appeal.
Maybe you don’t agree with our logic on the naming, and that’s fine. At the end of the day it’s all going to come down to the smoke, everything else is just noise 👌
