Colorado-based Veritas Fine Cannabis features an assortment of hand-trimmed, terpene-focused flower, reportedly cultivated with a keen focus on seed-to-sale excellence — the latter keeping them in constant consideration as a leader in cannabis cultivation.
On a recent sojourn to the Mile High City, I had the opportunity to audition three Veritas strains, including one of its Cookies collaborations — and thank goodness, because I’m pretty sure I copped altitude sickness on day two of the trip.
First impressions
The perfume on each of these cultivars was absolutely swoon-worthy — I couldn’t get my nose deep enough in these nug jars. The terpene notes were super robust, heady, and rich, with distinct profiles and nuances.
The branding between the products presented an interesting dichotomy: two cultivars arrived in jars labeled with art created by local artist Morgan Mandala, and the third strain arrived in a sack whose imagery is obviously inspired by the peek-a-boo windows of red light districts.
Each package was distinct and delivered its branding with clarity.
Strain: Tart Pops
Tart Pops is a hybrid cross of Skunk, Tangie Zkittles, and Purple Punch. Veritas’ strains fall into one of six classifications according to their genetics, and this one delivered with the designation of “Rejuvenate.” This cultivar comes with soothing indica vibes that deliver low-key relaxation without being overly incapacitating — at least in my experience.
The first whiff of Tart Pops was bright and botanical, with an underlying heft of earthy skunk. The nugs were a frosty olive green that exploded in shades of pink and purple when pulverized into a fine grind. The mouthfeel was grassy and resinous and the exhale delivered notes of pepper and lemon.
On audition day, I spent the morning exploring Colfax Boulevard before wandering through Meow Wolf for a few hours. By the time I’d settled in for the evening and packed a bowl of Tart Pops, I was nursing some seriously throbbing lower extremities. I smoked a few hits, sank into my hotel bed, and spent the rest of the night on cloud nine. My body stone was deep and serene while the head high was dreamy and euphoric.
My takeaway: Tart Pops is the perfect nightcap for an exhaustingly awesome day.
Strain: Cherry Hills
On day two of my Denver adventure, I planned to conquer all seven floors of the Denver Art Museum. Unfortunately, the day prior left me with a bit of a high-altitude hangover. Thankfully, Cherry Hills was an efficient panacea.
Cherry Hills falls under the classification of “Innovate” and is bred from a cross of Appalachia, Cherry Pie, and Granddaddy Purple. This cultivar’s perfume is buttery and rich with a quiet, savory sweetness at the back end. The nugs are stiff, frosty, and deep aubergine in color. Only when broken up for bowl-packing does the silvery plum hue unravel to reveal specs of bright green and flecks of honey-colored threads.
After two bowls of Cherry Hills, I strolled through the museum, mostly medicated against the papery smack of altitude readjustment. The effects I felt were mildly energetic with a bubbly euphoria that kept me deeply engaged with each exhibit in the museum. After going through all seven floors, I walked back to my hotel, ordered Thai food, and leaned into a majorly satisfactory munchie episode.
Strain: Red Light (by Cookies)
Red Light is produced in collaboration with one of the most iconic brands, Cookies. And unlike the rest of the Veritas Fine Cannabis strain gallery, this cultivar defied easy classification. Instead, Red Light delivered effects that were both intense and super manageable.
Red Light is bred from a cross of Cookies and Cream and Secret Weapon. The resulting flower is bright, pastel green, and tightly formed. The heady perfume is anchored by an offensively gassy skunk that I couldn’t get enough of and lifted by an ephemeral streak of creamy sweetness also present in the exhale.
Of all the Veritas strains, Red Light felt the most responsive. The body high was slightly effervescent, but the head high was super balanced. When smoked in the AM, it felt like it supported a sunny morning mood lift, and when smoked in the PM, it was lovely fuel for video games and snacks.
Of course, your results may vary.
Check Veritas for availability
Bottom line
I’d heard from more than a few industry sources that Colorado had the best cannabis, and after my parlay with Veritas Fine Cannabis, I agree. Each cultivar’s effects arrived with such fanfare that I had to reexamine my own endocannabinoids and wonder, was it the weed, the altitude, or both making these highs feel so manageably astronomical?
Either way, I can’t wait to come back and get better acquainted with the full gallery of Veritas’ cultivars.
Photos courtesy of Veritas Fine Cannabis
