Due to the popularity of our first 3 History of series, we followed up with the History of Fast Buds and now, without further due, we will tell you the story about one of the most innovative brands in the cannabis industry. True pioneers of some of the most groundbreaking changes in the last 30 years and one of Amsterdam Seed Centers's best selling seed banks, this is the History of Dutch Passion Seed Company.
1970's: A seed was sown
Dutch Passion was born in 1987, but the story starts in the 1970s. The company's would-be founder spent his youth and young manhood studying at the University of Amsterdam, from where he graduated in biology. It was the 70s when Henk van Dalen became a keen cannabis hobbyist with a great interest in psychedelics. His love of cannabis started with consumption but soon drove Henk to activism for the legalisation of cannabis.
1980's: Keeping it Dutch
The '80s were a busy decade for van Dalen and Dutch Passion Seed Company. Henk started the decade cultivating cannabis in the Netherlands and selling seeds on a small scale. It wasn't too long (1987) before this small scale operation had experienced massive growth, and Dutch Passion Seed Company was born.
In the same decade, Henk opened his first retail outlet in Amsterdam, before in 1988, opening one of the first coffee shops in the world, called Homegrown Fantasy. Due to his love of cannabis cultivated in the Netherlands, only cannabis grown and processed in the Netherlands were sold in the coffee shop. Homegrown Fantasy was such a success there was notably less demand for imported cannabis.
The 1990s: Champions of Innovation
The 90s gave Henk and Dutch Passion the chance to prove that they were true innovators in the cannabis industry. A couple of changes, in particular, helped lay the foundations for where Dutch Passion stands today. The company launched their first web shop in 1998 and began the journey into online sales. Today and Dutch Passion proudly hosts a modern, user-friendly website packed with informational content and a range of world-class cannabis genetics available to buy from all over the world.
The 90s also concluded years of studying and experimenting with feminised cannabis seeds. Nowadays, we take it for granted that we can order feminised cannabis seeds online, but if it wasn't for Dutch Passion Seed Company and its release of the first feminised cannabis seeds, we might not have them at all. It was truly groundbreaking. Growers could guarantee female plants and double their harvests.
The 2000s: Auto Mazar
A new millennium had begun, and although the millennium bug never materialised. Dutch Passion introduced something incredibly infectious. The world's first Autoflowering cannabis seeds were called the Auto Mazar and were the product of years of more research and experimenting. Because it was fast-growing, good quality, and perfect for indoor growing, the Auto Mazar quickly became one of the most in-demand cannabis strains you could buy.
The 2010s: CBD strains and USA influence
Not satisfied with innovating two of the most impressive changes the cannabis industry has ever seen. Dutch Passion Seed Company introduced CBD products and CBD rich strains with a low THC count. For the first time, growers in certain countries could grow CBD rich strains for medical purposes. The popularity of CBD strains like the award-winning Charlottes Angel led Dutch Passion and many other cannabis seed banks to breed CBD versions of most if not all of their THC rich strains.
A couple of other significant things happened in that decade that impacted Dutch Passion. In 2014, a licensed producer of cannabis became the first one to buy Dutch Passion seeds. And in 2019, a whole new world of opportunity opened up in Canada, when the North American country brought in legislation to fully legalise the use of medical cannabis, leading to an increase of exports of Dutch Passion products.
The 2020s: The Pandemic
While most of the world stood still, Dutch Passion kept the innovation ball rolling by becoming the first seed bank to stabilise a THCV rich strain called THC Victory. THC Victory might sound new to most of us, but the Dutch Passion team have been selectively breeding for years and have subjected this strain to 100's of lab tests. Thanks to this latest innovation, scientists have a real opportunity to study the effects and potential benefits of this newly utilised cannabinoid.
THCV is not the only important cannabinoid Dutch Passion has been heavily researching. They became the first seed bank to make a CBG rich strain available to the market. It is called CBG Force and contains 15% CBG and >0.02% THC.
What next:
Only two years into the decade, and Dutch Passion has already been busy innovating, so who knows what the future holds. It's safe to say that research will continue, and the search for unique cannabis strains will probably never end. Another certainty is that Dutch Passion Seed Company has a rich history, and every seed bank in the world should arguably pay homage to them.
Our Top 3 Dutch Passion Strains:
Blueberry
Blueberry is an Indica dominant strain with one of the fruitiest flavor profiles you will ever have the pleasure to enjoy. The sweet aroma and delicious flavour of fresh blueberries ensure that this is unmistakably one of the finest and tastiest cannabis experiences. It’s like eating candy, very addictive and joyful! No wonder this legendary strain was used as the genetic foundation for so many of todays most popular modern cannabis varieties.
Think Fast
Think Fast has a complex terpene profile that can produce a wide variety of scents and flavours. Ideal for the pheno-hunter who is looking for something special for his collection. As a result of crossing her 2 well-known parents, Auto Think Different and Power Plant, our Think Fast guarantees a tasty end result.
Most plants have a citrus-dominant terpene profile with notes of diesel, herbs and pine. Sometimes plants can also be found that combine a sweet and fruity profile with more floral notes. As far as we are concerned, they are all special and we are convinced that you will easily find something that will appeal to you enormously!
Sugar Bomb Punch
Sugar Bomb Punch has a very complex aroma. The most dominant is the fruity scent reminiscent of a sweet rose. But there are also phenotypes with a more sour, citrus or berry aroma. During flowering most plants smell very fruity and sweet. Some plants have a cherry yogurt aroma, very creamy and sweet.
Once dried, the buds again have a mainly fruity and sweet character. This is accompanied with floral, creamy and berry-like notes. In terms of taste she also leans more towards the fruity side of the spectrum. Some phenotypes also have a slightly skunk-like taste, with notes of earth and grass.
Auto Critical Orange Punch
Auto Critical Orange Punch is one of our strongest varieties with very heavy yields and buds that are white with resin. Some phenotypes can take an extra week or two at the end and deliver even heavier yields than normal. She usually reaches 70-100cm indoors, with a skunky citrus aroma and a rich Afghan hash taste. The powerful euphoric high is particularly pleasant and long lasting.