Why Colorado Tokers Love Romulan

Hot days aren't so bad for those constantly blanketed by air conditioning or next to a pool, but it doesn't take long for a heat wave to become extremely uncomfortable at best and deadly at worst. Temperatures, stress and violence are high this summer, so I might as well be, too.

My remaining Sundae Driver was too physically relaxing, however, and the little MAC I had left was reserved for a special occasion. It was time to find my old friend Romulan.

Named after an extraterrestrial race in Star Trek (I'm more of a Star Wars guy), Romulan has a murky backstory, but the strain is widely recognized as dating back to the late ’90s in Northern California. It allegedly started as a landrace indica (or something close to it) and was mixed with White Rhino, which is the version that we have today.

Romulan quickly made its way through the country and was a foundational strain of chronic for early dispensaries. The strain was readily available at medical pot shops for years, and also became a parent of one of my favorite daytime strains, Golden Goat. Romulan has always been sold as something that takes users to deep space, but my body barely crosses the atmosphere. I still get mind-numbing effects, giggles and heavy munchies, just without the couch lock.

I wouldn't go so far as to recommend that others smoke Romulan during the day, but its stress relief helps handle the daily bumps and bruises thrown my way, and the body high is more loose than draining. A handful of growers and extractors have reintroduced Romulan to Denver dispensaries, and the timing couldn't be better. The strain chills me out faster and longer than a cold Coors Banquet ever could — not that I wouldn't enjoy holding both as I sit in the shade.

Looks: Although considered an indica by structure, Romulan's buds like to climb, and I've come across sativas that are significantly more dense. The strain's trichome coverage has been thick since the early 2000s, though, with a heavy dose of rusty pistils, as well.

Smell: All strains have different factors that affect characteristics, but Romulan's pine-heavy scent should be trademarked by now. It always starts out with a chemical blast of pine (think Pine-Sol, but less toxic), with varying degrees of citrus, black pepper or lavender playing supporting roles.

Flavor: Prepare for pine and little else. I'll typically catch a zesty aftertaste with skunky notes jumping around the back of my tongue, but they're both minimal compared to Romulan's thick, resinous pine flavors.

Effects: While I find the strain relaxing and effective at extinguishing stress, the physical sedation doesn't hit me as hard as others report. I can smoke Romulan just about any time of day in moderation, and it's no guarantee to knock me out at night. That said, the high is anything but weak, with cooking, chores and trips to the pool all heightened after a few hits.

Where to find it: Romulan has been spotted at 1136 Yuma, Canna City, Doc's Apothecary, Emerald Fields, the Herbal Cure, Higher Grade, Igadi, Lightshade, Lit, Mana Supply Co., Nature's Kiss, Oasis Cannabis Superstores, Rocky Mountain High, Rocky Road, Strawberry Fields, Terrapin Care Station and Trenchtown, but more stores likely carry it.

Indico and Level 10 supply the majority of Romulan in Colorado, while Trenchtown grows an in-house take. Binske and Double Bear Extracts, an arm of Terrapin dispensaries, extract the strain as well. Indico has proven to successfully grow popular strains from the 2000s — the brand's take on Blue Cheese deserves high praise — and it didn't miss the mark on Romulan, either. The pine, stress relief and smooth tokes are all more than worth the sub-$40 price tag, and it's relatively easy to find around Denver.

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