As the market for marijuana develops and expands and expands, so do consumer expectations. Customers are not satisfied with products which “work” no longer. They want the aromas and tastes that truly reflect the 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 aroma and flavor of cannabis strains. They influence the impression of a product long before its effects are evident. When preserved properly, terpenes communicate the freshness of the product, its strain lineage and overall quality. When handled poorly even a product with a high potency may be a bit spongy or synthetic.
Real Cannabis Terpenes come directly from cannabis flower, and capture the aroma of the plant’s. This is a distinct distinction from botanical terpene mixtures, that attempt to replicate cannabis’s characteristics using compounds derived from non-cannabis plants. Botanical blends may be more economical, but they don’t offer the same depth as true cannabis.
The extraction method determines the outcome
The method of extraction of terpenes is essential to their final properties. Hydrocarbon extraction is often utilized to create vivid, resin-like scents. These methods conserve fragile substances that are easily destroyed when drying or heat processing.
CO2 Terpenes can also be a good alternative. Carbon dioxide terpene extraction offers precise control as well as safe and stable terpene fragments. The flavor of the profile could be less pronounced as compared to hydrocarbon extractions that are live. But CO2 profiles can provide consistency and purity, particularly when formulas are based on balance more than intensity.
It’s impossible to choose between the two. Each method serves an objective that is distinct and therefore producers must choose based on their desired outcome, not the latest trends in marketing.
Fresh Material is measurable
The quality of cannabis derived terpenes is determined by the harvest. Terpenes have a volatile nature which means they break down quickly when exposed to oxygen, heat, or time. Utilizing fresh frozen material and properly preserved flowers can help to keep the original aromatic profiles.
Once degradation occurs, no extraction technique can fully restore the original amount. The terpene industry is very concentrated on the source of raw materials and their handling. The difference in aroma clarity, depth and complexity between fresh and compromised materials is evident immediately.
What to look out for when purchasing Cannabis Terpenes
When evaluating Cannabis Terpenes available for sale the flashy descriptions and over-inflated claims are simple to ignore. The most important factor is transparency. Buyers must be aware of where the terpenes originate from, how they’re extracted, and what they’re processed into following extraction.
Consistency is a key aspect. The cannabis-derived products, specifically the strain-specific ones, should have the same aroma from batch to batch. The presence of large variations can indicate instability sourcing or rushed production which are both red flags for companies focused on quality.
Terpene Craft: a Focused Approach
Some producers are multi-faceted. Others opt for specialization. Mass Terpenes, which focuses solely on terpenes rather than being concerned with multiple categories of products, falls into the second category. This narrow focus permits better control of the scent, final output, and the processing.
Mass Terpenes places a high importance on small batch production and careful post-processing. This allows the scent to speak for itself. Instead of relying solely on a marketing campaign the quality of the product is perceived directly through smell and taste that are unmistakably marijuana-based.
Aroma as the Ultimate Quality Check
When you open an bottle, no lab report can replace it. High-quality cannabis-derived terpenes announce themselves immediately, with the complexity and familiarity that even artificial blends are unable to match. Aroma remains the most honest measure of the success.
As the market continues to evolve authenticity is the real differentiator. Whatever the producer decides to use CO2 terpenes refined from CO2 or live-extracted profiles of cannabis, the final goal remains the same: to maintain the natural character of the plant. If cannabis and terpenes are treated with care and respect, they can do more that enhance the quality of products. They carry the culture of cannabis into the future in its most recognizable form.
