Why Colorado Stoners Love Tangie

Bradley Nowell’s stoner scripture, “I smoke two joints in the morning,” sounds too extreme for most — but plenty of functioning, successful people prefer a hit or two of cannabis in the morning to a cup of joe. Durban Poison, Lemon Skunk, Sour Diesel and other sativas can definitely perk you up for the day, but nothing beats orange juice in the morning...or in this case, Tangie.

Tangie is a sativa-dominant hybrid of California Orange and an unknown Skunk strain that smells like a dank bag of clementines. The freshly squeezed stank and energetic high make the strain stand out in an already powerful line of tangerine-flavored strains like Tangerine Haze and Tangerine Dream. It’d be hard to differentiate between members of the group blindfolded, but Tangie separates itself from the pack with an impressive THC potency, winning awards at multiple cannabis competitions for its cured flower and concentrates. Although Tangie’s Skunk heritage is clouded, Denver’s most popular variety, found at the Clinic, is derived from Candy Jack, a hybrid of Jack Herer and Skunk #1.

My half-dozen experiences with Tangie have been standard but very enjoyable. A whiff of its skunky, citrus terpenes opens my eyes right up, and a bowl or two keeps them that way for a few hours — so be aware of that when toking before bed. Vaporizing Tangie at low temperatures brings out its juicy, tart flavors, but a joint can provide all the flavor you need. Tangie’s strong citrus characteristics can sometimes be too much of a good thing and overpower the senses, however. I can’t handle much of it at a time because of its extreme flavors and effects — but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. An eighth of it will last me weeks, coming out sparingly for a boost of energy like halftime oranges at a youth soccer game. That way, the taste never gets old. And didn’t your mother tell you that too much orange juice will give you the shits, anyway?

Looks: Tangie’s buds have a classic sativa look: tall, fluffy, bright green and riddled with orange hairs. Trichome production is heavy, blanketing the open buds and calyxes.

Smell: California Orange gives Tangie its trademark citrus scent and flavor, but when paired with Skunk genetics, it turns into a powerful, tangy stench of skunky citrus that never seems to come out of your clothes.

Flavor: Tangerines. Next question.

Effects: Tangie brings on a head rush of euphoric energy that makes it nearly impossible to sit still. While your focus can be lacking, you have virtually no paranoia to deal with, making users incredibly happy and upbeat. Tangie can treat those suffering from stress, fatigue and loneliness, among other ailments.

Commercial grower’s take: “Such a powerful strain, in all aspects. The smell and flavor are so intense that it can make your nose and tongue overload. In fact, when employees start with us, Tangie is almost always their favorite strain at the beginning. But within a few weeks, they move on. It’s just potent, man. People who rarely smoke or can’t find it often go apeshit over it, and I can certainly see why. The California Orange and Skunk play well off each other, almost enhancing some of their qualities. I wish a little more Skunk came out, but [then] it probably wouldn’t be such a high seller.

“It gets tall, like upwards of five feet, during the flowering stage. Buds are tall, too, and bushy. I heard it gets even crazier when grown outdoors, but I’ve only done it hydro. Takes a little more than two months to flower, but it’s worth it. The resin glands are so big that they look like dewdrops, and the live resin is a serious treat. I think I prefer that to the flower.”

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