Gorilla Glue #4, sold today as GG4 or Original Glue, is the GG Strains cut bred by Joesy Whales and Lone Watty. It came from an accidental pollination in a Nevada grow, then won first place at both the Michigan and Los Angeles Cannabis Cups in 2014 and the High Times Jamaican World Cup in 2015.
An accident in a stressed room
GG Strains was founded by Don Peabody, known as Joesy Whales, and Ross Johnson, known as Lone Watty. Both worked as breeders and growers, and the cultivar traces to Nevada.
Joesy Whales was running Sour Dubb, Chem's Sister, Chocolate Diesel and Chem's Sister × Sour Dubb offspring when stressed plants threw intersex flowers and pollinated the room. Mardogg saved seeds from the pollinated Chocolate Diesel, and germination produced a set of numbered females.
The fourth plant became the keeper. That is where the #4 comes from, and it is why the lineage reads as (Sour Dubb × Chem's Sister) × Chocolate Diesel. Mardogg's role in keeper selection is part of the origin story alongside the two founders.
Chem, Sour and Chocolate parents
Chem's Sister is a sativa-dominant variation of Chemdawg, a phenotype that first emerged in 1996. Beyond GG4, it also parented Cosmic Cookies. Chemdawg's reach runs well past this cross; GMO, for example, crosses Girl Scout Cookies with Chemdawg.
Chocolate Diesel brings together the original Sour Diesel and Chocolate Thai. Sour Diesel shows up across the diesel family, including DNA Genetics' Sour Kosher, which pairs the AJ cut of Sour Diesel with Kosher Kush.
Put together, the three parents add up to a potent, indica-leaning hybrid. Leafly puts the balance at 63% indica and 37% sativa.
From Gorilla Glue to Original Glue
The original name came from the resin itself, which made hands, phones and trimming tools stick together. It also drew the attention of the Gorilla Glue Company.
GG Strains reached a settlement with the adhesive maker on September 9, 2017. As of September 19, 2017, Gorilla Glue 4 became GG4 or Original Glue, Gorilla Glue 5 became GG5 or New Glue, and Gorilla Glue 1 became GG1 or Sister Glue.
Partners could use "formerly known as" language for one year, until September 19, 2018. The Gorilla Glue Company agreed not to pursue legal action against authorized GG Strains partners and cultivators who met the rebranding terms.
GG4 was the first and only GG strain released to the public before winter 2016, when New Glue and Sister Glue launched in limited areas. The family has since grown to include Purple Glue and GlueChee, and later breeders pulled the line into crosses such as Cookie Glue, which pairs Cookies genetics with Glue.
How GG4 grows
High Times describes the plant as vigorous, medium to tall and branchy, with extreme trichome and resin production. It lists a flowering time of 58–63 days, or roughly 8–9 weeks, while Leafly gives 9–10 weeks.
Leafly reviewers describe chunky, resin-covered buds, green with orange hairs and flecks of purple. One called them massive and very dense, easily over 2g each.
GG Strains products appear through partners and cultivators in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington. GG Strains publishes its partners and cultivators in each authorized state.