Why Colorado Tokers Love Pakistani Chitral

I used to watch PCU on cable all the time. For thick-headed middle-schoolers, the stupid college humor was quotable. Did it age well? Ehh.

The movie's fictitious school, nicknamed Politically Correct University, laid a battleground for comedy's relationships with marginalization and "woke culture." A relic of the ’90s, PCU was lost in the shuffle after streaming took over, but it has big-timers like Jon Favreau, David Spade, Jeremy Piven and Jessica Walter. The movie played an important role, even if it isn't really talked about now. Just like PCK, or Pakistani Chitral Kush.

Named after Chitrāl, a town in Pakistan known for its cannabis and hash, this landrace strain is exactly what so many uneducated dispensary shoppers claim to desire: a pure indica. Pakistani Chitral is an ancestor of modern chronic while maintaining its own effectiveness, yet the town of Chitrāl is hardly viewed as a cannabis mecca like Amsterdam, Jamaica or even Denver. Pakistani Chitral's presence in the U.S. isn't what it used to be, either, hurt by longer required flowering time and modern consumer desires.

No one's lining up to resurrect PCU or Jeremy Piven's career, but I'm happy to give CPR to PCK, both figuratively and through my bong. Pakistani Chitral is a foundational strain and deserves our respect, and it's much more than an old-time great that couldn't play against today's major-leaguers. The ol' gal still slaps, baby, and she's one of the most surefire nap threats in the game.

The whole indica/sativa thing is bullshit, but landraces like Pakistani Chitral actually hold up to those claims and are a big part of the reason that so many people think indicas make us sleepy and sativas give us energy. I've never met someone who's experienced anything other than sedation, red eyes and stupid grins after smoking Pakistani Chitral. If you're lucky enough to come across it, buy a jar and keep it for those nights when sleep won't come.

Looks: Pakistani Chitral has an old-school look but doesn't lack intimidation. The buds are both tall and dense, with a forest-green color and average trichome coverage by today's standards. However, the strain still has a good resin blanket, and dark-purple spots are frequent. One phenotype was so purple that growers spun it off into its own strain, Purple Pakistani.

Smell: Always earthy on the nose with a sweet back end, Pakistani Chitral usually carries noticeable hints of berries, while supporting aromas have ranged from caramel to lavender to vanilla. That earthiness can change, too, with the dominant smells reminding me of dank soil and musty wood.

Flavor: Pakistani Chitral's flavor is mostly hash, with subtle tastes of berries and the occasional floral back end. Thick, resinous, earthy notes and a spicy vanilla kick are the most noticeable, however, and tend to stick to the tongue long after smoking.

Effects: This is where Pakistani Chitral really shines. The vast majority of users can always depend on the high's relaxing qualities, which either knock me out inside of 45 minutes or keep me happily sedentary until bedtime comes. You'll never have a question about the best time to smoke Pakistani Chitral or how you'll feel afterward. Save it for sleep or hangovers, and little else.

Where to find it: We've seen Pakistani Chitral at Best Colorado Cannabis, Herbs 4 You, Lakeshore Cannabis, L'Eagle, Lightshade, Silver Stem Fine Cannabis and Strawberry Fields, though we sincerely hope that more dispensaries carry it.

Heartland Industries, L'Eagle and Toke are the only growers of Pakistani Chitral that I'm aware of, although Strawberry Fields might have an in-house version. L'Eagle's cut, a regular on the menu, is my favorite in town. The looks might not blow you away, but the old-school smell and flavor will appease hash tongues, and the relaxing effects are immediate and enduring.

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