Why Colorado Tokers Love Cherry Hills

I’ve always enjoyed the novelty of smoking weed with a local twist, and I’m not talking about where the plants were grown. I’m talking names, baby. Commerce City Kush, 303 OG, Denver Maple and Colorado Flo are all sure to catch my eye at the pot shop before other, non-local strains. It’s almost like rooting for a professional athlete from my home town. But Cherry Hills? Hard to relate to that one.

Known for being one of the most affluent communities not just in Colorado, but the entire country, Cherry Hills Village has been home to John Elway, Peyton Manning, Joe Sakic, Ethel Merman and Mike Shanahan, as well as numerous politicians. Cherry Hills is also the name of an extremely purple strain of weed grown in Colorado. Both are intimidating to anyone lacking confidence, but at least the weed strain is within most of our means.

A cross of Appalachia, Cherry Pie and Grand Daddy Purple, Cherry Hills was bred by ThugPug Genetics, which may have created one of the most purple strains I’ve ever seen. I’m not usually one for pure violet darkness covering my buds, but there’s no denying how striking a quarter-pound of Cherry Hills looks when you’re perusing dispensary display jars. Beginning tokers should keep their eyes out for that purple jar, because Cherry Hills has a comfortable yet euphoric high that rarely leads to freakouts. Most cuts are light on the THC, with just enough of a CBD presence to provide potential medical benefits — or a calmer mind, at the very least. Daily users might find the high a little weak, but a hash garnish or mixing Cherry Hills with a more potent nighttime strain provides a solid nightcap, and the light high is great for medical users trying to ease their stomachs or joints without a stoned mind.

A completely different strain called Cherry Hill, a mix of ACDC and Cherry Kandahar, is also known for a deep-purple color and high CBD content. However, Cherry Hill has a 1:24 THC to CBD ratio, while the Cherry Hills ratio is closer to 2:1. Buying the 1:24 version could lead to a lot of disappointing joints for a high-tolerance user, but don’t worry about confusing them, because Cherry Hill doesn’t yet have a significant presence in Denver.

We’ve spotted Cherry Hills at Higher Grade, Oasis Cannabis Superstore and Rocky Mountain High dispensaries, with several more stores carrying Cherry Hills grown by wholesale supplier Veritas Fine Cannabis. It’s hard to go wrong with the Veritas cut, which has consistent effects and intense color and smells better than most CBD strains out there. Just don’t buy it as your only form of getting high, or you’ll burn through it fast.

Looks: Once you get past the intense purple calyxes, you’ll notice a sugarcoating of trichomes and rusty-orange pistils that make Cherry Hills look like it belongs on the Great Barrier Reef or in a fish tank rather than your weed jar.

Smell: If we’re grading Cherry Hills on a curve for CBD strains, it’d earn a B. Sweet notes of grapes and berries are exciting up front, but quieter scents of pine and wood are mostly drowned out by grassy whiffs of soil and hay.

Flavor: Cherry Hills carries notes of grapes, berries, pine, sandalwood and a bubblegum-y Kush overtone that all combine for a more than pleasant smoke, but those aspects can be overshadowed by gritty tastes of hay or grass. Throw it in a Mason jar for a few days before rolling it up.

Effects: The light THC potency of Cherry Hills makes the strain both limited and versatile. Limited but still enjoyable by itself, and versatile as a mixer with more powerful varieties. On its own, it eases my tension and anxiety while providing a small spark in energy; when smoked with or after a high-THC strain or dab, it’ll make your day too chill...to the point of lethargy.

Is there a strain you'd like to see profiled? Email [email protected].