Sour Diesel has always been my personal favorite strain. There’s something about that unmistakable gassy, nose-burning aroma and electric, uplifting high that’s burned into my memory — and for years, I’ve been on the hunt to find something that lives up to the real Sour we used to get back in the day.
Lately, it’s felt like everything labeled “Sour Diesel” just doesn’t hit the same. Either the aroma falls flat, the buds are dry, or the high misses that energetic spark that made the original so special. So when I came across Left Coast Sour Diesel and Rythm Sour Diesel, I had to try both and see which one — if either — captured that old-school magic.
Here’s how they stacked up.
Bag Appeal
Left Coast Sour Diesel
The Left Coast Sour Diesel has what could be described as a “new age” look. The buds are frosty and show slightly purple hues, giving them a distinctly modern and premium appearance. This isn’t the typical look you’d associate with classic Sour Diesel, but it’s visually striking and clearly high quality.
Rythm Sour Diesel
In contrast, the Rythm Sour Diesel sticks closer to what you’d expect from a traditional Sour Diesel in terms of appearance. The buds look more classic — less frosty and without the purple tint — aligning with the older-school aesthetic fans of this strain may recognize.
Aroma
Left Coast Sour Diesel
Right out of the jar, the Left Coast Sour Diesel is very aromatic. The nose leans sweet and earthy with a distinct truffle-like quality. It doesn’t follow the classic gassy or sour aroma profile traditionally associated with Sour Diesel, but the scent is rich, unique, and quite appealing in its own right.
Rythm Sour Diesel
The Rythm Sour Diesel offers a more familiar, traditional Sour Diesel smell at first, but with some drawbacks. The first jar opened was dry, and the aroma came across as slightly grassy — not the robust diesel note expected. Later jars were fresher and more moist, which improved the overall impression, though even those still carried some of that grassy undertone. This inconsistency in aroma detracted from the experience.
Flavor and Smoke Quality
Left Coast Sour Diesel
The flavor of the Left Coast Sour Diesel has a bit of a “modern” and unique Sour D flavor that is very slightly reminiscent of modern strains like gelato and truffle, but at the same time it still has a clear sour flavor to it that’s perhaps a bit more sweet than the “real” Sour D. The smoke quality was smooth and enjoyable.
Rythm Sour Diesel
The cure on this leaves the nose a but hay like, but the taste is a bit closer to that classic Sour D that we’re all looking for. While closer, its still not that tasty with this grass/hay like note to it.
High
Left Coast Sour Diesel
The high from Left Coast’s Sour Diesel is light, creative, and emotional. It’s not a heavy or sedating effect — instead, it leans uplifting and introspective. The experience was enjoyable and memorable for its mood-enhancing and mentally stimulating qualities.
Rythm Sour Diesel
The high from the Rythm Sour was fine, but really nothing unique. I don’t think it quite hits like the old sour used to unfortunately, even thought the taste was closer.
Weigh-In
Left Coast Sour Diesel
When first weighed, a small piece of the Left Coast Sour Diesel was accidentally dropped. After retrieving the lost bud, the final weight was confirmed to be exactly 3.5 grams — a full and honest eighth.
Rythm Sour Diesel
The Rythm Sour Diesel eighth also weighed out properly at 3.5 grams. Despite initial concerns based on past jars, this particular unit did not come up short.
Final Verdict
Overall, the Left Coast Sour Diesel came out ahead in this comparison.
Despite veering away from the traditional gassy, sour diesel profile, it delivered better quality across several categories. The buds had frosty, slightly purple visuals that were visually impressive. The aroma was sweet and truffle-forward, a welcome departure from the expected profile, and the high was light, emotional, and creatively engaging.
While Rythm’s Sour Diesel offered a more traditional look and scent, the inconsistency in freshness and the grassy aroma in some jars made it less appealing overall. Both eighths weighed out correctly at 3.5 grams, so the deciding factors came down to presentation, aroma, and experience — and on those points, Left Coast clearly delivered the stronger product.