Grow's Balanced Flower Review | AusCannaReviews
Balanced by Grow is a Sativa-dominant medicinal cannabis cultivar, better known as Mango Cheese, a cross between Doctor Seedman CBD and UK Cheese. Grown indoors under LED lights in coco, Mango Cheese is hand-harvested and trimmed, then barrel-cured for 21 days in Quebec, Canada. With a cannabinoid profile of 10% THC and 15% CBD, Mango Cheese’s primary terpenes are Myrcene, Pinene, Caryophyllene, and Farnesene.
Doctor Seedsman CBD is an 80% Sativa cultivar bred specifically for its high-CBD, low-THC profile and is a cross between Asia CBD and Asian CBD. This hardy, resinous plant stays short and squat, with high yields and an 8–9 week indoor flowering time. Aromatic and flavourful, it produces dense buds with pine and ginger notes, offering effects said to be deeply relaxing for the body with no cerebral high.
The story of the Cheese cultivar begins in the 1980s when Sam “the Skunkman” brought his Skunk #1 genetics from the U.S. to Amsterdam. Skunk #1 was praised for its potency but became notorious for its strong odour, which often attracted unwanted attention from law enforcement. In response, growers began searching for less pungent phenotypes. By the late '80s, Skunk #1 seeds made their way to the UK, where a grower discovered a unique, cheesy-smelling phenotype. This rare find was preserved through cloning and eventually shared with The Exodus Collective, cementing its place in UK cannabis history. Typically high in Terpinolene, Ocimene, and Myrcene, UK Cheese, is a favourite of patients in the U.S. trying to relieve symptoms associated with chronic pain, insomnia and inflammation.
Review
Opening my 10-gram white plastic tub of Grow’s Balanced (batch 000276) I’m met with a sweet berry-forward aroma, hinting at something tropical beneath. There’s also a subtle funk from the Cheese lineage, but it’s largely overpowered by the fruity brightness.
My tub came with four medium and four small buds. The buds had darker green tones with some brown hues, accented by burnt orange pistils. The trichome coverage was generous although they were mostly amber-headed.
Dense and spongy Grow’s Balanced buds pass the Sticky Icky Test displaying that satisfying kinetic sand look coming out of the griner. If anything Grow’s Balanced leaned a touch towards the too moist.
Starting at 170C in my Venty, Grow’s Balanced immediately reveals its fruit-forward profile. At these lower temps, Mango Cheese delivers smooth, dense clouds with flavours of warm berries paired with subtle earthy pine notes. There’s a surprising depth to the vapour, but it remains gentle and never overpowering. As the temperature rises, the flavour becomes more robust without ever turning harsh. Even with its lower THC content, the clouds were thick, satisfying, and pleasantly mellow. Mango Cheese’s effects kick in swiftly providing a very gentle, grounded sense of calm. There’s no couch lock, no brain fog, just a feeling of being settled, like my nervous system finally got the memo to chill. This is a flower that would be best suited for just about any time slot in my rotation.
Will I refill this prescription? No. If you’ve been following my reviews for a while, you’ll know I’m one of the rare few allergic to hemp—yes, really. So finding a CBD flower that agrees with my system has been an ongoing challenge. Unfortunately, Grow’s Balanced brought on a mild headache and runny nose after just a few pulls of my Venty. While those effects lessened with time and blending, they never fully disappeared, which ultimately means Grow’s Balanced doesn’t meet my therapeutic needs.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4 out of 5 stars)
This Substack aims to provide anecdotal information from my personal experiences in hopes it will lead to meaningful conversations between my readers and their healthcare professionals about medicinal cannabis.
I have no formal training in medicine or science. This article does not constitute medical advice.