We are hurtling toward the finish line with less than two weeks left in the academic year, and the burnout rate is accelerating. With everything going on, I wanted to find some kind of mild-minded hybrid that would help ease my stress but not kill my productivity.

Luckily that is exactly what I found when I picked up a gram of Durban Kush wax from our friendly Verts Neighborhood Dispensary. Verts’ location on West Elizabeth Street is a convenient walk from my home and close to Colorado State University’s main campus, which makes it an easy dispensary to frequent.

When I go to Verts, I will typically pick up 1 gram of regular wax for anywhere between $12-$22, and so I was happy to pick up this gram of Durban Kush for $19. At Verts and most other dispensaries, there are standard wax and shatter strains, which are the most affordable concentrates, and then there are many levels above the standard that include things like live budder, resin or different kinds of hash.

For me, the standard wax works just fine for most occasions as they are incredibly high in cannabinoid concentration regardless. Durban Kush shows tests for three cannabinoids: 6.7% THC, 80.77% THCA and 0% CBD, with its total THC level marked at 77.54%. This was a selling point for Durban Kush, as its overall THC level is high for a standard wax concentrate.

This concentrate is produced by HRVST Labs and is just one of many strains labeled with the HRVST logo that you might find at Verts. HRVST Labs creates recreational high-quality concentrates and maintains a high standard of practice cultivated by the two founding extractors.

“In my case, I wanted to find a hybrid strain that would not be too psychoactive because as a graduating senior, I would very much like to not have an anxiety attack during finals week.”

This Durban Kush concentrate looks, smells and tastes highly refined and gave me nothing to complain about. Looking at the gram, it presents as a nice, buttery chunk of wax that has a light tan coloring. Typically I find if the wax is darker in color, it may not taste as clean or be smoked as smoothly, so I appreciate Durban Kush’s hue.

In addition to its great looks, I must also praise Durban Kush for its smell and flavor profile. Even though it does not have an overtly citrus-like smell, there is a keen freshness to this wax that is just downright pleasant.

It smells similar to the aroma of pine trees but with sweeter undertones. As a stoner, I recognize my bias, but I would expect this kind of freshness from a very special scented candle. The amount of praise given to the smell can also be given to the flavor profile in the same way.

I mentioned at the start of this article that I was looking for a mellow-minded strain, and I couldn’t think of a better way to describe the effects of Durban Kush. As this product is a concentrate, I will say it is easy to overdo it if you’re not familiar with the dabbing process, but at the right dose, this strain may offer you a high that feels both relaxing and rejuvenating.

In my case, I wanted to find a hybrid strain that would not be too psychoactive because as a graduating senior, I would very much like to not have an anxiety attack during finals week. However, I am the type of person who likes to be high while remaining productive, so I did not want to get a strain that’d shut me down completely.

This is why I picked an intermediate hybrid strain that I thought may relax my mind and replenish my mindset. After several sessions of smoking Durban Kush, I can say that this effect is exactly what I got. All things considered, this is an exceptional wax by HRVST. Rating: 9/10.

Reach Miles Buchan at cannabis@collegian.com or on Twitter @buchanmiles.