Liking cannabis is a lot like liking wine: it’s an acquired taste. When it comes to identifying the particular flavors in your flower, it might take a while to get the hang of it, but believe us, once you do you’ll feel like a real cannabiseur. Whether it’s fruity, skunky, musky, sweet, sour, or hot wings-flavored (we kid, but we wish we weren’t), recognizing flavor in weed is the first step to becoming a real expert on the green goddess. 

One great way to start out is to make sure you’re getting the full spectrum of flavor with every hit. You may be asking “how?” and we’ve got the answer: the Hitoki Trident. It’s literally a sci-fi laser bong but in the real world.

We suggest it for flavor because it uses laser combustion technology to enhance flavors rather than burning them away with traditional fire and butane, which makes it the perfect tool to fully enjoy your flower. 

Now has never been a better time to switch to a more flavorful way of smoking, Hitoki is excited to share the Herb audience with promo code HERB15 for your next Hitoki purchase.

Back in the olden days (we mean like a few years ago) there were only three flavors recognized in the world of cannabis: fruity, earthy, and floral. Now, with so many strains crossing and incredible genetic variety, there are at least 48 that have been identified. Literally, any flavor you can think of: cheese, lavender, herbal, woodsy, nutty, spicy, sweet, the list goes on and on. 

The best thing about the vast amount of flavors found in weed is that they’re all-natural, thanks to flavonoids and terpenes. Flavonoids and terpenes give weed its unique fragrance and taste, and we all know that smelling is a huge part of taste. Different flavonoids and terpenes can mix and match due to crossing, which is giving us an incredible amount of variety and diversity when it comes to flavor and scent.

To understand the most common flavors found in weed, we’ve got to understand the most common terpenes and flavonoids. Let’s take a walk down the path of science to discover which ones they are, the benefits they provide, and what they smell like:

• Myrcene: it’s earthy, herbal, and spicy. Imagine your favorite chai tea turned into weed. Great for anxiety, inflammation, and relaxation.
• Limonene: the name gives it away, limonene has distinct citrus and fruity flavor that can almost lean into sour. Think grapefruit, lemon, and mint. It’s antibacterial, antidepressant, antifungal, and stress relieving.
• Pinene: another one with a good name, pinene is woodsy and tree-like. It is almost herbal, with notes of basil and Christmas trees.
• Linalool: this one may sound like a floor cleaner, but its flavor and scent are fruity and fresh (okay, maybe it is like floor cleaner). Kind of like lavender and coriander. It helps with anxiety, depression, is antiepileptic, and muscle-relaxing.
• Humulene: for those who love beer, this is the terpene to look for. It’s got a bit of a bitter and herbal flavor, sort of like black pepper and ginger. It’s an antibacterial, antifungal, appetite-suppressant, and energy booster.
• Terpinolene: last, but certainly not least, we’ve got the floral and citrusy terpinolene. With a flavor profile that’s reminiscent of lilacs, apples, and sage leaves, it takes the cake. Helps as a sleep aid, antioxidant, and stress reliever.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: practice makes perfect when it comes to pinpointing flavors in weed. The process is truly pretty similar to wine-tasting, so once you get the hang of it, it’ll be easy as pie. 

First comes the physical evaluation: you’ll want to touch, feel, and smell your flower. Try to think of what flavors and scents come to mind, from the texture to the scent. Is it sticky? Is it musky? Is it potent? Is it purple, red, blue? All of these insights will help you along the way before actually trying the weed. You can even give it a little lick or bite to elevate the experience.

Next, comes the smoking test. First and foremost, the less contaminated, the better. You’ll want to use a clean pipe, flavorless papers, or the Hitoki Trident (we’re obsessed with it and you should be too). Think about how it tastes and how its taste relates to the way the high feels. Maybe fruity will have you feeling giddy. Perhaps a peppery taste brings forth an intense trip. You might even feel like a floral has you feeling more relaxed than ever.

However you start your weed-tasting journey, the important part is to have fun, let the good times roll, and don’t stress it. It takes a while to get the hang of, and once you do, you’ll feel comfortable and excited trying new strains and guessing their flavors.