As the market for cannabis grows, as do expectations for taste and authenticity. As the market for cannabis develops, consumers are less satisfied with products that just “work”. Instead they seek authentic flavors and smells of genuine cannabis. Cannabis derived terpenes now form the basis of all serious product discussions.
Why Terpenes Define Cannabis Identity
Terpenes are the compounds that are responsible for the distinct smell and flavor of marijuana strains. They impact how a particular product will be perceived before any effects are experienced. When properly preserved, terpenes can convey the freshness of the product, its strain ancestry and overall quality. Even a highly potent product may become fake or flat when handled incorrectly.
Image credit: massterpenes.com
The genuine Cannabis Terpenes are derived directly from the cannabis flower and preserve its aroma. This is fundamentally distinct from the botanical blends of terpenes which attempt to imitate cannabis’s characteristics by using substances made from plants other than cannabis. While botanical blends come at a cheaper price, they don’t have the sophistication that cannabis enthusiasts expect.
The extraction method determines the outcome
The method of extraction of terpenes is a significant factor in their final character. The extraction of hydrocarbons from fresh or fresh-frozen plant material is often preferred for its ability to capture vibrant, live-resin-like scents. These methods protect compounds that can easily be destroyed in high-temperature processes or drying.
CO2 Terpenes are also an option. Carbon dioxide extraction is precise and produces pure, stable terpene fragments. While the smell is less strong than the aroma of live hydrocarbons, CO2 profiles are highly appreciated because of their consistency and purity. This is especially true in formulations where balance is more important than intensity.
A producer should choose their approach based on not the latest trends, but rather on what they want.
The difference between the old and new materials can be measured
The quality of Cannabis-derived terpenes begins at harvest. Terpenes can be volatile and break down when exposed to oxygen, heat or over time. By using fresh flowers, frozen or a material that has been carefully preserved, you will be able to retain the aroma of your original.
When degradation occurs and extraction techniques have failed, no method will be able to recover all that was lost. The industry of terpenes is focused on the source of raw materials as well as their handling. Fresh and damaged materials are immediately discernible through their scent clarity and intensity.
What to Look for when purchasing Cannabis Terpenes
When evaluating Cannabis Terpenes it’s easy to ignore overly-exaggerated descriptions. Transparency, however, is of greater importance. Buyers need to know how terpenes were extracted and processed.
Consistency is also a crucial element. The smell of cannabis-derived products should be constant from batch to batch. This is particularly true when the strains are different. Large variations often indicate unstable sourcing or rushed production both red flags for brands who are focused on quality.
Terpene Craft: a Focused Methodology
Some producers are multi-faceted. Others choose to specialize. Mass Terpenes, which focuses solely on terpenes rather than being concerned with various categories of products, falls into the second category. This focus is narrow and allows for more control over the flavor, output, as well as processing.
Mass Terpenes puts an emphasis on letting the aroma take the lead. Instead of solely relying on the hype Quality is to be perceived directly through smell and taste that are unmistakably marijuana.
Aroma as a Quality Check
It’s impossible to substitute the instant a container has been opened. The smell of cannabis that is high-quality Terpenes is instantly noticeable and it has a familiarity and complexity that are difficult to duplicate in synthetic blends. The aroma is the best indicator of quality and success.
As the cannabis industry grows and expand, authenticity has emerged as the key differentiator. This same principle applies to producers who choose live extracted profiles or CO2 refined Terpenes. When cannabis and terpenes are treated with intention and respect, they can do more that enhance the quality of products. They are the carriers of the cannabis culture forward with its most famous forms.
