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A look at back at past Leafly Strain of the Year winners
Smell that, folks? That’s the scent of rarified air, and you’d better get used to it, because you’re in the presence of greatness. Leafly Strain of the Year is one of the highest honors in the weed world, and every single strain that has earned the honor has claimed a perpetual spot on dispensary shelves and in the hearts of cannabis lovers nationwide.
Only seven strains have earned the right to be called Leafly Strain of the Year so far, and there’s about to be an eighth. We’ve announced the five strains that are nominated for the big prize this year, and we’ll be announcing the official selection on March 4th.
To celebrate, we’re taking a walk through the halls of glory and singing the praises of the past winners. We recommend sitting back, sparking up your favorite, and letting the aura of some truly great strains wash over you.
Black Cherry Pie x Tropicana Cookies
The reigning Strain of the Year for about one more week, Super Boof, has had a fantastic run as the top dog. It’s a sharp, tart, zesty strain with a medley of citrus flavors overlaying a berry-forward finale. Before earning the top honor of Strain of the Year, Super Boof was a darling of the cannabis cup circuit and a favorite of America’s budtenders.
Super Boof inherits its dynamite flavor profile from its parents, Black Cherry Punch and Tropicana Cookies, a somewhat unassuming parentage that produced a real winner.
Super Boof is originally the work of Cali breeder Blockhead, who had originally called the strain Blockberry. You can still find the strain sold under that name in certain spots; however, the strain was renamed to Super Boof by Michigan’s own Mobilejay, who also had a hand in supercharging the strain to national stardom.
It’s a strain of middle to upper potency, usually clocking in around 28% THC, but its gentle terpene profile and energizing high make it a newbie-friendly strain as well. Though Super Boof’s time as America’s sweetheart is coming to an end, it’s destined for a long, sterling legacy. Keep an eye on some Super Boof crosses to make serious headlines in the future.
(Biscotti x Sherb Bx 1) x Jealousy
Permanent Marker rose to claim the Strain of the Year award in 2023 on a tidal wave of hype and has enjoyed a lofty position ever since. It’s a boundary-pushing strain, with a sweet aroma that is tinged by a hearty dose of ammonia, that does strongly resemble its namesake. Permanent Marker picks up the torch left by one of its genetic forebearers, another forward-thinking Leafly Strain of the Year winner, 2023’s Jealousy, and takes a massive leap forward.
A cross of Sherb Bx and Biscotti forms the other part of the Permanent Marker’s immediate parentage, leading to a strain well worth winning the big prize of 2023. It’s innovative enough that we won’t be surprised if it wins again in 2123.
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Legendary Breeder J Beezy of Seed Junky Genetics is responsible for this masterpiece of cannabis culture, and we recommend that you get used to seeing that name now. Doja Pak selected the strain, launched it on both coasts, and we’ve all been living in a different world ever since. Permanent Marker is a decidedly after-sunset sort of strain; you do not want to tango with the potency of Permanent Marker if there is even a single thing left on your to-do list. When it is time to relax, though, you won’t find better than the 2023 Leafly Strain of the Year.
Sherbert Bx 1 x Gelato 41
The green-eyed monster herself. Another all-time banger from Seed Junky Genetics, Jealousy is an undeniable icon, an inter-industry taunt, and the Leafly Strain of the Year for 2022. In the years since it won, Jealousy has massively proliferated throughout the cannabis community, and Jealousy’s many children have gone on to win plenty of awards on their own, including previous entry Permanent Marker.
It’s descended from the Sherbert Bx1 cultivar with Gelato 41, and many cannabis consumers see Jealousy as an enhancement, or revival, of Gelato, 2018’s Strain of the Year and a staple at dispensaries nationwide.
Jealousy is one of the most visually appealing strains to have ever graced dispensary shelves, with purples so deep they seem to drink in the light and orange hairs jetting out like firecrackers, and there are definitely points for style in the race for Strain of the Year. The effects of jealousy are an incredibly well-balanced mix between calming and energizing, and this reputation has earned it a spot in rotations amongst cannsseurs nationwide who value the all-arounder for its flavor and versatility.
Face Off OG Bx1 x OG Kush Breath
Dosidos is cannabis royalty, a nepobaby with substance, and a massively influential strain whose ripples are still rocking boats today. It claimed Leafly Strain of the Year in 2021, after having spent about a decade building a reputation nationwide. Dosi comes from us from Fletch, a well-respected breeder at Portland, Oregon’s Archive Seed Bank, who bred the strain back in 2012 to great acclaim.
Dosidos is a cross between two of the most popular and well-known strains of all time: a strain called Face Off OG BX1, Fletch’s own breeding line descended from the legendary OG Kush, and a special variation of GSC known as OG Kush Breath.
Dosidos is an earthy, botanical strain that leans more towards floral notes than pine. It also has just a hint of peppery spice, which adds depth and complexity to the strain that sets it apart and still makes it stand out. Since it had its big year in 2021, Dosidos has spawned its own incredibly lit crosses, like Moonbow, Slurricane, and the famous Peanut Butter Breath that have all grown to have significant followings in their own right. Dosidos casts a long, long shadow these days, and time is only cementing the strain’s indomitable legacy.
Few strains are as dominant over the current popular imagination of the cannabis industry as Runtz, 2021’s Leafy Strain of the Year, and Runtz is related to most of them. Runtz didn’t invent candy gas, but the rise of Runtz was the moment when that flavor profile went supernova, becoming a dominant force in dispensary menus and greenhouses nationwide. You can find the many, many children of Runtz at virtually every single dispensary in America.
At this point, there’s even an argument to be made that Runtz belongs on the Mt. Rushmore of cannabis strains, and the breeders behind the strain, the industry-leading Cookies crew, can certainly lay claim to a spot as well.
There was, and is, an awful lot of hype and marketing around Runtz, but do not get it twisted, Runtz has the substance to back up its promotional push. It’s descended from Gelato, another Cookies original, and The Original Z, a vibey strain where Runtz gets most of its candy-forward flavor and aroma. Its potency is respectable, even if it has been somewhat outstripped in recent years by some of the boundary-pushing strains that have risen to prominence. While counterfeiting and mislabeling have somewhat tarnished the legacy of Runtz, if you’re lucky enough to snag the real deal, then you’ll understand why we had no choice but to name it Strain of the Year in 2020.
Wedding Cake (Pink Cookies for our Canadian readers) is the first strain of Seed Junky’s to earn the honor of being Leafly’s Strain of the Year, and since it was only the second time we awarded the trophy, that’s a pretty big deal. Wedding Cake was once thought to be a cross between GSC and Cherry Pie, but the original breeder maintains that it is actually descended from Animal Mints and Triangle Kush.
The popular error is understandable; the GSC genetics are strong with this one. If you couldn’t tell from its vanilla-forward, earthy sweetness, then you’ll certainly be able to tell from its impeccably relaxing effects.
Wedding Cake earned its Strain of the Year honor towards the end of the dessert craze that swept the country in the early days of legalization. In many ways, it’s the culmination of that wave, taking the strains and terp profiles that customers couldn’t get enough of and refining them into a true juggernaut. Add in a catchy name that evokes celebration and indulgence, and you’ve got a strain that America can’t stop saying yes to.
Gelato is the one that started it all, the very first Leafly Strain of the Year in 2018. Though it had been incubating for several years before then, the inaugural Strain of the Year couldn’t have come at a better time for the strain; Gelato’s wave was cresting that year, and now it will forever be known as the Kelly Clarkson of cannabis (or Vince Lombardi, if you like).
A cross between Sunset Sherbert and GSC, Gelato hit like a meteorite, leaving an impression on the market that is unlikely to ever be forgotten.
Gelato is the creation of Mr. Sherbinski, who has turned the strain into an empire. The stars in the sky just barely outnumber the crosses of Gelato that dispensary shelves have seen. It directly contributed to no less than three other strains on this list, including a laundry list of also-rans like Ice Cream Cake, TK41, and Biscotti. We’re all still living in the world that Gelato made.
This list of history-making, era-defining strains is just about to expand. While you’re appreciating greatness from years past, take a look to the future and read our list of nominees for the next Leafly Strain of the Year, and check out our announcement on March 4th.