Last Updated on January 9, 2024 by Team Spinfuel

Competitions are often held to determine the best cannabis strains of the year. One such competition is the High Times Cannabis Cup, which is probably among the most well-known. The strains in these cups are primarily rated on how much THC is contained in the leaves. THC is the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.

You don’t have to travel to the Cannabis Cup to see which strains are gaining traction for 2017. Just have a look at our list of the top cannabis strains of 2017 so far.

Cannabis Strain #1 Manali West’s Nova OG

This flower may have just made history by testing the highest in the THC compound. Measuring at 35.6 percent THC, this bud is potent. It’s also a designer strain, coming from a hybrid of Top Dawg Seeds’ Sardawg Guava and an OG/Diesel Cross. Considered a ‘boutique’ strain, Nova OG is one of the more popular of these kinds of buds.

Cannabis Strain #2 Manali West’s Pink Starburst

Manali West has been busy this year. Testing at an awe-inspiring 32.49 percent THC, this potent bud is no slouch. A cross between DJ Short’s Blueberry, Underdog OG’s Headbang, and BX3’s AJ Sour Diesel. Then, it was backcrossed to create what you get – a strain with indica growth patterns but an uplifting sativa experience.

Cannabis Strain #3 Utopia Farm’s Chiquita Banana

Already winning several awards and coming in at a lofty 33.5 percent THC, Chiquita Banana is a high producing flower. With a sweet and tropical taste when used in dry herb vaporizers, it’s sure to tantalize the taste buds. Bred from the legendary OG Kush and Banana, this little bud is about as potent as they come.

Cannabis Strain #4 Tutankhamun (King Tut)

From the seeds of AK-47, King Tut is a powerful little flower. With a THC percentage of between 27 and 30 percent, this bud can be potent. Different from most hybrids, which are usually classified as indicas or at least trend that way, King Tut is classified as a sativa.

Cannabis Strain #5 Gorilla Glue #4

If you’re looking for bud that gives a heavy and comfortable high, yet knocks away pain, then Gorilla Glue is for you. It is actually one of the most popular strains in the United States right now. While this bud does reach the thirty percent mark, the average comes in at 24 to 28 percent, which is still a decent amount of THC.

Added props, this plant won the 2014 Los Angeles and Michigan Cannabis Cups. It also won the High Times Jamaican Cannabis World Cup, which is no small feat.

Some of these flowers are boutique strains, which means that they are specifically bred to create high THC or CBD contents, as well as special taste and growth patterns. They can also be relatively expensive. If you’re able, sampling all of these buds would be an amazing feat. With differing THC percentages and tastes, there should be something for even the most discerning connoisseur. Though most are classified as indicas, there is a sativa on this list.

Depending on how much THC you’re looking for, there’s a range to choose from, but all of these have extremely high THC ranges compared to standard strains. Consider that in Colorado’s legal cannabis guidelines, the average THC level is 18.7%.

Remember, to get the most out of your cannabis strains and their buds, you should want to consider using vaporizers rather than combustion. Vaporization allows more of the active compounds that you want rather than the carcinogens you don’t. So, plug in your Volcano or get out that personal dry herb vaporizer, test a few and see which one is your favorite.

Author

Top 5 Cannabis Strains of 2017 Michael is a marketing and creative content specialist at GotVape.com with  a primary focus on customer satisfaction (and knowing his cannabis strains). Technology and fitness combined with healthy lifestyle obsession are his main talking points