Gorilla Glue #4 Rising in Strain Jungle

Doug Brown, Founder of Contact High Communications

By Doug Brown | March 10, 2017

Move over, Blue Dream. A new strain is muscling into your territory on the dispensary shelf.

Ever since BDS Analytics began collecting strain data from dispensaries, one strain has ruled over the thousands in the BDS Analytics database: the sativa hybrid Blue Dream.

With the exception of the first month of recreational sales, during January of 2014, Blue Dream has reigned in Colorado every month for three years. The story is similar in Washington — in fact, Blue Dream captured the lead the day recreational sales began, in July of 2014, and it has never fallen.

The story unfolded in a similar fashion in Oregon, but in 2015 BDS began watching a strain called Gorilla Glue #4, an extremely potent hybrid, rise through the ranks. And during 2016, it finally surpassed Blue Dream in the Beaver State, selling $7,396,498 worth of flower compared to Blue Dream’s $6,475,251.

Gorilla Glue #4’s sudden strength is not limited to Oregon. The strain did not appear in Colorado’s or Washington’s top 10 strain list until January 2016. But once it gained a foothold, it gathered power, month after month.

Top 15 Strains for Adult-Use Oregon Consumers – 2016

By October of 2016, it was No. 2 in Washington State, with $940,000 in sales and its upward trajectory continued in November, with $1 million in sales. As Gorilla Glue #4 sales grew in November, Blue Dream’s dropped to $1.5 million. Through November of 2016, Blue Dream amassed $15,325,649; the No. 2 strain for the entire year, Dutch Treat, had $7,909,914 in sales; and Gorilla Glue #4, which bounced around between the No. 3 and No. 4 spot for much of the year before rising to No. 2 in October and November, was responsible for $7,228,239.

Meanwhile, in Colorado Gorilla Glue #4 moved into the No. 2 spot in September, with $1.6 million in sales, before dipping into the middle of the pack during October, November and December. By the end of the year, Gorilla Glue was the No. 4 strain in Colorado overall, with $9,395,135 in sales, compared to Blue Dream’s massive haul of $27,156,279.

Among all channels in Colorado, Washington and Oregon during 2016, Gorilla Glue #4 was the No. 2 overall , with $24,019,872 in sales, compared to Blue Dream’s $48,957,180.

The tri-state trajectory — from just another strain to top contender — bodes well for Gorilla Glue #4’s future in 2017.

Which strain will emerge triumphant, as No. 1, by the end of this year? We look forward to harvesting and analyzing the data, and letting you know.