Wake up and Smell the Terpenes!

Do you consider yourself a cannabis consumer or a cannabis connoisseur? Once upon a time, not so long ago, worrying about the finer details concerning the quality of your weed was a luxury. More often than not, your main concern was just being able to find a reliable regular supply…

However, as home growing gets easier and the supply chain has improved in many countries across the globe, a new generation of cannabis lovers has started to appreciate the cannabis plant on new levels. In the past year a major buzzword on the lips of many cannabis users in the know has been ‘terpenes’ with experienced tokers talking about smell in the same way that wine lovers talk about bouquet.

What are Cannabis Terpenes?

So, what are terpenes and why are they so important? Cannabis terpenes are oils that are produced by a plant’s glands which produce an aromatic diversity to distinguish one variety from another – or to put it simply, oils that produce a strain’s distinctive smell profile.

The more we learn about the cannabis plant, the more we learn about the plant’s different attributes. Where once, smell was almost a byproduct of a particular strain, just as we have come to understand more about its production of different cannabinoids (apart from THC) there is a new appreciation of the terpenes they produce such as Limonene, Pinene and Myrcene.

These terpenes, also present in other herbs and plants, can explain why a plant has a distinctive smell –for example of citrus (Limonene) or pine (Pinene). The science of terpenes goes even deeper and research suggests that terpenes also stimulate effects on the cannabinoid receptors in the brain. Therefore Limonene in plants is associated with therapeutic benefits, and in cannabis these effects are said to include mood elevation and stress relief along with anti-fungal/bacterial qualities. Suffer from heartburn? Then a strain rich in Limonene is just what the doctor orders!

At Paradise Seeds, producing strains that stimulate the sense of smell has always been a key consideration for our breeders. Over the years, a number of our varieties have become renowned for their distinctive smell.
Some highlights:

Delahaze: For the sativa aficionado who appreciates the finer smells in life, this plant delivers a fragrant haze which is infused with tones of Limonene and Myrcene.

Sensi Star: This has been described by Paradise Patrick, who heads up our expo team, as having a Pavlov’s Dog effect on the senses! Once you have tasted this mighty indica, you only have to smell it again to start salivating! This multi award winner flows with terpenes and has a very distinctive metallic/lemony smell and flavor profile.

And then we have a collection of fruity numbers, which come with the aroma of berry and sweetness, such as White Berry, Ice Cream and one of our newest additions – Blue Kush Berry from our Chong’s Choice range. In these strains you will find satisfying degrees of Linalool, Limonene and Pinene which give off aromas that are sweet, floral and fruity.

To learn more about the terpene composition of Paradise Seeds, head over to Seedfinder.eu for a detailed breakdown. Just click on a strain and in the information you will see an infographic wheel characterising smell and aroma.

There’s a whole new world of terpenes waiting out there to discover, and once you begin to recognise the distinctive characteristics of each, your enjoyment of cannabis will reach a whole new level…