title: "Master Kush - Effects, Terpenes & Queens Availability | Terp Bros NYC" description: "Master Kush is a indica-leaning strain with sweet earthy hash, light citrus, sandalwood, 16-22% THC, and myrcene + limonene + caryophyllene terpenes. Lab-test" strain_type: "indica" thc_range: "16-22%" cbd_range: "<1%" dominant_terpenes: ["myrcene", "limonene", "caryophyllene"] parent_strains: ["Hindu Kush", "Skunk #1"] flowering_time: "8-9 weeks" date: "2026-05-23"
Master Kush is a indica-leaning cannabis strain with a sweet earthy hash, light citrus, sandalwood profile, 16-22% THC range, and a dominant terpene blend of myrcene, limonene, caryophyllene. It is best known for evening unwind, gentle pain relief, the Sunday-night ease-in, with effects setting in medium - 5 minutes, smooth body wave. Terp Bros NYC stocks Master Kush-family cuts and similar terpene profiles across both our Astoria and Ozone Park CAURD-licensed locations, lab-tested under NY OCM Part 113 standards.
Effects + Reported Use Cases
Master Kush is typically reported as a indica-leaning experience: evening unwind, gentle pain relief, the Sunday-night ease-in. Onset is medium - 5 minutes, smooth body wave. Duration runs 2 to 4 hours when inhaled, longer when consumed as edibles or rosin gummies. The cannabinoid + terpene profile drives the felt experience, not just the THC number on the label.
Customers walking into our Astoria and Ozone Park stores who ask for Master Kush are usually chasing one of three things: the specific terpene-driven feel, the genetic lineage they have liked in past cuts, or the consistent batch-to-batch experience the licensed program provides. We get all three at the counter, and we ask follow-up questions before recommending a specific format.
For the energy and focus side of the conversation, Master Kush tends to deliver a body-heavy, mind-quieting state. Thoughts slow down, muscle tension releases, and the urge to move drops noticeably. This is the strain people reach for when they have closed the laptop for the day.
For the mood lift conversation, Master Kush has a reputation for a quiet calm that is closer to relief than excitement. The mood lift is real but reserved - more "the day is finally over" than "let me tell you about my idea." For people whose anxiety pattern is racing thoughts, this can be the most useful kind of mood support.
For the pain and physical-discomfort conversation, the dominant terpene matters as much as the THC. Caryophyllene is in this profile and binds CB2 receptors, the same receptors targeted by most prescription anti-inflammatory drugs. Customers with chronic muscle tension, post-workout recovery, or general inflammation often report meaningful relief from caryophyllene-dominant cuts even at moderate THC. Myrcene is also present, and it is the terpene most associated with the heavy-body feeling that helps muscle tension release. The combination of myrcene + THC at this concentration is part of why some customers find this strain more effective for pain than higher-THC alternatives.
We do not make medical claims at the counter. NY OCM rules and our own house policy keep us from telling a customer that Master Kush will treat their condition. What we will do is explain the terpene research, ask what has and has not worked in the past, and help match a product format and dose to the goal. For customers using a NY medical card or following NYC OCM medical-program guidance, we can also walk through what the certified medical labels in our case say about minor cannabinoids alongside the strain genetics.
A short note on tolerance: regular cannabis users build tolerance to THC, not to terpenes. The Master Kush experience at a 22% THC indoor flower batch and a 28% THC indoor flower batch is functionally similar on the terpene side. The THC number changes how much you need to inhale, not how the strain feels.
Terpene Profile
Master Kush is built on a dominant terpene stack of myrcene, limonene, caryophyllene, which together produce the sweet earthy hash, light citrus, sandalwood aroma profile customers recognize across batches. Terpene-led recommendations are how our budtenders walk new customers off "biggest THC number wins" thinking and into picking a strain that actually matches the feeling they want.
Terpenes are the aromatic oil compounds the cannabis plant produces in its trichomes. They are the same molecules responsible for the flavor and smell of lavender, mango, lemon peel, pine needles, hops, and black pepper. When you smell sweet earthy hash, light citrus, sandalwood in a jar of Master Kush, you are smelling the same compounds you would smell in those ingredients, just concentrated into the cannabis flower.
Every Terp Bros NYC flower jar comes with the full terpene certificate of analysis printed on the side or available via the QR code. Part 113 of the NY OCM rules requires our cultivators to test for at least 25 terpenes per batch, and we make those results available on the counter and on the Dutchie product page so customers can match what is on the label to what is in the flower.
Myrcene
Myrcene is the most-common terpene in modern cannabis and the dominant aromatic in mangoes, hops, and lemongrass. Mango-musky on the nose, slightly herbal on the back end. Myrcene is the terpene most directly tied to the classic "couch lock" feeling. It is sedating in higher concentrations and is part of why mango-forward strains feel heavier on the body than citrus-forward ones, even at the same THC percentage. In Master Kush specifically, myrcene contributes body-relaxing, slightly sedating, classic indica-feel.
Limonene
Limonene is the bright citrus-rind terpene that shows up in lemons, oranges, and grapefruit. It is associated with mood elevation, stress reduction, and a clear-headed kind of euphoria. Limonene-dominant strains tend to feel daytime-friendly - uplifting without the racing-thoughts edge that pure-sativa terpinolene can trigger. In Master Kush specifically, limonene contributes mood-elevating, clear-headed euphoria, daytime-friendly.
Caryophyllene
Caryophyllene is the only terpene known to also act as a cannabinoid - it binds CB2 receptors, the same receptors targeted for inflammation and pain. It tastes peppery and spicy, the same compound that gives black pepper its bite. Caryophyllene-heavy strains tend to feel anti-inflammatory and supportive on muscle tension, even when THC is moderate. In Master Kush specifically, caryophyllene contributes anti-inflammatory, muscle-supportive, anxiety-easing at lower doses.
Beyond the top three dominant terpenes, Master Kush typically tests positive for a handful of minor terpenes in trace amounts: alpha-bisabolol, geraniol, terpineol, and others depending on the cultivar and the growing conditions. These do not show up in dominant aromatics but they contribute to the full-spectrum feel of the flower, often described as the "entourage effect" - the idea that whole-plant cannabis feels different from the same THC dose delivered as an isolate, because the minor terpenes and minor cannabinoids modify the experience.
A short note on extraction: when Master Kush flower is processed into live rosin or live resin, the terpene profile carries through almost intact because both extraction methods are designed to preserve volatile compounds. When Master Kush is processed into distillate vape oil, most of the terpenes are stripped during the distillation pass and are typically re-introduced as either cannabis-derived or botanically-derived terps. This is part of why a Master Kush live rosin tastes much closer to the flower than a Master Kush distillate cart does. If chasing the genuine Master Kush experience matters, asking the budtender for the live-rosin or live-resin format is the closest you will get to the flower in a concentrate.
Lineage + Genetics
Master Kush traces back to Hindu Kush crossed with Skunk #1, with a documented origin story rooted in Netherlands - late 1980s by White Label Seed Company, Cannabis Cup winner 1992. The flowering time runs 8-9 weeks, which puts it in the standard commercial-cultivar window most NY indoor growers are working with.
Understanding the lineage matters because cannabis genetics are not random - they predict the terpene profile, the cannabinoid spread, and the structural feel of the high. A strain with Afghani in the lineage will lean indica even when the modern hybrid has a sativa-leaning name. A strain with Haze in the lineage will lean cerebral even when it is sold as a hybrid. When our budtenders ask "what have you liked before?" the answer often points to the lineage tree, not the marketing name.
Master Kush sits in the broader cannabis family tree as an indica-leaning expression - closer to the broad-leaf mountain-region cultivars from the Hindu Kush range. The heavy-body feel is the genetic signature of those short-flowering-window mountain cultivars adapted to harsh climates.
In the modern NY market, lineage also predicts batch availability. Strains with stable, well-documented parent cultivars tend to show up consistently at multiple licensed cultivators across the program, because the seed stock is robust and predictable. Master Kush falls into this category - multiple NY-licensed cultivators run a phenotype of this lineage, which means batch-to-batch consistency is reasonable across the program.
For customers who chase specific phenotypes - "the cut from that grower" - we keep notes at the counter on which NY cultivators are running which Master Kush phenotypes and what the recent terpene certificate of analysis looked like. When the cut changes batches we tell you at the counter so you can decide if the new batch is what you came in for.
Budtender Notes - Queens-Specific Observations
Across our Astoria store at 36-10 Ditmars Blvd and our Ozone Park store at 135-26 Cross Bay Blvd, Master Kush pulls a specific kind of customer. Here is what we see at the counter, day in and day out, that you will not get from a national-database product page.
we stock Master Kush as the mid-shelf alternative when someone wants a Kush but does not want the heaviest hit on the shelf. That observation is the kind of pattern only a store with foot traffic in a specific neighborhood can identify. The Astoria walk-in crowd is different from the Ozone Park walk-in crowd, and both are different from a Manhattan dispensary's customer base.
In Astoria, Master Kush tends to move with the after-shift pickup crowd - service workers ending late shifts, healthcare workers from the Astoria neighborhood, customers in their 30s+ with back pain or sleep issues that they have been managing for years. Flower outsells pre-rolls by about 3:2 for this terpene profile because the customers who reach for it tend to want the full session, not the quick hit.
In Ozone Park, Master Kush tends to move with the evening pickup crowd - Howard Beach residents driving home from Manhattan, Richmond Hill customers walking up Cross Bay, customers in their 40s+ who have been using cannabis since the unlicensed era and want a clean lab-tested version of the strain they trust. Delivery moves this terpene profile heavily after 7pm.
A specific budtender observation we have logged on Master Kush: this is one of our most-recommended evening strains. The myrcene + caryophyllene dominance lines up cleanly with the late-night, body-heavy session, and customers who try it for sleep specifically tend to come back the next week and tell us it worked. We pair it with our most-popular CBN-blend gummies for customers chasing full sleep support.
We also track which Master Kush cuts come through which NY cultivators. The cultivar can stay the same name and the phenotype can change. When that happens we will tell you at the counter, and the certificate of analysis will show it. Lab-tested transparency is the difference between a CAURD-licensed retail shelf and the unlicensed era this market just left.
How to Try Master Kush in Queens
Terp Bros NYC stocks Master Kush-family flower, pre-rolls, vapes, and concentrates across both our Astoria and Ozone Park CAURD-licensed locations, and we deliver same-day across most of Queens. Every product on our shelf is lab-tested under NY OCM Part 113 standards with a certificate of analysis available on the package and on the Dutchie product page.
You have a few ways to try Master Kush:
- In-store at Astoria (36-10 Ditmars Blvd) - closest N/W train stop is Ditmars Blvd, two blocks away. Our team can walk you through the current Master Kush-family inventory, show you the certificate of analysis on the flower, and recommend a format based on your goal for the session. Browse the Astoria menu or see the Astoria location page for hours and directions.
- In-store at Ozone Park (135-26 Cross Bay Blvd) - easy parking on Cross Bay, near the Aqueduct A train stop and Resorts World. Same product selection as Astoria, same trained budtenders, often easier to get in and out during weekend hours. Browse the Ozone Park menu or see the Ozone Park location page for hours.
- Same-day delivery across Queens - typical delivery window is 60 to 90 minutes from order. Both stores cover overlapping zones, so we route from whichever store has the Master Kush-family product you want. See delivery zones + place an order.
- Format choice - for the full Master Kush flavor profile, ask for the flower or pre-roll. For a more controlled session length, ask for the vape or a live-rosin concentrate. For longer-duration evening use, ask for an edible - note that NY OCM caps edibles at 10mg THC per serving and 100mg per package.
If Master Kush is not currently in stock, we will tell you that openly and recommend the closest available terpene profile from the current menu. Strain availability cycles with NY cultivator harvest windows, so the menu changes weekly.
Is Master Kush good for sleep? Yes for most customers. Master Kush's myrcene + limonene terpene dominance combined with the indica-leaning lineage makes it one of our more-requested sleep-spec strains. Pair it with a low-dose CBN-blend gummy for full evening wind-down support.
Does Master Kush cause anxiety? Less likely than high-terpinolene sativas. Master Kush contains caryophyllene (anxiety-easing), limonene (mood-elevating) which are anxiety-friendly terpenes. Start with a small dose if you are sensitive to cannabis-induced anxiety, and ask a budtender if 1:1 THC:CBD versions of this strain family are in stock.
What is the THC percentage of Master Kush? Master Kush typically tests in the 16-22% THC range across NY-licensed cultivators. The exact percentage varies by batch and cultivator - every Terp Bros NYC flower jar has the certificate of analysis on the package and on the Dutchie product page. CBD is typically less than 1% in this cultivar.
Where can I buy Master Kush in Queens? Terp Bros NYC carries Master Kush-family flower, pre-rolls, vapes, and concentrates at both our Astoria store (36-10 Ditmars Blvd) and Ozone Park store (135-26 Cross Bay Blvd). We also deliver same-day to most of Queens. Order online or walk into either store.
Is Master Kush safe for first-time cannabis customers? Master Kush is one of the friendlier strains for first-time customers because the body-heavy effect tends to be physically grounding rather than anxiety-provoking. Start with a small dose, and have a low-key evening plan - this is not a strain for active social settings.
Related Strains You May Like
- Northern Lights - Indica-leaning, 16-21% THC, dominant terpenes myrcene, caryophyllene, limonene. sweet pine, earthy musk, light sandalwood on the back.
- Bubba Kush - Indica-leaning, 17-22% THC, dominant terpenes myrcene, limonene, caryophyllene. sweet coffee, dark chocolate, earthy musk.
- Skywalker OG - Indica-leaning, 20-26% THC, dominant terpenes caryophyllene, myrcene, limonene. sweet diesel, pine, hash funk on the exhale.
- Sour Diesel - Sativa-leaning, 19-25% THC, dominant terpenes caryophyllene, limonene, myrcene. gasoline forward, citrus rind, skunk-funk on the exhale.
For the full strain database with terpene-led filtering by effect, type, and aromatic profile, visit the Terp Bros NYC strain hub.