Colorado Sunshine will forever be one of my all-time favorite strains, so understand that up front. This is my second time smoking it and I’ve been looking forward to this moment for a very long time.
This cannabis is so memorable to me that when I created “The Divine 9” where I keep a running list of my favorite 9 strains of memory it was a no brainer addition.
Table of Contents
My top strains changes as I change, and as time progresses and I continue to learn and discover and try more new innovative bud.
So preferences are not necessarily always fixed, but for any given cannabis genetics to make it into this list at any time, requires an immensely impactful interaction.
The weed must speak to me. It must move me. It must touch me in a way that excites!
If you take a quick reference of my favs list you will find, at position lucky #7, the strain I am reviewing here for you today.
As your read you will further understand not only why this strain has made it onto my top 9 strains list but what makes it stand out, how it smells, tastes, and the effect it imparts.
Colorado Sunshine Genetic Lineage
So, let’s get into the “what” first. Colorado Sunshine bright and refreshing “sativa” dominant cross between Jack Herer and Bubblegum.
Whenever people try to tell me there’s not such thing as sativa-leaning or indica-leaning strains because THEY ARE ALL HYBRIDS AND ALIENS DON’T EXIST I just chuckle.
First yeah nobody is calling this a landrace so calm your jimmies, and second aliens obviously do exist.
And third Colorado Sunshine definitely exhibits classical sativa cannabis hallmarks from it’s fresh piney chemical odor to it’s bright green buds to it’s super heady high.
No, this isn’t your typical influencer marketed hype strain; it’s expertly refined elegance, distilled.
To understand the “why” as to why this weed is so fucking good then you ought to understand its parents a bit.
On one hand you have the classic Jack Herer strain (aka “THE Jack”, aka “J.H”, aka “Platinum Jack”), is a cognitively stimulating cross between a potent haze hybrid and a Northern Lights #5 and Shiva Skunk cross from industry originals Sensi Seed Seed Bank out of the mecca for all things skunk and haze, Amsterdam.
This marijuana equivalent to a hazy IPA was named after one of the hardest working, most steadfast disciples of plant de-stigmatization that has walked the earth in modern times.
Author, activist, visionary, educator, Jack stands as one of the legends of not just recreational and medicinal marijuana but as an advocate for underappreciated yet utilitarian as hell hemp.
On the other hand you have Bubblegum which is itself another modern classic, an Indiana original that did like many a Midwesterner have done for at least a semester in college and went to Amsterdam to “find itself”
…and find itself it did!
Colorado Sunshine is the prodigal child of the intensely cognitively stimulating head high in Jack Herer and the energizing freshness and juicy bubblicious flavor of Bubblegum.
This strain is thus considered a bright and shining example of a prototypical “daytime strain” with the most obvious mentally alerting effects being lending themselves to physically active or mentally stimulating tasks and activities.
Perhaps the Colorado Sunshine name itself comes from the fact that sunshine in Colorado is particularly intense given that it is the highest altitude state in the United States.
According to the the American Academy of Dermatology and EPA, the sun in Colorado IS ACTUALLY STRONGER. The higher up you go the less UV protection you get and thus Colorado (state) sunshine (suns rays) is figured to be anywhere between 20-30% stronger than sun felt in states closer to sea level.
Yup, I’d say that’s an apt descriptor of the physical and emotional light this plant will shine upon your lucky little endocannabinoid system once you give it a puff-a-roo as I have just done before sitting down to tap out this review (and later edit it).
Appearance: Someone Call the Smithsonian
Focus North is my favorite cultivator because of their consistent quality over multiple years.
Nobody is ever perfect, but they are the nearest to perfection I’ve found at least.
Growing a great product once is cool, but doing it consistently over long periods of time, that is the mark of greatness I seek out in a farm. I’m a creature of habit and I want to find my sources and know they won’t just disappear one day.
Focus North doing Focus North things, these buds structurally these are about as pRoYotyPicaL in their shape, size, and overa-all structure.
As such, a pile of Colorado Sunshine flower, preserved in acrylic or something, would make an excellent entry into the Smithsonian as an exhibit of what good recreational cannabis looks like in the 2020’s.
These squat little 3D Doritos are of medium size, measuring about 1-1.5” tall and 1-1.5” wide. Yes, they are as wide as they are tall. I guess you could call them chodes, in a complimentary kind of way.
They aren’t the most dense things though, so while each 1.5”x1.5” bud might look like a gram it’s probably more like 1.5 buds = 1 gram.
As per usual with my reviews I’ve got a quarter ounce of this to smoke through and vape with to form confident opinions, so that I can deliver to you a helpful review!
Trichome coverage is respectable, not jewelry store levels of sparkle but obviously a healthily grown plant here.
Color-wise things are pretty green. Not particularly vibrant but more of a soft mossy warm green, patterned with lush thick brown stigma throughout.
While I’m a sucker for deep purple buds I also have a weird obsession with big stigma and I think that’s the most standout visual feature of this Colorado Sunshine, outside of the almost boring levels of uniformity and consistency in size, shape, and structure.
This is the kind of weed I assume a replicator aboard a Stark Trek vessel like Voyager or Enterprise would produce. Surely the effects alone would be plenty to help get through a long journey through the uncharted quadrants of space.
Breaking apart this flower for grinding is a breeze, given there is more space in between the bracts themselves, so it can be picked apart in manageable chunks similar to how chocolate bars are pre-scored for breaking into bite sized pieces.
Perhaps more importantly the moisture levels here are on point. Curing is something Focus North typically does very well and is a big draw for me, as a verifiable chaser of le flavour…
There is nothing worse than picking out some killer craft-cultivated flower from a dispensary only to get it home and have it turn to mummified dust when trying to break it apart.
All bud deserve equal care in curing as they get in the breeding and cultivation stages of its lifespan. #cannabisplantsrights
As such I’d like to encourage farms operating in deli-style states to error slightly on the danker side of things as much as one safely can when curing their bud, leaving as much terpene goodness in the flower as possible to account for the lost moisture during transport and sales processes.
Smell: Like Opening a Fresh Pack of Orbit
Go buy a pack of Orbit or Stride “bubblegum” flavored gum, take it to a pine forest, sit down, take off the plastic wrapper, and take a big inhale.
Also, make sure to keep your gum packaging in your pocket to properly dispose of later. May all litters burn in hell!
Leafly recently named Permanent Marker as their “Strain of the Year” for 2023″, which made me happy because as much as I love candy sweet strains and twangy GMOs I also like to see other less hyped categories get their turn in the lime light.
It makes me optimistic about the future of Colorado Sunshine too because I feel like it is a bit of a cousin of the Permanent Marker family in terms of smell at potency.
No, it’s not a straight up chemical smell but it is fresh and invigorating nonetheless and if you like sniffing permanent markers you might dig this, at least I do, and I did.
Opening my Re:Stash jar and giving Colorado Sunshine a big whiff I can’t help but let out a “waaaah!” type of exhale.
There’s the bubblegum. There’s a bit of that chemical marker ink aroma. There’s a waft of skunk in a dry evergreen forest. There’s a smidge of new sneaker rubber. There’s a faint Pine-sol acidity. Then there is a slight sweet softness, like your favorite pillow.
Then just as fast as that strong smell hits your nostrils it dissipates, leaving a mouthwash-esque feeling behind. Sage-infused freezing air blowing into your face.
Honestly, jars of Colorado Sunshine would make a GREAT palette cleanser for high-end wine, whiskey, or even cigar tasting IMO.
The freshness factor is exciting and relatively unique in a world dominated by candy fruit flavors and creamy gelato crosses, not that I’m complaining..
Overall this is a very inviting scent profile that should get a “ooooh” at the least out of the sugar-addicted Runtz snobs and a “wow” at most out of any other weed geek archetype you want to show your stash off to. It’s definitely a refreshing nasal experience.
This makes Colorado Sunshine a great option for waking and baking, for shredding some fresh powder on the slopes, or for sharing on a Friday night backyard get together with friends.
Sensation: Big Brain Energy Banger
This is a heady smoke. If you’re a body high type person who just likes becoming one with your couch then you’ll want to look elsewhere.
Colorado Sunshine is an activity-oriented experience. The cannabinoids and terpenes in this weed all point one direction, and that direction is getting up off your ass.
People say weed makes them lazy. Maybe they haven’t tried this shit.
Spirited hikes through state park trails, vacuuming your apartment’s raty ass carpet and feeling accomplished about it, sitting down to tap out a strain review at 3:30pm on a Sunday (and then editing it again at 9:35pm on a Tuesday night); Colorado Sunshine can underwrite it all!
If there’s any strain that lends itself to some herbal pre-gaming it is Colorado Sunshine, like a cold, light hazy IPA on a summer afternoon.
This weed is potent but don’t worry it doesn’t just lay into you like a dump truck full of bricks. It’s more like an adrenaline yet awe-inducing warm embrace of a friendly silverback gorilla.
Firm, noticeable, deliberate. Stimulating.
It’s obviously strong. I only needed 4 or 5 puffs for the high to make a formal introduction and for me to decide it was time to move this party to the living room.
I made the mistake of drinking coffee before during and after smoking some Colorado Sunshine and woowee did it to a number on me.
The compounds in this cannabis hit like a cup of fresh-ground “Grade 1” Ethiopian unwashed beans poured from a steaming French press in the morning.
In a way you could say this weed isn’t quite as 3D as others (primarily a head high here, body is rather unperturbed) or even two-dimensional.
Thinkin gon it, I guess it IS kind of a one-dimensional experience and that dimension is in your head.
But that’ ain’t a knock on it, no sir no ma’am no tham. Specialized things are some of the best things, like aforementioned gourmet coffee beans.
Or how “race” oriented sportscars like Porsche 911’s and Nissan GT-Rs compare to pedestrian people hauling vans or (new) Honda Civics.
Being laser focused in on one thing can allow you to strive for as near as perfection that can be obtained, instead of spreading yourself out trying to be a hot shot in multiple sports.
^master of some trades jack of none something or another…
Can it be done? Sure. There have been a few herculean genetics over the years that are experts in checking all the boxes.
Summary: A Strain With a Purpose
Colorado Sunshine isn’t a box checker though. This is a strain with a mission. An Ikagari.
Colorado Sunshine intends to juice every neural connection in your brain with some high octane synapse lubricant.
The same almost tingly feeling you get in your mouth when smoking or vaping this stuff is the same feeling, abstractly speaking, that happens in my brain, in terms of hound dog levels of mental focus.
So uh, if you’re an easily externally stimulated individual then I probably wouldn’t combine this with any already intense anxiety-prone events like large crowds or places with loud noises.
But if all you do is smoke Green Crack and Chem-bombs idk maybe it won’t be as intensive for you.
I also wouldn’t recommend it with coffee, unless you intend to chase every rabbit hole through to China.
The bright fresh nature of Colorado Sunshine does lend itself to being a great daytime smoke, a solid afternoon pick-me-up at that.
If you’re not a sativa vet and things get a bit extra buzzy no worries just throw on some noise cancelling headphones and find a good house playlist and you’ll be just fine.
So yeah, in total, Colorado Sunshine is an action movie, not a fall asleep movie. Real John Wick shit.
There were a couple of times where I tried deploying this dank in busier social settings, like small crowded restaurants wherein I ultimately felt a bit over-stimulated, so a word of caution to any anxiety-prone individuals this strain is best enjoyed at home in controllable settings or while immersed in the naturally calming tranquility of nature.
I ended up smoking most of it in joint form, because that’s currently my preferred method of consumption but Colorado Sunshine is BEST enjoyed via a vaporizer because the lower heat will maximize that uniquely fresh and invigorating terpene profile more than combustion.
My ole trusty PAX heated up something LOUD when blazing this, so FYI.
In conclusion, these are excellent sativa-type genetics grown by an excellent farm, and this praise is coming from a guy that generally defaults to the fruity candy hype strains like a diabetic bee to a lemonade stand.
As such, if you traditionally default to sedating indica-dominants, fruity/candy strains, or heck even cheesy/meaty GMOs and have been itching to step out of your comfort zone a bit then I think something like Colorado Sunshine is a great option to shake things up.
It’s been a joyous pleasure reacquainting myself with this strain, now an old friend, and I’m delighted to finally be able to get a review up for this beauty because she sure as heck deserves it.
