As the market for cannabis develops, expectations regarding authenticity and flavor are rising. The consumers aren’t content with products that only “work.” They are looking for experience that is true to the plant aromas that spark recognition and flavors that are true to cannabis, not merely imitations. Cannabis derived products are being developed to meet this need.
Image credit: massterpenes.com
The Terpenes that Define Cannabis Identity
Terpenes are the source of the distinct flavor and aroma of cannabis strains. They impact the way a product’s perceived quality before any effects are felt. When properly stored, Terpenes can communicate freshness and also quality and strain lineage. If handled badly even the most potent products may seem artificial or flat.
Real Cannabis terpenes are sourced directly from cannabis flower, capturing the plant’s natural aromatic fingerprint. It’s a completely different product from botanical terpenes blends that try to recreate the cannabis flavor using substances extracted non-cannabis plant. The botanical blends are economical, but they don’t offer the same depth as true cannabis.
The Extraction Method Determines the Result
The extraction method of terpenes has a significant impact on their final character. Hydrocarbons are extracted from plant materials that are either fresh or frozen, and this technique is able to capture the vivacious scents of live resin. This technique is used to protect the delicate compounds that would otherwise be destroyed through drying or high-temperature processing.
CO2 terpenes also offer advantages. Carbon dioxide extraction creates clean, stable portions of terpenes that allow to control them with precision. The aroma that results is more restrained compared to live hydrocarbon extractions. However, CO2 derived profiles are valued for their consistency and purity, particularly in formulations where balance is important more than intensity.
A producer should choose their approach based on not the latest trends, but rather on what they would like to achieve.
Fresh Material Can Make a measurable Impact
The quality of cannabis-derived terpenes begins when they are harvested. Terpenes, by their nature, are unstable, meaning they will degrade rapidly when exposed to heat, oxygen or even time. If you use a fresh flowers, frozen or a material that has been carefully preserved, you will be able to retain the aroma of your original.
After degradation, there is no way to fully recover the amount of loss. This is why it is that the most experienced terpene makers are obsessive about sourcing and handling. The difference in the clarity of aroma as well as depth and complexity of fresh and compromised material is evident immediately.
What to look out for when buying Cannabis Terpenes
Flashy descriptions and exaggerated statements can be ignored when evaluating Cannabis Terpenes. Transparency matters more. Buyers must know how terpenes were extracted, processed and reprocessed.
Consistency is another important aspect. It is crucial that cannabis-derived items smell identical, irrespective of batch size. The large variations could indicate insecure sources, or an overly fast production. These are both warning signs when it comes to quality-oriented brands.
Terpene Craft: A Focused Method
Some producers are multi-faceted. Others choose to specialize. Mass Terpenes, which focuses only on terpenes, rather than dealing with various categories of products, falls into the second group. The emphasis on terpenes allows for more control of the end product, the aroma, and the processing.
Mass Terpenes places a high emphasis on small-scale production, as well as a meticulous post-processing. This allows the scent to speak for the product. Instead of being a product that is hyped, the quality is meant to be felt directly by the smell and taste that are unmistakably cannabis-like.
Aroma as the Ultimate Quality Check
A lab report isn’t an equivalent to the first time a container of cannabis is opened. The complexity and familiarity of cannabis-derived terpenes are evident immediately and cannot be duplicated by artificial blends. Aroma is the most reliable indicator of your success.
Authenticity has become a key factor in differentiating the industry as it develops. The objective is the same regardless of whether a producer makes use of CO2 terpenes or cold-cured varieties. When cannabis and terpenes are treated with intention and respect they do more to improve the quality of products. They bring the culture of cannabis into the future in the most well-known varieties.