As the marijuana market matures and grows and expands, so do consumer expectations. Customers are not satisfied with products that “work” anymore. They want to experience scents and flavors that reflect cannabis. This growing demand has placed Cannabis derived terpenes at the center of serious product development conversations.
Image credit: massterpenes.com
The Terpenes that Define Cannabis Identity
Terpenes provide the unique taste and aroma of marijuana strains. They affect how a product is perceived even before it is experienced. When properly stored, terpenes have the ability to convey freshness and also strain lineage and overall quality. Even the most potent of products could be artificial or flat if they are not handled properly.
Real Cannabis Terpenes come directly from cannabis flower, and capture the plant’s natural aromatic fingerprint. This is fundamentally unlike botanical terpenes, which are made from other sources and try to imitate cannabis profiles. Botanical blends may be more cost-effective but they don’t have the same amount of depth as real cannabis.
The Extraction Method Defines the Result
Terpenes’ final flavor is mostly determined by the way they are extracted. Hydrocarbons taken from fresh or recently frozen plant material are commonly utilized to produce vivid, resinous-like scents. These methods protect fragile substances, which are prone to lose their luster in high-heat drying processes.
In addition, CO2 terpenes offer an additional benefit. CO2 extraction allows for precise control, and produces solid and clean terpenes. The aroma of the resulting profile may be more muted as compared to hydrocarbon extractions that are live. However, CO2 profiles provide quality and consistency, particularly in formulations which value balance over intensity.
There is no way to say that one method is “better.” Each method serves a different purpose, and informed producers choose based on their desired outcome instead of marketing trends.
Fresh Material is Measureable
Quality cannabis-derived Terpenes starts at harvest. Terpenes are volatile, and can rapidly degrade when they come in contact with oxygen, temperatures and time or other variables. The original aroma is best preserved with freshly frozen material or flowers which have been properly preserved.
Once degradation has taken place the extraction method won’t be able to recover all that was lost. The terpene industry is very focused on the source of raw materials as well as their handling. The difference in the clarity of aroma in depth, complexity and intensity between fresh and compromised materials is immediately apparent.
What to Look for When buying Cannabis Terpenes
It is easy to disregard flashy claims and descriptions when evaluating Cannabis Terpenes. Transparency however is more crucial. Buyers must be aware of where the terpenes originate from, how they’re extracted and processed into following extraction.
Consistency is also a crucial element. It is essential that cannabis-derived items smell the same, regardless of size. The presence of large variations can indicate instability source or rush production, and are a red flag for companies that are focused on quality.
Terpene Craft: a Focused Approach
Some producers try to do all things to all people. Some choose to specialize. Mass Terpenes fits into the second group, as it focuses on terpenes exclusively instead of focusing attention on multiple product types. The focus on terpenes allows for more control over the final product, the aroma, and the processing.
Mass Terpenes puts an emphasis on letting the aroma take the lead. Instead of relying on hype The quality is designed to be felt by tasting and smelling that are unmistakably cannabis-like.
Aroma as the Ultimate Quality Check
The lab report will never be able to replace the moment the container is opened. The scent of premium cannabis-derived Terpenes is instantly noticeable and has a familiarity and depth that is difficult to replicate in synthetic blends. Aroma is the best method to determine the quality of the blend.
As the cannabis industry expands and expand, authenticity has become the main distinctive feature. The aim is the same whether a producer uses CO2 terpenes or cold-cured varieties. If terpenes are used with care and care, they are more than just a way to improve the quality of the quality of products. They actually aid in carrying cannabis’s tradition forward.