136 MARCH 26-APRIL 1, 2026 westword.com WESTWORD | REAL ESTATE | RENTALS | SERVICES | EMPLOYMENT | CANNABIS & MORE | CLASSIFIED | Best Cannabis Brand at Pushing Colorado Forward Malek’s Premium Cannabis malekspremiumcannabis.com Colorado’s cannabis sector has been stuck in a drought, with wholesale prices and dis- pensary sales dropping for about fi ve years now. The tough times have stifl ed growth and passion as brands try to survive or look elsewhere for glory, but Malek’s Premium Cannabis and its rosin arm, Malek’s Melts, make sure we still have fun weed at home. Led by founder Malek Noueiry, the outfi t’s special releases, new products and active presence in competitions and breeding keep Malek’s top of mind. Best New Grower Chimera Craft Cannabis chimeracannabis.com Founded by Colorado cannabis veteran Kyle Atkins, Chimera Craft Cannabis took a cou- ple of years to get off the ground, but good things come to those who wait. The Den- ver cultivation’s harvests in 2025 and early 2026 have been some of the best in Colorado, with affordable, pungent buds quickly sell- ing out at the small handful of dispensaries that carry them. The 5280 and Donny Burger are stanky, savory and built to put you in the dirt, while the Gushcanna and Lemon Cherry Driver are invigorating, smokeable fruit smoothies. Showing homage to clas- sic genetics like Banana OG and Bubblegum while embracing powerful new hybrids such as Carbon Fiber and Kept Secret, Chimera has proven itself a fun and worthy addition to Colorado. If you want the widest choice of Chimera strains, head to the grow’s sister dispensary in Boulder, Flatirons Reserve. Best Deli-Style Flower Single Source instagram.com/singlesourcecolorado Most premium cannabis growers prefer to keep their buds in smaller, personal jars to increase both brand awareness and profi t. Single Source has been doing this for years and had no problem selling out at dispen- saries, so imagine how happy we were to learn that the longtime Denver cultivation is now offering deli-style fl ower in addition to its pre-packed jars. There’s no discernible drop in quality, and the price point — around $30 an eighth post-tax at most stores — is virtually unbeatable for such heat. Whether it’s an OG-heavy cut or a newer strain, like the fruitier Champagne Patties or Slap and Tickle, your taste buds will be impressed with the terpenes, and your eyes will stay cloudy, with a chance of munchies, for hours. Best Cannabis Strain Chocolate Diesel by SPCY Canna spcycanna.com Let the philistines hit their fl avored vape pens. Refi ned cannabis users prefer regu- lar weed, thank you very much, because no amount of “natural fl avoring” in your sultry Penjamin will replace the sensory qualities of something like Chocolate Diesel. A gor- geous hybrid of New York City Diesel and Chocolope from SPCY Canna, Chocolate Diesel is a chip off the ol’ block from both of its parents — and that’s a very tall order, given how lauded those classics are. With a potency and bud structure worthy of a magazine spread (if those still exist), the strain fi ts right in with today’s standards, but with timeless notes of dark chocolate, fresh rubber and Kush that transcend older and new generations. This is a true bridge strain for the young and old, a deserving addition to your desert island stash, and an easy way to impress fellow stoners at the park. Well done, SPCY. It singes the nostrils. Best Rosin Gummies Olio dabolio.com/edibles An early adopter of rosin edibles, Colorado solventless extractor Olio has been making top-tier solventless gummies since 2022. As the brand’s fruit chews gain popular- ity, customers have been able to cash in as well, with consistent fl avor expansion and price reductions at the retail level. Olio’s rosin gummies come in standard and sour varieties, and it’s common to fi nd them priced at $12 or less at dispensaries, which is quite rare for strain-specifi c rosin edibles. The sugar-coated sweets (think Sour Patch Kids, but softer) won’t scare you away with weird fl avors, but Olio still keeps things interesting enough with va- rieties like Sour Grape Soda, Pomegranate Limeade and Tangerine, all of which go down the hatch with ease. Best New Edibles Brand Rewind Labs rewindlabs.com Rewind Edibles is both new and old at the same time, which is exactly what makes these THC-infused candies so charming. A young offshoot of Mountain High Suck- ers, Rewind Labs makes dispensary edibles inspired by treats and colors of our past. The “Rad Rocks” are essentially THC-infused versions of Pop Rocks, and they taste and explode in your mouth just like the original. The “Elementals,” tubes of infused candy powder that glow under a black light, might evoke memories of making Creepy Crawlers in the garage or backyard. Even Rewind’s logo and website are bright and reminis- cent of Microsoft WordArt and AOL landing pages, making its edibles all the more fun to snarf down before watching an old episode of Legends of the Hidden Temple or throwing around a whistling Nerf ball. Best Flower to Burn as the World Does, Too Champagne Patties by Single Source instagram.com/singlesourcecolorado Have you seen the world right now? Not great, Bob. Wildfi res, unsolicited political opinions, a continued lack of mainstream comedies in movie theaters … when will the burning end? Probably never, but at least you can fi ght fi re with fi re with Cham- pagne Patties by Single Source. The smell of rancid fruit and gasoline, a product of its Mimosa and Donny Burger lineage, might scare the uninitiated away at fi rst, but they’ll quickly come to love the aroma and look of Single Source’s cut, which sweats trichomes and has the color scheme of a petrol rainbow. The comforting high is mellow and high in “fuck it” side effects, leaving enough energy to enjoy life without sweating the small stuff. And if it’s the big stuff that’s troubling you, take another rip, because the news will still be there to scare you tomorrow. No use letting the Cham- pagne go fl at. Best Way to Make a THC Milkshake at Home Dialed In Rosin Drops dialedingummies.com Cannabis laws largely prohibit any semblance of THC-infused milkshakes at restaurants or dispensaries in Colorado, but whipping one up at home is easy with a bottle of Dialed In Rosin Drops. Each jar is fi lled with an ounce of unfl avored simple syrup and 100 milligrams of solventless hash rosin, so all you need to do is pour a little in the blender along with your favorite ice cream and milk, both of which are high in fat cells that love binding to THC and enhancing its intensity. The hashy fl avor found in most rosin edibles is nearly impossible to detect in Dialed In’s Drops, so keep your pour hand steady as you add this versatile THC syrup. Best Edibles for Mexican Candy Lovers Bachaz bachaz.com Weed gummies are great, but their vast popularity also makes them kinda boring. Bravo to Bachaz for spicing things up, liter- ally. A small-batch edibles kitchen, Bachaz was founded by Beatrice Carranza, who wanted to share some fl avors of her Mexican childhood with American dispensary shop- pers. Carranza named her company after a Spanish slang term for a joint roach to honor the “most intense and savory part” of legal cannabis, and her fl avor profi les showcase that inspiration. Bachaz’s gummies come in mango, pineapple, strawberry and water- melon fl avors, all of which are covered in a chamoy and tamarindo mixture that fans of Lucas and Tajin-covered candies will ap- preciate. What are you waiting for? ¡Vamos al dispensario! CA N N A B I S & M O R E continued on page 138 ILLUSTRATIONS BY GETT Y IMAGES
