A sample of G6 #3 from Medicine Man, a Colorado marijuana shop. (Provided by Medicine Man)

G6 #3 (marijuana review)

I was in a rather Sublime state of mind the day I tested out G6 #3 from Medicine Man, one of Denver’s larger dispensaries.

Also known as Jet Fuel, G6 #3 is a strain with local origins.

I stuck my nose into the bag for the full smell and started to imagine the Gulfstream G650s (for which this strain is named) dipping in over the driving range to land at Centennial Airport. Like the smell of a 6:30 a.m. tee time, this G6 #3 had the air of pine trees and gasoline from a lawnmower on freshly cut grass.

G6 #3 by the numbers: $14/gram $41/eighth at Medicine Man, 4750 Nome St. in Denver

G6 #3 is a renamed pheno of the 303 Seeds Jet Fuel, a cross between Aspen OG (also of 303 Seeds) and an in-bred diesel cross in which Sour Diesel was crossed with one of its parents. The diesel ancestry of the Aspen OG mixed with the in-bred cross makes diesel the prominent aroma. The nugs have the clustered calyxes that Sour Diesel is known for, but tempered down by a bushier backdrop, the result of the OG genetics.

I pull out one of the inch-and-a-half long nugs to smoke, and have to pause to admire the abundance of frosty trichomes before I tear it apart. There are some dark pine green leaves that managed to evade death by trimmer, but other than that, it’s all green olive covered in trichomes with a handful of peach-colored hairs protruding from the abyss of pungent gasoline odor.

When I pinch the nug, the dry matter on the outside of the nug crumbles off. The nug decompresses slightly, but doesn’t return to its original size. It’s very easy to break apart with one hand and leaves enough kief on my thumb to accentuate my thumbprint.

By now, I’ve had Sublime’s “Ebin” stuck in my head for 10 minutes, so I feel compelled to listen to a Sublime album on vinyl before I light up. “Ebin” is a song from their earlier “40 oz. to Freedom,” one of my all-time favorites; but, much like old-school cannabis genetics, it is extremely difficult to find on vinyl. So I “settle” for a reprint of their self-titled album. The familiar intro to “Garden Grove” follows the muffled sound of a needle touching vinyl and I light up the unused spoon.

Using a completely fresh pipe has the same sentimental sensation as listening to a brand-new record for the first time, with the added benefit of being able to taste the full unadulterated flavor of the flower.

My first hit is a long, slow one. I’ve heard many people describe diesel strains as having a fuel-like taste. I have never consumed gasoline, so I would describe the taste as mostly sour and bitter. The G6 is dominated by the same pungent bitter taste, with hints of pine and sweet berry, as it moves through my mouth. It becomes spicy and harsh the instant it hits the back of my throat. By the time I finish the first small bowl, my head feels light and airy and my eyes close halfway. Despite the physical relaxation, my mind is stimulated.

The pipe is pretty small, so I load another bowl. This time, I inhale the green hit more deeply, which creates a slight burn in my upper chest and forces a light cough. By the time Side A gets to its last track, “April 29, 1992 (Miami) I can feel a sense of relaxation in each of my limbs.

Now, I have to meet someone on the Platte River Trail to sell some concert tickets. As I walk down at an uncharacteristic leisurely pace, I contemplate the irony of being able to purchase pot in a store and meeting someone under a bridge on a bike path to sell concert tickets. Just like the traditional drug deal, it’s a quick exchange of cash for product, without the usual paranoia, a combination of the G6 and the fact that we aren’t actually doing anything illegal.

***

The relaxation sans couch-lock lasted well into the evening when I went to be a sub for a rec softball team. I hadn’t played ball in at least 10 years, so my arm was a little sore after the game. A post-game bowl of the G6 was just the fix, and prepped me for Thai food when I got home.

Sublime’s music resonates among stoners, likely due to the gratuitous references to the plant in songs like their cover of Bob Marley’s “Smoke Two Joints” and the anti-narc lyrics in “Get Ready.” However, the true beauty of Sublime, apart from former frontman Bradley Nowell’s eccentric stage presence, came from their ability to fuse elements of punk and ska with reggae and hip-hop so seamlessly, all while speaking to personally and culturally relevant issues like Rodney King and the 1992 L.A. riots and heroin addiction.

This art is analogous to a master breeder’s ability to selectively cross-breed strains and create amazing new phenotypes. Sour Diesel’s legendary history and unique aroma command a Sublime-like following among smokers. Its descendant, G6 #3, is more like the modern rendition, Sublime with Rome — it’s different from the original and may not appeal to die-hard diesel-heads, but nonetheless good in its own right.