As the market for marijuana develops and expands and expands, so do consumer expectations. As the market for cannabis matures consumers are less satisfied with products that simply “work”. Instead they are looking for authentic tastes and aromas of real cannabis. Terpenes that are derived from cannabis are currently in the forefront of product development due to the growing demand.
Image credit: massterpenes.com
The Terpenes that Define Cannabis Identity
Terpenes is an aromatic substance that gives the distinctive taste and scent of cannabis strains. They affect how a product is perceived even before it is felt. When preserved correctly Terpenes can convey freshness, strain heritage, and quality. If handled badly, even high-potency products can seem artificial or spongy.
Real Cannabis terpenes are sourced directly from cannabis flower, capturing the plant’s natural aromatic fingerprint. It is a fundamentally different product than botanical terpenes mixes which attempt to replicate the cannabis profile using compounds taken from non-cannabis plants. The botanical blends are cost-effective but they don’t have the same amount of depth as real cannabis.
Extraction method shapes the outcome
How terpenes have been extracted has a big impact on the final product. Hydrocarbon extraction is often used to capture vivid, resin-like scents. These methods are used to protect the delicate compounds that could otherwise be destroyed due to drying or high temperature processing.
In addition CO2 terpenes provide an additional benefit. Carbon dioxide extraction produces pure, stable parts of terpenes, and allows to control them with precision. While the smell is less strong than the aroma of live hydrocarbons CO2 profiles are valued for their consistency and purity. This is especially the case in formulations where balance is more crucial than intensity.
There is no way to say that one method is “better.” Each has an objective that is different and the informed producer chooses according to their goals rather than marketing trends.
Fresh Material can make an observable difference
The quality of Terpenes derived from cannabis begins at harvest. Terpenes degrade quickly if exposed to oxygen, heat or even time. Fresh frozen material, or flower that has been carefully preserved helps to preserve the original scent flavor.
When degradation begins and the process is not able to fully recover what was lost. This is why seasoned terpene producers focus obsessively on sourcing and handling. Aroma clarity and depth are immediately different between fresh material and compromised material.
What to look for when buying cannabis Terpenes
When looking at Cannabis Terpenes, it is easy to overlook flashy descriptions. What matters more is transparency. Buyers must be aware of where the terpenes originate from, how they’re extracted and processed into after extraction.
Consistency plays an important role. True cannabis-derived products must smell the identical from batch to batch particularly when they are strain-specific. If there are large differences in smell, it could be an indication of unsteady sourcing or rushed production. Both of these are warnings for companies who care about quality.
Terpene Craft: A Focused Methodology
Some producers try and be everything all at once. Others choose specialization. Mass Terpenes fits into the second group, as it is focused on terpenes in particular instead of focusing attention on different types of products. The narrow focus allows for better control of the flavor, output, and processing.
Mass Terpenes’ small batch production and meticulous post-processing emphasizes the importance of letting aromas be the main focus. Instead of relying heavily on hype, Mass Terpenes wants to let the aroma speak for itself.
Aroma: The Ultimate Quality Check
A lab report cannot be able to replace the moment the container is opened. High-quality cannabis derived terpenes reveal themselves immediately, revealing an array of complexity and familiarity that synthetic blends cannot compete with. Aroma remains the most honest indicator of your success.
Genuineness is the new distinguishing factor in the business. Whatever the producer chooses to use CO2 terpenes refined from CO2 or live-extracted profiles of cannabis, the end objective is the same: to protect the original character of the plant. If terpenes are used with care and vigilance, they’re not just a means to enhance the quality of products. They also aid in carrying cannabis’s tradition forward.