Cheese Cannabis Seeds

Where the cheesy smell actually comes from

The magic behind that cheese aroma is all down to chemistry. A handful of organic acids and volatile compounds work together to build the scent.

Isovaleric acid is usually the star of the show, it's the same stuff that gives aged cheese that lingering, sweaty, pungent kick. 

Then you've got octanoic acid, hexanoic acid, and methyl thio butyrate adding layers of depth. Volatile sulphur compounds bring in those savoury, garlicky notes that make the whole thing smell even more like a cheese counter.

Methanethiol pops up too, it's found in some real cheeses and can smell a bit like rotten cabbage on its own. But when it's mixed with other terpenes, it rounds everything out nicely.

Caprylic and hexanoic acid, which you'd also find in milk and coconut, add a creamy edge. Put it all together and you get a smell that can range from mild, aged cheddar to something seriously intense, depending on how the compounds balance out.

The different cheese aromas you'll come across

Not all cheese strains smell the same, and that's part of the fun. UK Cheese is the classic, it's got a funky, pungent aroma that's like opening a charcuterie board.

There’s hints of cheddar, Parmesan, gouda, and brie all rolled into one, with a sharp, sour edge and that old-school skunky vibe from its Skunk #1 roots. Big Buddha Cheese is even more in-the-face, with a dank smell that fills a room the second you crack open the container.

Sweet Cheese brings a spicy, mature twist that's a bit fancier, like something you'd smell at a wine and cheese night. Blue Cheese takes things up a notch with an eye-watering, Gorgonzola-style funk, some people find it disgustingly stinky, but in a weirdly compelling way.

Blueberry Cheese starts off skunky and aged, then softens into sweet, berry-like notes. Critical Cheese Autoflowering mixes fresh lemon with blue cheese and a hint of sweet Skunk.

And Cheese Feminized from Greenhouse Seeds throws in strong pine and Parmesan vibes, with earthy, musky, tangy notes and a touch of sweetness.

What they taste like and which terpenes are involved

The flavour follows the aroma pretty closely. Cheese strains deliver earthy, skunky notes that stick around on the tongue, with a sweet, creamy side and that sharp cheddar character running through it all.

It's not your typical fruity or herbal cannabis taste, it's something that’s either loved or hated. The cheesy, skunky character is backed up by subtle herbal and earthy touches.

Blue Cheese is a standout, with a rich, skunky flavour that also brings in sweet blueberry cheesecake vibes. It's a proper mix of fruit and cheese that somehow works.

Blueberry Cheesecake leans sweeter, blending Blueberry and Cheese genetics for a creamy, dessert-like taste with that underlying cheese edge. 

Big Buddha Cheese is fruitier than expected from something so funky, but it's still won plenty of Cannabis Cups. The buds themselves pack potent cheesy and garlic notes thanks to those volatile sulphur compounds, with a hint of fruity and floral scents from the terpenes.

Myrcene, caryophyllene, and pinene are the main terpenes found in cheese strains. Caryophyllene adds a spicy, earthy kick with a touch of sweetness and citrus.

Myrcene brings musky notes, and pinene gives that fresh, woody pine flavour with a hint of citrus and pine needles. Terpinolene, ocimene, and a few others throw in mint, fruit, and herbal touches alongside the sulphur compounds, making the whole character more complex.

Where cheese strains came from and why they're still popular

Cheese is a legendary strain that goes back to the eighties. The story goes that breeder David Watson brought it over to the Netherlands from California, and it really took off in the nineties.

It was known for being fast, productive, and having that pungent, cheesy aroma that no one had really smelled before. The strain comes from the original Skunk #1 line, bred to push those bold, distinctive smells to the front.

These days, cheese strains come in all sorts of forms, standard seeds, autoflowers, sativa-leaning, and indica-leaning varieties. Blue Cheese is one of the most popular, crossing Cheese with Blueberry to create an indica-leaning hybrid with a distinctive blue cheese flavour and around 19% THC and 0.5–0.7% CBD.

Cheese strains are loved for their intense flavour and bold character.