Why Colorado Tokers Love Dulce De Uva

Dulce cannabis is gaining steam in Colorado, figuratively and literally. Not only does the Spanish word for "sweet" or "candy" describe the large portion of sugary-smelling buds on dispensary shelves right now, but there's a growing line of strains bearing the Dulce name, too.

Dulce De Leche may have been the first hit, while Dulce De Fresa and Dulce De Uva are both emerging in Denver dispensaries. After seeing the list of growers and extractors that have taken on the strains, from 710 Labs to Single Source, I told myself to grab the first jar of any Dulce I saw. It didn't take very long.

I drove down Broadway's Green Mile looking for peach-flavored weed gummies last week, but my attention was quickly diverted by Dulce De Uva at the first dispensary I visited. The budtender told me that uva means "grape" in Spanish, which made sense after an aromatic wave of skunk, berries and grapes hit me. I barely remembered to ask about the peach gummies before checking out, and went home much more excited about grapes instead.

Dulce De Uva is believed to be a phenotype of Grape Cream Cake, though some accounts include Grape Pie and OG Kush. Every Colorado version I've seen has been the Grape Cream Cake cut from Bloom Seed Co., however, and I'm totally fine with that. Although Dulce De Uva isn't the most grapey strain I've sniffed or smoked, it carries an undeniable sweetness and surprise hints of warm spices. It's too skunky to be like mulled wine, but there are some similarities there when I take a whiff.

An unabashed simp for artificial grape flavor, I found Dulce De Uva's grape-ness somewhat lacking, but the hybrid high walked right down the middle, leaving me in a state of mental and physical bliss without gluing me to the couch. As heavy, relaxing strains take over the market, this is a good change of pace.

Looks: Dulce De Uva reminds me of frozen grapes despite having forest-green calyxes, probably thanks to dark-purple sugar leaves and frosty trichome coverage. The mitten-shaped buds are denser than they look, with sparse pistil coverage, to boot.

Smell: A sweet mix of berries, grapes and rubber takes up most of my nostril space at first, but hints of cinnamon and vanilla are noticeable on the back end, providing a surprise and welcome balance to the strain's strong first punch.

Flavor: A little skunkier than anticipated, Dulce De Uva's flavor is somewhat nutty and spicy up front, with the fruit notes playing backup. A zesty hash taste hangs around long after a session, as well.

Effects: I was worried that Dulce De Uva's stellar trichome production would cause debilitating effects no matter which way the high leaned, but was happy to find it mentally stimulating and physically relaxing. Stress would dissipate without my limbs getting too heavy when I kept the bong rips to two or less, but anything more did leave me overly stoned and lost. Respect the power here.

Where to find it: We've sniffed out Dulce De Uva at Alternative Medicine on Capitol Hill, Canna City, Colorado Harvest Co., Eclipse Cannabis Co., the Herbal Cure, Horizon Cannabis, Lightshade, Lemonnade, Mighty Tree, Oasis Cannabis Superstores, Reefer Madness, Rocky Road, Skunked, Snaxland, Spark and Standing Akimbo, but hope more stores are carrying it.

Single Source and Snaxland grow most, if not all, of the Dulce De Uva flower in Denver right now, although Mighty Tree does occasionally stock nugs grown in-house, as well. We've also seen Dulce De Uva rosin from Mighty Melts, Mountain Select, Single Source and Snaxland, and hydrocarbon extractions from West Edison Concentrates. You can't go wrong with any flower or rosin option out there, but Single Source's offerings are the most aromatic and flavorful that I've come across.

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