The Story of Cheese Strains

This is the story of how one particularly pongy plant went from kicking up a stink in the squats of Luton to winning an internationally renowned Cannabis Cup and gaining worldwide recognition. It's a tale full of rebels, risk-takers, and absolute legends. And at the center of it all? One of the strongest-smelling weed strains the world has ever known.

Cheese, Old Chap: What’s All the Fuss About?

What smells like a stale gym sock crammed with petrol, fruit, and Cornish blue cheese, and is fancied the world over? 

Well, that's gotta be Cheese, bruv. 

This isn’t your average fruity hybrid or sugary pick-n-mix smoke. Cheese is loud. We’re talking unmistakably loud. Like room-clearing, boom-box-in-a-subway kind of loud. But for many UK cannabis fans, that pungent funk is pure magic.

The flavour? Creamy, earthy, sometimes a bit sour, kinda like, well… cheese. Some say it’s got a nutty twist or a hint of fruit underneath all that stink, but I’ll leave that up to you and your own nose decide. 

As for the high? It's comforting and happy, like a warm cuppa after a long day, leaving you deeply relaxed but uplifted enough to be in a proper good mood. 

Cheese became a cult classic in the UK not just for its aroma and effects, but for its resilience and its rebellious charm. See, this strain wasn’t concocted in a sterile lab or under strict regulations. It was passed hand-to-hand, clone-to-clone. It was bred by squatters, ravers, and growers who just wanted good, strong gear. And boy, did they get it.

The Origin Story of Cheese

To understand Cheese, you’ve got to go back to where it all began. It was the late 1970s, California. A breeder by the name of Sam the Skunkman (AKA David Watson-RIP) created one of the first stable hybrids ever made, and it was about to change the whole game. 

Sam the Skunkman, photo courtesy of Todd McCormick

His creation was Skunk #1. It combined Afghani, Mexican, and Colombian Gold. This proved to be a combination that produced big yields, fast-flowering buds, and a bloody strong smell.

Bear in mind, this was during a time of serious prohibition in America, and that very smell that would later give Cheese its magical allure, was becoming  a problem. Skunk #1 was just too loud for its own good, and after some growers found themselves on the other side of bars because of it, breeders started toning down the pong to keep things discreet. 

Meanwhile, across the pond, the lads were doing the total opposite.

When Sam brought Skunk #1 to Amsterdam in the 80s, the genetics slowly seeped into the UK. That’s where the Cheese story really kicks off. Somewhere in the early 90s, a special, ultra-funky “pheno” (short for phenotype) was grown, and this plant caught the attention of a group of Brits known as The Exodus Collective. 

While American breeders tried to tame the smell of Skunk, UK growers were leaning into it, hard.

Exodus Cheese: Born in a Squat, Raised on Tea and Cracking Basslines

Enter the Exodus Collective: a bunch of anarchists, growers, and all-round party-throwers based out of a squat in Luton. They weren't just growing weed and dodging the council, they were throwing unlicensed raves, advocating for social change, and standing up for what they believed in. 

Exodus - photo courtesy by alanlodge.co.uk

One day, someone popped a pack of Skunk #1 seeds, and out came a plant that stank so thick it could peel the wallpaper. That was the Cheese. It was to become one of the top cannabis strains in the UK, and its pungency was unmatched. 

This plant didn't grow seeds, so if you wanted in on the action, you had to know someone who knew someone to get your hands on a cut. That means that every true Exodus Cheese plant is genetically identical to the original plant that started it all, making it a living piece of UK cannabis history. 

Cheese became a soundtrack to jam sessions, passed between punters and growers like contraband currency. 

For a while, if you were holding Cheese, you weren't just growing weed–you were part of a movement. 

Big Buddha, Big Legacy: The Bloke Who Bottled Cheese

While Cheese was stirring up a cult following in the UK, one man was about to make this strain a global superstar— that man was Milo Yung, better known as Big Buddha.

Big Buddha - photo courtesy by mr-hanf.de

Milo started his rise in the cannabis world by writing for Weed World magazine. Around 2002, thanks to a breeder named Zorro from Red Eye Magazine, Milo got his hands on a cutting of the original Exodus Cheese. Rather than keep it to himself, Milo did something genius: he bred it into seed form to share with the world.

He crossed the clone with a pure Afghani male, then backcrossed the offspring until he had something stable. This is when Big Buddha Cheese was born. 

In 2006, Big Buddha Cheese won the High Times Cannabis Cup for Best Indica, officially putting UK cannabis strains on the map. Showing true risk and dedication, Milo famously drove the samples from Birmingham to Amsterdam through the Channel Tunnel. 

From that point on, Cheese went global and could be found everywhere from Amsterdam coffee shops to South African gardens. Big Buddha seeds became a household name. Milo kept developing too, going on to release killer strains like Blue Cheese strain, Mac n Cheese, and Pink Cheddar, to name a few. 

Sadly, the world lost a cannabis legend when Milo passed away in 2023. He wasn't just a breeder, he was part of the heart and history of UK cannabis. His legacy, and his love for stinky weed, live on in every cheesy bud.

So raise a joint for Milo and pay homage to the man who shared Cheese with the world. 

Still Got That Pong: Cheese in Today’s Grow Rooms

One would assume that with all the sweet dessert strains cropping up in recent years, Cheese would’ve faded into the background by now. Quite the contrary– It's still hanging around, stinking up tents and turning heads. 

And it hasn't just survived–it's evolved. Modern hybrids like Blue Cheese and Zheetos keep the pungency alive while adding new flavor twists. 

For a lot of UK growers, it's still a common go-to, thanks to its easy-to-grow nature, large yields, and a classic hone that cuts through the sugary strain hype. The unending popularity of Cheese just goes to show that there's just no cool like the old school.

Tips for Growing Cheese Strains

If you're considering growing some Cheese of your own – Good choice. 

It's a beginner-friendly plant that's as tough as old boots, and the yields are proper rewarding. The growth pattern of this strain is bushy and stocky, with dense buds and a pervasive aroma that starts early and only intensifies from there. Cheese usually flowers in about 8 to 9 weeks, but can stretch a bit longer. 

I think by now we've made it pretty clear that Cheese produces an unmistakable fragrance, so unless your neighbors are nose-blind or very chill, you may want to consider growing indoors. Make sure your tent is well sealed and your carbon filters are top-notch, as a leaky grow tent will have your whole block trying to sniff you out.   

Feed your plant well, give her space to breathe and keep the airflow moving, and soon enough, you'll end up with a harvest that'll make you grin every time you crack open your jars.

Strains to Grow Today

Keen to get some of that flavor for yourself? You can check out ILGMs latest seed selection or try some of these amazing Cheese-based strains:

• Super Skunk Feminized -  A nod to the strain that started it all with classic Skunk power

• Cheese Feminized - Classic cheesy flavor, great yields and reliable genetics. 

• Blue Cheese Feminized - Classic Cheese flavor with some sweet berry added to the mix. 

• Cheddar Cheese Feminized - An Aroma driven hybrid with some new-school edge

• Afghan Feminized - a classic heritage strain with a herbal, woody flavor

So that’s pretty much the story of Cheese strains in a nutshell. From Sam the Skunkman to Milo Yung (RIP to two absolute legends), and from free parties to seed banks, Cheese has seen it all. It's a bit of cannabis culture that's still kicking, still stinking, and still getting people totally buzzed. So we can all take a cue from these cannabis forefathers by growing it and sharing it–That’ll keep the legacy alive. 

Until next time, Happy Growing!