High Notes: New Rosin Wins, Return of the Sour D

Smooth, refined and consistent, Sour Diesel is at the top of the list for my desert island stash. But this hall-of-fame strain is also finicky in the grow and doesn’t yield a lot of weight compared to some of today’s resin-covered heavyweights.

As legal weed evolves and businesses chase more financially lucrative strains, Sour Diesel was getting lost in the shuffle. But thanks to a talented new growing operation in Meraki, the Diesel is no longer confined to our memories.

Coming across a sticky, stinky cut of Sour D was just one of the highlights of my recent Colorado dispensary runs. Impressive new rosin brands, new ways to sell hash and a rare fruity strain are all worth searching for in the Denver area right now.

Malek's Melts
This new line of cold-cured rosin from Malek's Premium Cannabis is less than a month old, but it's already building a strong reputation for terps and tasty dabs. Made in partnership with extractor Myxed_Up, Malek's Melts was hot out of the gates with one of my favorite recent strains, Tally Mon, with Garlic Juice and Russian Cream both extremely strong followups. Lightshade and Reefer Madness are safe bets to find Malek's Melts after they drop, but more strains and dispensaries will be added to the distribution list as production increases, according to founder Malek Noueiry.

Sunshine Extracts
Standing out in Colorado's crowded rosin space is easier said than done, but Sunshine Extracts has created its own spotlight in a short time. Founded by longtime grower Tony Chipy and Quincy Edwards, the former production director of 710 Labs, Sunshine Extracts is crafting flavorful jars of goop in both 90u and full-spectrum varieties. I was extremely satisfied by the sweet taste and sedative effects of Honey Banana and Rainbow Belts, and can't wait to get my hands on the Gumball, a mix of classic Bubblegum and Fireball.
Meraki Sour Diesel
I can't get enough Sour Diesel, but the classic daytime heavyweight has become harder to find as commercialization changes grower preferences. We've gotten so far past the days of Sour D that it's hard to trust most cuts, but Meraki's latest take on the strain is up there with L'Eagle's and Single Source's — and, dare I say, maybe even better in some aspects. The rubbery, tennis-ball-like stank is undeniable, and so are the trademark colors. Meraki is an up-and-coming grow and can't be bought everywhere, but I've had good luck finding its Sour Diesel at A Cut Above, Eclipse Cannabis Company and Golden Meds.

2-Gram Rosin Jars
Call them "baller buckets" or "honey jars" as much as you want, but I can't afford to cough up the $130-plus required to pay for four grams of rosin. Still, sometimes I'll come across something so delicious that one gram simply isn't enough. Thanks to two-gram jars from trendsetting extractors like 710 Labs and Allgreens, we can double up on the good stuff without going full Costco. It remains a payday treat, but it saves one extra trip to the store.
Forbidden Fruit
A mix of Cherry Pie and Tangie, two dominant strains of the mid-2010s, Forbidden Fruit has a strong pedigree and pumps out Golden Goat-like fumes of fruit cocktail. Finding real representations of the strain in dispensaries has been getting tough; most of the Forbidden Fruit options I come across are boiled-down versions in vape cartridges, which isn't the best way to experience a strain's characteristics. So thank heaven for Higher Function and Indico, two cultivations growing solid representations. Save Forbidden Fruit for one of those no good, very bad days: Within ten minutes, your melted brain will only be focusing on the strain's ripe fruity qualities, and none of the small stuff will matter anymore.