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Best Dispensary to Take Your Grandmother To

Good Chemistry

Support for legal marijuana is growing among this country's senior citizens, and chances are good your grandmother won't be put off by weed — just by some of the seedier parts of town where dispensaries are located. But Good Chemistry, a welcoming and non-intimidating place, should put Grandma at ease. At both of its locations, including the classy Aurora space, the staff doesn't simply throw "Indica" and "Sativa" on the jars; it breaks down the feeling of each strain into four categories: sleep, relief, stimulation and relaxation. Those are terms even Granny can get behind.

Readers' Choice: The Green Solution

Lindsey Bartlett

Over the past year, a parade of celebrities have slapped their names on cannabis lines that now sell at recreational stores around Denver. Among other moves, Snoop Dogg paired up with LivWell and Willie Nelson purchased Denver Relief. But the most impressive celebrity-endorsed cannabis has to be the Tommy Chong line grown by Verde Naturals, Chong's Choice. Unlike so many big companies, Verde Naturals specializes in small-batch bud that's brilliantly executed. Chong's Choice doesn't rely on flashy packaging or gimmicks; the bud, which you can find at a handful of dispensaries around town, speaks for itself. The three Chong's Choice strains are Grape Stomper, an indica; Durban Haze, a sativa; and Blue Dream, a hybrid — but all are definitely choice!

chongschoice.com

Coda Signature is named after a defining moment in music, and this company, founded in April 2016 in an already saturated area of the marijuana industry, defines quality in edibles. With music as the inspiration and chocolate as the medium, head chocolatier Lauren Gockley, who studied with Valrhona Chocolates, has created some marijuana marvels. There's the Crescendo Collection, with three flavors of ten-milligram chocolates (Juniper Lemon, Earl Gray and Burnt Caramel Truffles), and a Forte collection, with Hazelnut, Passion Fruit Szechuan and Tiramisu truffles. Each piece of chocolate is a mini-masterpiece, with intricate designs decorating the exterior. This is some of the best chocolate we've ever tasted, and it will definitely have you hearing beautiful music.

codasignature.com

Readers' Choice: NectarBee

Lindsey Bartlett

In the early days of recreational sales in Colorado, a few companies popped up to show pot tourists around town. Colorado Cannabis Tours did such a good job that it's now added six more locations, including Washington, D.C, Oakland, San Francisco, Portland and Las Vegas. Founder Michael Eymer and co-owner Heidi Keyes have contracted with a series of hotels that allow tourists to use cannabis (but don't advertise it), but that's just the start of the fun. Their tours load a thirty-person bus for a bud-filled bash that includes a visit to a dispensary and a grow operation, a glass-blowing demonstration, mid-trip munchies and gravity bong hits aboard the bus. And after a long day of smoking weed and touring the town, Colorado Cannabis offers even more options for weed-friendly fun, including such world-renowned classes as Puff, Pass and Paint, Cooking With Cannabis, and Puff, Pass and Pottery. All aboard!

coloradocannabistours.com

Readers' Choice: My 420 Tours

Herbert Fuego

Picking the best strain Denver developed last year is like a grandmother picking her favorite grandkid: Everyone walks away with hurt feelings. Gorilla Glue had one helluva 2016, the Girl Scout Cookie family tree only grows larger, and strains with the word "Alien" continue to invade our dispensaries. Yet for all-around quality, none of them topped Tiger's Milk, a resin-glazed delicacy that our strain reviewer described as "the perfect send-off" and "one of the most nurturing strains" he's ever tried. Bred by Bodhi Seeds and now available around Denver, this sweet-loving indica balances Appalachia and Bubba Kush genetics into a deep indica high without the drowsy debilitation. Its delicious blend of hash, vanilla and lavender notes makes it an even rarer breed, so pounce on a nug whenever you can.

Headrush Smoke Shop Facebook

Headrush Smoke Shop keeps its head down compared to other cannabis-related enterprises around the city, but that's part of its charm. The humble one-room storefront harks back to the days when head shops kept a low profile, but the quality here is high. Glass and water pipes are stacked on shelves that extend the entire length of the shop, and you'll find a wide array of lifestyle items including rolling papers, incense, detox products and grinders. Since it opened in 2009, Headrush has become a staple in Capitol Hill, known for its affordable prices and exceptional customer service. You could say it's on a roll.

Readers' Choice: Purple Haze

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