Veritas Cannabis – Cocktail Whisperer

It’s a Sativa by nature, but sometimes it feels more Indica-leaning- but certainly not like hybrids… It reminds me of the fine cannabis that I used to get in southern Maine back in the mid-1980s. This was when I first discovered really fine East Coast weed. I was reared on mostly West Coast flowers early on. It was that or the “whatever we could get,” which was nothing to write home about in the 1970s and 1980s. Unfortunately for me, whatever we could get still remains vivid in my imagination; it was that brick stuff, brown and pressed. But the strains that taught me something were grown by really passionate people who loved the plant.

Smoking these early craft strains was like nothing I had ever experienced before, especially since the overall quality level of the swag I’d get in NJ was pretty low in the 1970s! This was until someone introduced me to New York Sour Diesel at a nightclub in NYC circa the mid-1980s. Nothing else smelled like that. Like sour cream, lemon curd, European gasoline, and roasted orange zest. To this very day, every time I smell Sour Diesel or the myriad of incarnates, I’m blasted back to that first hit of Sour Diesel and my experience of that day, so many years ago.

The Veritas Cannabis Sour Diesel reminds me of the years of wandering on the streets in Boston if you knew the right people of course… It’s what we smoked during weekends up in the New Hampshire mountains or up on MDI in Maine. It was this famous, now infamous Sour Diesel—probably grown in Western Massachusetts—or otherwise it was Blueberry, from Southern Maine. And that was it. And I’m pretty happy of those years of smoking flowers that remind me now of those years because they were formative in my experience of smoking truly gourmet/craft cannabis. Something that would follow me forward. This is quite important to me.

Every time that I smoke Sour Diesel I’m brought back to a day before yesterday, and it forces me to re-examine the flavors that are known as the classics. What Veritas has achieved is remarkable in this regard. I would like to make mention of a couple things before I dive into the tasting notes. Cannabis that is grown and cured in high altitude and dry places like Colorado, New Mexico, and Nevada…smoking this cannabis I’ve discovered a big something shocking. (At least to me…) I react far differently with cannabis grown and cured at sea level. It’s just a different experience. I’ve done some experimentation on this axiom, purchased cannabis that has been grown at 6000 ft plus and opened the container at nearly sea level with lots of New Jersey humidity filling the room, well it’s an entirely different experience. In a plus way, certainly not a minus way.

Something biophysical takes place by growing and curing in a carefully engineered humidity adjusted space, but what I experienced at sea level was something completely different. I’m very impressed by the flavor and terpenes I sensed at 650 ft. instead of 6500 ft. The cannabis almost reacted like cryo-cured flower, dried, perfectly cured, and aged in a fraction of the time, leaving an end result that is encapsulated in time and space. And when I smoked it at 650 ft. with lots of humidity? What I experience is bliss…

Veritas Fine Cannabis: Sour Diesel

Nose: It’s that baby skunk that’s lurking under your bedroom window. Someone stuck a couple gallons of buttermilk under there too, the sour-lactate rich liquid is stuck up inside my nose. Coming into view, snapping a canna-flower in my fingers, I smell crushed, juniper wood smoked chiles, a tangle of caramelized lemongrass shards and slivers of just snipped back yard chives, sauteed in brown butter. This is friendly cannabis that layers the inside of my head with softly folded whipped cream and unleashes the nasal driven memories that say springtime in Portland, Maine-1986. The overall nose is sometimes salty, sometimes sweet, sometimes sour, leading into the funky, but certainly- always memorable.

Mouthfeel: Veritas in Colorado has re-created the classic mouthfeel of Sour Diesel that some would say exemplify the early cannabis strains like New York Sour Diesel. Laden with European Petrol, Kerosene, and Baby Skunk, it’s unmistakable. Others say the classic Sour Diesel smells like citrus juices and cracked white pepper. I think it’s a combination of Pan-Asian spices, baby skunk and kerosine lamp oil. Citrus oils and the act of licking wet shells at the beach in the summer make your palate sing.

Veritas Sour Diesel unlocks my mind after inhalation. Remarkable in the depth of the experience. The mouthfeel is rich, savory, and full-bodied. After a couple small hits, I’m ready to experience the Veritas Sour Diesel in my Chill Bong- instead of my usual one hitter. The reason why I want to share the Chill Bong with you is the cooling experience that you feel when using this masterful piece of cannabis accoutrement.

Stone: This is not cannabis for the beginner. Of course, you have to start on the really strong stuff in your own way, but the pro-tip is take your time. There is no rush in cannabis, all those magical cultivars, so many that I forget which one is my favorite. I will say that Sour Diesel of Veritas Fine Cannabis is elegant and charming. It also gets me to another place with alacrity. There is no lack of amusement when imbibing Sour Diesel from Veritas Fine Cannabis. This is a Sativa that acts to help you get the job done. Scrub the tub, wash all the kitchen floors, take out the trash that is lurking in the hallway. There aren’t enough hours in the day because you’ll be full of steam to get all the things behind you and still other tasks to be hatched.

If Veritas Sour Diesel doesn’t take you to the next Bardo, I don’t know what will. Ok, you may not discover DF Tram on your own personal musical journey, but it did stimulate your inquisitive nature. This nug of perfectly cured cannabis is the Sour Diesel of my dreams. It takes me places that money can’t buy. Experience gleaned from emotion and being able to taste great cannabis like Veritas teaches me lessons not yet taught.

Cheers.

https://chill.store/

https://www.veritascannabis.com/strain-library

Photo Credit: Warren Bobrow

Veritas Cannabis Sour Diesel is a combination of Super Skunk + Chemdawg. Commentary and Tasting Notes

Veritas Fine Cannabis in Colorado has kept itself ahead of the rest of the industry with quality products, innovative branding, and promotions.

No, the company is breaking away from the rest of the pack by appointing environmental health and safety manager, Elizabeth Lee, to spearhead their sustainability efforts. Along with her degree in environmental studies, Ms. Lee was recognized as the woman for the job after internal meetings revealed her deep interest in sustainable practices.

DENVER—Oct. 26, 2021 —Veritas Fine Cannabis, Colorado’s original craft cannabis, today announced the company’s new position of Environmental Health and Safety Manager, promoting packaging lead Elizabeth Lee into the key role. The position will oversee company initiatives to advance sustainability, including energy conservation and packaging, two notorious problem areas for the global cannabis industry.

“Veritas has championed sustainability since inception and we are very eager to leverage this new role and Elizabeth’s background to elevate this commitment to new proportions,” said Mike Leibowitz, CEO of Veritas Fine Cannabis. “We started ‘Veritas Talks’ last summer, where employees have a platform to spark conversations about how we can progress as a company. Through this, Elizabeth shared several ideas we implemented and immediately felt an impact, so much so that it flourished into this new position.”

“Sustainability is something I’ve always found passion in, along with working in cannabis,” said Elizabeth Lee, Environmental Health & Safety Manager at Veritas Fine Cannabis. “Having the opportunity to help Veritas be at the forefront of sustainability in the cannabis industry is a dream for me.”

Ms. Lee holds a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies from American University and is approaching the final year of her master’s degree in the Environmental Health & Safety program at the University of Denver. In addition to spearheading sustainability initiatives, Elizabeth will oversee Veritas’ environmental health and safety program.

About Veritas Fine Cannabis

Quality, consistency, honesty, and preserving the unique terpene profile of each strain—these are the guiding principles that set Veritas Fine Cannabis apart as one of America’s first premium cannabis wholesalers. Named after the Roman goddess of truth, Veritas is more than a cultivator; it is a curator of the cannabis experience. From first cuts through harvest and packaging, the Veritas team does everything by hand to optimize the full expression of a strain’s terpenes that yield singular effects. The company continually adds to its library of hundreds of proprietary genetics and catalogs each cultivar by terpene profile so consumers can find the perfect Veritas product to fit their individual needs. With buzzworthy strain drops each month, Veritas leads the market in connoisseur cannabis. For more information, visit veritascannabis.com.

I had the opportunity to dig a little bit deeper into Veritas Fine Cannabis and it made me appreciate their website even more. This is a brand that resonates with nerds like me!

Cheers! WB

Warren Bobrow: Please tell me about yourself? Why Cannabis? What brought you to the plant?

Elizabeth Lee: I am originally from Minnesota and lived there my whole life until I went to college. I took the big leap and moved out East to attend college at American University in Washington D.C. I have a Bachelor of Arts in environmental studies and a minor in sustainability. After graduating, I decided to move to Colorado without even visiting, and it was the best decision for me. I knew with my degree I could find a job I’m passionate about and decided to look into the cannabis industry. I saw that growing the plant was energy and water-intensive and required copious amounts of packaging. With no federal regulation and influence, I felt the cannabis industry had the opportunity to be at the forefront of environmental sustainability. And once I started working in a cultivation and packaging facility, I saw the hazards workers are exposed to, and it made me think a lot about the health and safety side of cannabis. In June of 2020, I decided to pursue my Masters at Denver University in Environmental Health and Safety. I am set to graduate in June 2022.

Warren Bobrow: Indoor or outdoor grown? Why? Organics? Biodynamics? Favorite strain? Grown by whom?

Elizabeth Lee: As a home grower, I prefer to grow outside. Why not take advantage of the Colorado sun! My favorite Veritas strain is Tropicana Cookies. I love the pungent citrus smell and taste that comes from it.

Warren Bobrow: What are your six and twelve-month goals?

Elizabeth Lee: A sixth-month goal of mine is to execute a company-wide safety policy. We want to implement new employee safety training and quarterly training thereafter to ensure every employee feels safe and confident doing their job. OSHA has not set standards specified to cannabis yet, but there will be a time when that happens, and Veritas wants to be at the forefront.

As a twelve-month goal, we want to reduce our reliance on new packaging and find a solution to sanitize and reuse our cannabis jars. Package waste is a serious issue, and we need to divert waste from landfills. Since we already use glass jars, the opportunity to sanitize and reuse them would divert many of these jars from even making it as far as the recycling bin.

Warren Bobrow: Favorite food when stoned? Favorite food memory from childhood? Do you cook? Who taught you?

Elizabeth Lee: I would say my favorite foods to eat when stoned are desserts. I really love watching “The Great British Baking Show” and have now taken a liking to gourmet desserts. Tarts, mousses, cakes. The show gives me a lot of inspiration to expand my baking skills, as well! I also really enjoy cooking. My great-grandma Kate used to cook and bake such amazing things when I was younger—so good that we had a recipe book created before she passed away. I still cook her recipes to this day. Some of my favorites are tater tot hotdish and her famous waffle cookies. I also love finding food accounts on Instagram and making their recipes.

Warren Bobrow: What is your passion?

Elizabeth Lee: I am passionate about living a life that considers the health of people and our planet. I’ve always enjoyed making changes that better my life and the overall environment. I think we forget that we all have an opportunity to ignite change and one person can have a great influence on others.