Why Colorado Tokers Love Tahoe Alien

That Area 51 raid sure came out like a wet fart after all that. The event page’s creator now wants to throw a festival in a town near the restricted military base instead, surprising and exciting no one. So instead of stealing a dope-ass laser gun from the Man, I'll just have to get high and watch Mars Attacks! or something. To up my desperate ante for Nevada alien action, I might even smoke a Tahoe Alien or two.

This mix of Alien Kush and Tahoe OG Kush has become a fixture for dispensaries and growers at home thanks to a reputation for high yields, which are rare for OG strains. But Tahoe Alien is more than just a garden star, carrying pungent pine and wood aromas as well as a high THC percentage. In some cases, Tahoe Alien can even attain decent CBD levels, making some commercial growers wonder if the strain was sent from above.

But if something as simple as chicken strips can be overcooked, then so can weed. Ham-handed growers use Tahoe Alien’s popularity to push suspect buds on consumers, so keep your eye out for imposters and poor takes on the strain. If grown correctly, Tahoe Alien can be beneficial for both user and grower, pumping out resin-coated buds and a relaxing high for the body and the mind.

Although the federal government continues to refute these reports, we’ve heard of Tahoe Alien sightings at 1136 Yuma, Berkeley Dispensary, Best Colorado Cannabis, Buddy Boy, Cherry Peak Dispensary, Cross Genetics, Denver Kush Club, Doc’s Apothecary, High Level Health, Kind Love, LaConte’s, Lightshade, Lucy Sky, Pando, Potco and Rocky Road, among others, with a number of wholesale cultivations and extractors stocking stores with the strain, as well. My favorite cuts come from Kind Love and High Level Health, with both packing the pine flavor and heavy shrouds of resin. Viola Extracts and Yeti Farms do an otherwordly job of pulling that flavor and potency out of Tahoe Alien in their extracts, as well.

Looks: Bulbous, chunky and larger than most OG cuts, Tahoe Alien looks more like a hybrid than an indica, but its nugs still pack density. The strain’s lime-green color and moderate pistil coverage are usually overshadowed by a heavy layer of trichomes. If you don’t see a healthy coat on this strain, it wasn’t grown right.

Smell: Like a walk through a wet, dank forest. Expect thick whiffs of pine and wet bark up front, followed by a subtle sour skunkiness and sweet vanilla aromas. Those back-end notes can be hard to detect, though, as Tahoe Alien is dominated by the woods.

Flavor: The Kush and skunky parts come out more in the taste, becoming more of a partner with the woody, piney flavors instead of taking a back seat. The pungent, sweet and forest-y flavors are better enjoyed in a concentrate, in my opinion.

Effects: Used primarily in the afternoon and evening, Tahoe Alien is known as a pain and stress reliever in the cannabis community. I like to smoke mine after a long day or angst-filled Sunday before work starts again, as it helps calm my nerves and eases any anxious-stomach issues. I’ve also enjoyed Tahoe Alien before a provoking movie or other visual-oriented entertainment. Just don’t go overboard, or that relief can turn into paranoia.

Home grower’s take: “This likes to spread more than stretch, so be prepared to play with those branches a little bit. Other than that, though, Tahoe Alien is pretty easy for anyone who even sorta knows what they’re doing. Can’t find seeds of it, but clones aren’t very hard to buy if you know where to look. I’ve pulled it down in eight weeks, but will probably go nine next time and see if I can get more flavor out of it.”

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