Herbert Fuego
Audio By Carbonatix
A handful of newly discovered cultivations and strain drops have been keeping our stashes full and heads in the clouds. From the return of old favorites to a family-run cultivation in Nederland, here are five things to look for at Colorado dispensaries this fall.
Viola’s Return to Colorado
Viola, a cannabis brand founded by former Denver Nugget Al Harrington, used to be headquartered in Colorado, but the multi-state brand ended its extraction operations and focused on other states a couple of years ago when Colorado’s cannabis recession started to hit. Viola reps said it would be back in Denver dispensaries soon, though, and they were eventually proven right this spring, when I first came across Viola flower at the now-closed A Cut Above. Although Viola was more known for hydrocarbon extraction during its first Colorado run, the vast majority of products I’ve seen on dispensary menus have been flower with an occasional blip of live rosin. After trying strains like Apricot Scone, Blue Zushi and the Yams, I can confidently place Viola in the upper-middle class of cultivations and will keep the brand in my rotation. The buds have been a bit too dense for my liking, but the smell, flavor and price point — usually around $20 an eighth — were all solid, and each Viola strain I’ve tried has displayed individuality and clear effects. If you’re tired of sketchy ounce deals but can’t afford a premium $40-plus eighth, give Viola a look.
Bakery Brothers
Behold, another quality grower for Joe Six-Pack. But seriously: It’s nice to see good flower being sold for less than $30 an eighth, which is exactly what the Bakery Brothers have been up to in Denver, with interesting strains to boot. Based in Nederland, this craft cultivation is operated by brothers Cassidy and Roberto Ortiz, both of whom have decades of experience around the plant. I was immediately drawn to the Bakery Bros’ cut of Pre-98 Blue Dream, a mix of Blue Dream and Pre-98 Bubba Kush. The purple, starry buds caught my eyes, for sure, but the strong representation of classic couch-lock genetics told me to look for more. The next time I came across them, I was in the mood for something to slap me in the face with potency, and the Double Runtz backcross more than answered the call. I’m excited to see what comes out of the oven next.
THC-Infused Eucalyptus Oil
Smoking weed feels good and all, but who doesn’t need a rub-down every once in a while? The spray bottles used by Mother Earth Concepts make the brand’s THC-infused eucalyptus oil easy to apply on targeted spots. According to founder Maryanne Zucal, intended uses of Mother Earth’s spray include sore muscles and joints, certain skin issues and even moments of aromatherapy. I can’t comment on the veracity of all the claims, but the oil did feel good on sore muscles after I lifted weights for the first time in three weeks, and my shiny, conformed beard doesn’t seem to mind the infused oil, either. The spray is available at a growing number of dispensaries in Colorado, which you can view on Mother Earth’s website.
Allgreens Pre-Packed Flower
As heady extraction labs come and go in Colorado, Allgreens has remained strong in South Denver. The dispensary-hashmaking outfit off South Kalamath Street pumps out some of the best deals on primo rosin in the country, and now it’s stepping into the flower game. Priced at $50 an eighth post-tax, the first drop of pre-packed flower, the timeless GG#4, was a little lacking in the smell and flavor departments. However, it also glued me to the living room sofa and contributed mightily to the 2,500 calories that entered my stomach that night, so I still walked away more impressed than not. With more time and space to allow a proper cure for harvests, Allgreens should produce even more exciting drops going forward.
Return of Hazelnut Cream
I was crushed to see so much top-tier flower and rosin offerings leave dispensary shelves after the Verde-Dablogic umbrella shut down, and Hazelnut Cream was near the top of the list. The creamy, funky brie of a weed strain was a mainstay at Verde’s now-shuddered dispensaries, and Dablogic did a helluva job at squeezing out Hazelnut Cream’s flavor profile for rosin jars. After a few weeks of mourning, however, I was pleased to see that Denver-based Malek’s Melts had attained Hazelnut Cream genetics from Dablogic, and it’s already dropping goopy jars of Hazelnut Cream rosin. The creamy, sour funk is there, and so is the knockout high.
