Why Colorado Tokers Love Slap n' Tickle

Blockbuster movies are showing a pulse at the perfect time. Superheroes, dinosaurs and Tom Cruise returned to us just as 90-degree temperatures hit Denver, and a dark, cold theater started pulling me in like a magnet. All I needed were snacks that fit in my pockets and the right strain to get me ready for special effects and a predictable plot.

Slap n' Tickle was an easy choice for the job.

A modern mix of GMO and Grape Pie, Slap n' Tickle is a popular strain among solventless extractors, providing strong mental relaxation for most and even physical relief for a small portion of users. However, Slap n' Tickle has proven to be an enjoyable flower toke as well, creeping up my summertime rankings as I look for places to cool down.

Slap n' Tickle's flavor profile is unique and striking, reminding me of garlic one second, grape candy the next, and a fresh shot of espresso as I blow out a cloud of smoke. Such a distinct and conflicting taste might turn off users, but anyone who appreciates something loud and different will take to it.

Even if you're not a fan of the flavor or the grape-blunt aroma, Slap n' Tickle's high hits impressively hard. Euphoria rushes to my head as each plug connecting me to coherent thought is disconnected, enhancing visual aspects while tuning out peripheral action. Anything that slaps my lips and tickles my pre-movie fancy like that deserves praise.

Looks: Slap n' Tickle's buds are usually bright, knotted and of average density, with light copper pistils, occasional violet spots and heavy trichome coverage.

Smell: Slap n' Tickle's aroma is dirty and doughy immediately, but sweet, syrupy grape notes take over every time I break up a nug, followed by nutty, earthy characteristics reminiscent of coffee. A weird combination, but I grew to like it.

Flavor: Salty, zesty and earthy flavors combine for a garlic taste up front, with sweet berry-like notes pushing back in the middle. A roasted dark-coffee flavor on the back end returns to Slap n' Tickle's earthy profile, though, and that lingers around the tastebuds for a while.

Effects: The start of Slap n' Tickle's effects are all slap with no tickle, turning my brain into a freshly shaken snow globe. The disorientation, swollen eyes and indecisiveness are potent enough to revert even high-tolerance users back into classic stoner mode. After the early jump, though, the tickle sets in, melting away anxiety and stress while providing an intense singular focus for entertainment or easy activity. There are reports of physical relaxation, but I've yet to experience it.

Where to find it: We've seen Slap n' Tickle at 1136 Yuma, A Cut Above, Cherry Peak, Colorado Harvest Company, DANK, Denver Recreational Dispensary, Euflora, Higher Grade, Lightshade, Lova, Lucy Sky Cannabis Boutique, Medicine Man, Native Roots, Nature's Medicine, Oasis Cannabis Superstores, Pig ’n' Whistle, Simply Pure, Silver Stem, Social Cannabis, Solace Meds, the Green Solution, Tumbleweed and Twin Peaks, with a handful of stores in southern Colorado also carrying the strain.

Veritas and Single Source are responsible for the vast majority of Slap n' Tickle flower in the Denver area and along the Front Range, while Buku Loud, a popular medical dispensary in Colorado Springs, grows an in-house version. Newt Brothers, Olio, Single Source and Viola extract Slap n' Tickle into various concentrates, as well.

Single Source's take on Slap n' Tickle flower is my favorite in Denver so far; it carries a thick smell of fruity yogurt and dog food, and the brand's live rosin is even more potent. Olio's and Viola's live extracts of Slap n' Tickle are also well-made, solid representations of the strain. All of them will end a day as quickly as it began, though, so tread lightly.

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