Some Cadets will come out of the woodwork, traveling long distances--just to grab a handful of dependable, connoisseur’s Grape Ape. There are a lot of imitators, and amateur growers that can affectionately refer to any purple indica as such. But the genuine phenotype has just the right combination of elements to create a cult following: taste, experience, and of course, that branded purple sheen.

  Altitude Organic Medicine--who is soon to open their first recreational outlet in Dillon--is rapidly emerging as a premiere cannabis brand in Colorado. The quality of their organic process was evident in the flower: it left us salivating from first sight. The nug was dressed in “pure trich cover,” and coat of red hairs like a silverback gorilla. Dense, dark and hairy, the stickiness stayed on our fingers, as we passed the bud ‘round the room to marvel at its brilliant purple. The grind revealed--as expected, a bouquet of crimson grapes, pungent berries, with a “tart-pine kool aid.” The taste of plum was accompanied by a pleasant, peppery--but sublime--splash of hash on the tongue.

  The first round’s huge rip brought us immediately into the zone. An uplifting swoop picked us up, with a rolling wave that seemed to project us forward, despite being glued to our chairs. This crept and crept until we felt the power of a beast sweeping us out to sea. The mood in the room immediately mellowed and loosened up as we rode the thought-provoking tides into exhilarating relaxation.

  Although physically weighted--with some laziness--it did not destroy functionality. “I feel completely capable,” one critic announced, before heading off for the kitchen. Munchies were in full swing for almost everyone. Critics flocked to french bread and brie for a “total munchdown.” Another used the strain later on for “the perfect midnight bake, with a bowl of Cap’n Crunch Berries, to help get to sleep.”

  The selection’s cerebral effects prevailed without waning, but never overpowering, as the rising and falling body buzz resonated for even several hours longer. It made for a “good beginner’s strain,” with the ability to gauge the effects of each puff, prior to puffing. “This is a solid crop,” raved one critic. “It doesn’t sneak up on you, but carried me all day, with a grin on my face.”

Photography by Ry Prichard of Cannabis Encyclopedia