Why Colorado Tokers Love Blue City Diesel

Blueberry weed has enjoyed a few moments in the sun. "Blueberry Yum Yum," by Ludacris, may have been the strain's peak for my generation, and having a song in your honor is no small feat. But I always felt that the seductive, velvety smell of Blueberry, so sickly sweet that it's felt deep in my sinuses, doesn't receive the praise it deserves. Diesel strains never dealt with such issues, and rightfully so — Diesels are so potent that you don't need a label to recognize them — but I always thought a mix of the two would provide more of a clash than Blueberry gets credit for. Blue City Diesel finally presented the opportunity for me to find out.

Blue City Diesel isn't new. Also known as Blue Diesel (but not Blueberry Diesel; that's a different strain), the mix of Blueberry and New York City Diesel is established on the East Coast but is somewhat rare in Denver, where it pops up infrequently. Seeing it at Green Man Cannabis provided a needed shot of excitement after a long excursion into King Soopers, and I was excited to see how this collision played out.

Early trials had me sure that this was another clear Diesel victory. A gust of soapy-sour scents hit me like an uppercut after I popped open the container for the first time, and my initial session with the strain made me an Energizer bunny with no direction — or a Roomba that doesn't suck. But subsequent experiences with Blue City Diesel showcased many more Blueberry qualities, with syrupy hints of berries and resin-coated floral notes that successfully add balance to the sour, fuel-laden aromas of NYC Diesel. The high also proved to be more of a hybrid than initially anticipated, with that restlessness wearing off within an hour as an anxiety-free body relaxation took over: Talk about a second-half comeback

While you'll see many versions of Blueberry and Diesel strains around Denver, Blue City Diesel is a little harder to find. We've only caught it at Green Man so far, but hope more stores in the area start picking up this sour Warhead of a strain. The high fits almost any time of day besides morning, and the balance of Blueberry and Diesel appeals to a wide range of tastebuds.

Looks: Gnarled and bright green, with a moderately fluffy structure, the strain's buds tend to look like those of its Diesel relatives at first, but they have more weight than the looks suggest, as well as regular purple spots reminiscent of Blueberry.

Smell: Those stiff Diesel characteristics are clear up front, but it's more sour and soapy than rubbery, and not as dominant as most of its gas-fueled relatives. Dry, sweet notes of berries with a rosy hint smoothly take over and provide a sour-berry profile that's almost candy-like.

Flavor: An accurate reflection of its smell, Blue City Diesel packs sour-berry flavors with a soapy, skunky aftertaste, which is more appealing than it sounds. The fruity bouquet of classic cannabis notes instantly dried my mouth out, and that only made the sour aftertaste linger around longer.

Effects: Blue City Diesel feels like an energy high for the first thirty to sixty minutes, but that levels out into a manageable, calm buzz that fits any time of day. Some of my friends with lower tolerances did report serious bouts of the munchies and a light comedown after several hours, but it never affected this Stoner.

Home grower's take: "I got a hold of Blue Diesel seeds when I lived in New Jersey, but you can find these in some corners of the Internet. The plants don't get very tall, and you can pull them down within two months if you really have to. The buds don't get as dense as Blueberry, but there's more to them than you'd think. Very easy-going plants, too; I'd give them a go if seeds came across again."

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