Why Colorado Tokers Love Bubonic Chronic

Living in Colorado during the craft beer boom aged tastebuds rapidly. After drinking nothing but double IPAs, sours and barrel-aged stouts for a few years, one day you wake up with the tongue and esophagus of a grizzled dock worker. Now all I want are pilsners and the occasional doppelbock.

I haven't reached a point of preferred simplicity with cannabis yet, but I'm getting close. Watching dispensary shoppers flock to weed that's not supposed to taste like weed creates mixed feelings, especially when older favorites go extinct as a result. When popular growers highlight the classics, whether a modern spin on classic flavors or a full-on reboot, I always want to like it. Snaxland did a little bit of both with its recent release, Bubonic Chronic, which played right into my millennial preferences.

Before we had dispensaries and state tracking systems for strains, most low-level weed dealers usually had very simple tiers and words to describe the level of cannabis for sale. Outside of the occasional Sour Diesel or Orange Kush, we had to choose from things like "schwag," "piff," "purps" and "chronic." Chronic emerged in the ’90s as a term to describe seedless, high-quality cannabis, but we never bought it expecting something specific. Snaxland's Bubonic Chronic, named after a Snoop Dogg line in "Gin and Juice," is a more concrete homage to that mystery weed that we all happily paid extra for.

There's a version of Bubonic Chronic with AK-47, Northern Lights and Skunk genetics, but the only version we've ever come across in Colorado, Snaxland's, was born from Slapz and Grape Cream Pie, neither of which are exactly old-school — but the result sure is. Joints of Bubonic Chronic coat my tongue in pine, funk and rubber, with a flavor profile that reminds me of a sweet gin and tonic with mixed berries and a slice of cheese, while the high provides a giggly, calming descent into nighttime. Sure, the nostalgia factor probably influences my affinity, but this is the first strain that has made me want to hotbox the car in a very long time. (Don't worry, it was parked in a driveway.) That has to count for something, right?

Looks: Emerald to forest green with occasional spots of lavender, Bubonic Chronic's relatively light buds have an old-school color and structure, but with tighter nodes and more modern trichome coverage.

Smell: A dry, funky blast of skunk, cheese and earthy Kush fills up rooms quickly, especially if you're foolish enough to keep this Chron' in a plastic bag. After getting used to Bubonic Chronic's overpowering earthy and skunktastic notes, more zesty Haze-like aromas and hints of berries take shape.

Flavor: Joints of Bubonic Chronic taste like sour juniper and berries, but with a cheesy blanket and an earthy, piney aftertaste. Hints of rubbery skunk and a sugary sweetness are noticeable, as well.

Effects: Bubonic Chronic's high rarely robs me of wit or conversational skills, but it is very heavy on the eyes, and the physical effects will make you yawn whether you're tired or not. The relaxation and munchies usually become too strong to resist, but a session on a full stomach and a good night's sleep won't knock you out immediately. It's great for happy hour or the after-party, but don't use Bubonic Chronic all day unless a nap is in order.

Where to find it: A Cut Above, Best High, Colorado Harvest Company, Elite Cannabis, Golden Meds, Greenfields, the Herbal Cure, Nature's Kiss, Snaxland dispensaries and Space Station Dispensary have all recently had Bubonic Chronic on the menu, with Snaxland currently the only grower we know of supplying the strain. Snaxland is also on the verge of launching a new rosin and wax line, so there's a good chance that extracted versions of Bubonic Chronic are coming soon, too.

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