Battle of Buds: High Times Cannabis Cup Tests Colorado Weed Brands

The time-honored competition returned to Denver last week...quietly.

November 26, 2019

The last High Times Cannabis Cup in Denver allowing cannabis use was at the Denver Mart in April 2015. Ken Hamblin

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The High Times Cannabis Cup, one of cannabis culture's most popular commercial competitions, silently came and went through Denver last week. Dozens of Colorado cannabis growers, extractors and infused product makers put their skills to the test with Cannabis Cup judges on November 21 at Englewood's Gothic Theatre, with a few brands taking home several trophies.

The Cannabis Cup once had a huge, and loud, footprint in Denver; the last major public event took place in 2015 at the Denver Mart in Adams County. However, Adams County and Denver officials aren't too keen on events allowing public pot use anymore, and the return of the Cannabis Cup to the area was kept on the down-low.

That could change next year, however, as the state's Marijuana Enforcement Division has created new licenses for legal pot-friendly events. In the meantime, here are the winners of this year's Cannabis Cup:

Indica flower
First place: Indico, Mandarin Sunset
Second: High Level Health, Wedding Cake
Third: Dank by Pank, Blackberry Meringue #12

Hybrid flower
First place: Dank by Pank, Orange Cookies
Second: Denver Recreational, Granola Funk
Third: High Level Health, MAC

Sativa flower
First place: Denver Recreational, Samoas
Second: Dank by Pank, Pank Lemonade
Third: High West Cannabis, Headband

Sungrown (outdoor) flower
First place: San Juan Strains, Clementine
Second: Green Dragon, Tangerine Haze
Third: Roots RX, Crazy Glue

Indica concentrate
First place: Harmony Extracts, Banana Kush Ice Nectar
Second: Apothecary Extracts, Garlic Breath Ambrosia
Third: Kush Masters, Afghani Triangle live diamonds

Hybrid concentrate
First place: Harmony Extracts, Tropicana live sugar
Second: High Level Health, MAC live budder
Third: Sano Gardens Snax, Do-Si-Dos X I-95 Aqua live resin

Sativa concentrate
First place: Harmony Extracts, Clementine live terp badder
Second: Kush Masters, Hawaiian Sunset live diamonds
Third: High Level Health, Platinum Valley live sugar

Non-solvent concentrate
First place: Dablogic, Strawnana Live SHO Cake badder
Second: Spectral Extracts, Punch Cake live rosin
Third: Kush Masters, Cookies n’ Cream live rosin

click to enlarge

High Level Health, a Denver-based dispensary chain, placed in five different categories.

Courtesy of High Level Health

Pre-rolled joints
First place: High Country Cones, French Whore infused pre-roll
Second: Eureka Cure, Wavy Gravy infused pre-roll
Third: Seed & Smith, Garlic Road pre-roll

Vape pens and cartridges
First place: Seed & Smith, Super Sour Lemon Live Sauce Dart pod
Second: NuHi Distribution, Super Sour Haze cart
Third: Eureka Vapor, UK Cheese pen

CBD vape pens and cartridges
First place: Coda Signature, Balance CBD vape cart
Second: Magnus Concentrates, Apple Jack CBD 1:1 cart
Third: High Level Health, Platinum C4 CBD cart

Edibles
First place: Oh Hi Beverages, Pomegranate Sparkling Seltzer
Second: Rebel Edibles, Apple Pie Caramels
Third: Monte Fiore Farms, 3J’s Hice Cream Carmel Apple Pie

CBD edibles
First place: Canyon, Chew It Sour Lemonade CBD gummy
Second: Coda Signature, Coffee & Doughnuts 1:1 CBD chocolate bar
Third: Sugar High, Cookie & Cream Crunch CBD 1:1 chocolates

Topicals
First place: Coda Signature – Symphony 1:1 bath bombs
Second: Escape Artists – Pro Sport 20:1 recovery cream
Third: Le Remedie – Calming 1:1 body butter

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Thomas Mitchell has been the news editor of Westword since February 2024. He's been with the publication since 2017 and was formerly its cannabis editor. He’s earned numerous awards and accolades for his work, including placing second for the Marijuana Enterprise Reporting Award from the Colorado Society of Professional Journalists in 2018; being named a Top Cannabis Journalist by Leafbuyer in 2020; and placing first for the College Sports Writing Award from the Arizona Press Club in 2014. His prior work experience includes Arizona Republic, Inman News and Fox Sports.

Contact: Thomas Mitchell

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