As the cannabis market matures the expectations of consumers regarding authenticity and taste are rising. As the market for cannabis develops consumers are less satisfied with products simply that “work”. Instead they seek authentic flavors and scents of real cannabis. Cannabis derivative products are being developed to meet this demand.
Image credit: massterpenes.com
The Terpenes that Define Cannabis Identity
Terpenes are the source of the distinct smell and flavor of marijuana strains. They affect how a product is perceived long before the effects can be experienced. When properly preserved, terpenes can convey freshness, strain ancestry and overall quality of the product. When handled poorly, even a high-potency product may be a bit spongy or synthetic.
Real Cannabis terpenes are sourced directly from cannabis flower, capturing the plant’s natural aromatic fingerprint. This is fundamentally unlike botanical terpenes, which are made from non-cannabis sources and attempt to replicate the cannabis profile. Although botanical blends are cost-effective, the depth of flavor that consumers expect from true cannabis is not always present.
The Extraction Method is the Key to the Final Results
The method used to extract Terpenes can have a major impact on their final flavor. The extraction of hydrocarbons from fresh or freshly frozen plants is a preferred method to extract the vivid, resinous aromas. These techniques safeguard fragile compounds, which can easily disappear in high-heat or drying processes.
CO2 terpenes can also provide advantages. CO2 extraction allows for precise control, and produces pure and stable terpenes. The aroma that results is more restrained compared to extracting live hydrocarbons, however CO2-derived profiles are admired for their consistency and purity particularly when it comes to formulations that require balance more than the intensity.
There is no way to say that one method is “better.” Each has an objective that is different and producers who are well-informed make their choice the best method based on their intended outcome instead of marketing trends.
Fresh Material makes a noticeable impact
The quality of cannabis-derived terpenes begins at harvest. Terpenes are volatile, and can quickly degrade if they come into contact with oxygen, temperatures, time, or other elements. Freshly frozen materials, or flower that has been properly preserved, can help lock in the original scent profile.
When degradation occurs, no extraction technique will be able to recover all that was lost. The terpene industry is focused on the sourcing of raw materials as well as their handling. Aroma clarity and depth differ immediately between fresh material and compromised material.
What to look for when purchasing cannabis Terpenes
You can easily ignore the exaggerated descriptions or flashy claims when you are evaluating Cannabis products for sale. Transparency is the most important thing. The buyer must be able to comprehend the source of the Terpenes, their extraction and processing after extraction.
Consistency is also a crucial role. A truly cannabis-based product will smell the same from batch to batch, even when it is specific to the strain. The large variations could indicate insecure source of production, or the rush to produce. These are both indications of a problem for quality-oriented brands.
Terpene Craft: A Focused Method
Some producers try to do everything all at once. Certain producers opt to focus on a specific area. Mass Terpenes is in the second category. It focuses exclusively on terpenes extraction, rather than dispersing attention between different types of products. That narrow focus allows for greater control over aroma, processing, and output.
Mass Terpenes prioritizes small-batch manufacturing and post-processing, letting the aroma speak for it. Instead of relying solely on a marketing campaign, quality is meant be experienced directly by scent and taste that are distinctively marijuana.
Aroma is the Ultimate Quality Check
A lab report cannot substitute the moment when an open container has been opened. Terpenes that are high-quality and derived from cannabis reveal themselves instantly, with a complexity and familiarity which artificial blends aren’t able to beat. Aroma is still the most authentic measure of the success.
As the market continues to evolve, authenticity is becoming the key element. No matter if a producer opts for live-extracted profiles, cold-cured varieties, or refined CO2 terpenes The goal remains the same: to preserve the plant’s natural character. When terpenes and cannabis are treated with care and respect, they produce more that enhance products. They are the carriers of the cannabis culture forward in its most recognizable form.