What does Weed Taste Like?

Written and Fact Checked by S. Zulfiqar

Most of us know what weed is and know how it smells, but does it taste just as great? People who haven’t smoked it yet but are planning to try soon are curious about the taste and have so many questions. Well, that’s natural, but there are questions that even the regular cannabis consumers don’t know the answer to, such as:

• Does it taste earthy as well? 
• What does weed taste like? 
• Does it have any taste at all? 

The following article will help you get all the answers you are looking for.

It’s Easy to Recognize the Smell of Weed

The majority of people recognize the smell of weed, no biggie! It’s no surprise as there are tons of regular cannabis consumers around the world. And no matter where in the world you’re living, you must have stoners around you. After using alcohol, cannabis is the most widely used recreational drug in most places on the planet. Even in the US, more than half of the population tried consuming the plant at some point. So even if you don’t recognize the intense smell of weed, your nose might.

The taste of the weed is dependent on a lot of factors. No one-liner can tell you exactly what it tastes like. You can hardly find any weed that gives you the same flavour, every time you smoke it. There are multiple reasons behind that. Let’s dig a little deeper to get to know more about the matter.

Undoubtedly, there are different types of weed, various strains, and the fact that they are grown. All these and more are the reasons that are responsible for how weed tastes as it does. If you are a true stoner, you must be aware that there are plenty of flavour profiles of the plant. A few of the famous examples are fruity, citrusy, smoky, and earthy. They are the most widely used weed types, and all of them have different aromas and, of course, different tastes.

You might be surprised to know that each strain has its unique properties. Similarly, there are different aromatic substances that every strain carries; it’s called terpenes. They are majorly responsible for the distinct flavours and aromas. Currently, over 100 terpenes have been identified. That means that there would be at least 100 different flavour combinations.

Furthermore, you must have noticed that there’s a cannabis strain that’s called Skunk. It was produced back in the 1970s and was named because the smell reminded the consumers of some ‘dead animal.’ Likewise, other common examples will help you better understand the concept. Blueberry Muffin, along with the Thin Min Girl Scout Cookies, does take a bit like blueberries and minty, respectively.

Most strains from the skunk family smell like skunk because of the presence of myrcene. This is the type of terpene that’s present in most cannabis strains. That’s not it. It’s present in fruits like mangoes and also in hops and lemongrass. Most of the cannabis strains carry myrcene.

The Terrific Terpene 

As mentioned above, a terpene is responsible for the various scents and aromas in different strains. The most usual terpene scents are earthy, musky, clove-like, and skunky. And since it’s present in other natural foods as well, try having a mango before you have your weed session. Since mangoes too contain myrcene, having a mango before smoking your joint might well intensify your high level. Consider it a pro tip.

Similarly, other terpenes are present in cannabis strains as well. For example, as evident by the name, limonene gives a pretty citric smell and taste. You also might have noticed that some strains are referred to as ‘citrus, lemony or sour.’ They are the ones that might well have limonene. So the next time you smoke something that has limonene, you will instantly realize that you already know about it.

There’s more to it. Alpha-pinene and Beta-pinene have scents like, yes exactly, pine trees. These are also the terpenes found in everyday foods like parsley, basil, and dill.

Now that you are aware of the terpenes and how they affect the scent and taste of the strain. Let’s move forward to the ingestion methods.

The Weed Taste Depends on How You Consume it.

There are usually three ways to consume your weed.

• Edible (eat your weed): If you’re eating weed, you will notice that the food has an earthy taste to it. If you do, that’s because there’s a weed in the ingredients. You will find plenty of edibles that are infused products. You have weed-infused butter that’s a great way to consume the goodness of the plant. It’s commonly called cannabutter. Other than that, you have infused oil, which is a lot popular these days as well. It’s called canna oil.

Now to feel high, your edibles must have THC in them. If they don’t, well, that’s terrible news. So if you’re willing to get high on edibles, make sure to check out their THC levels. The higher the THC levels, the higher the high.

• Next up is smoking: There are different ways of smoking the plant. You can use a regular cigarette, fill it with weed, or you can just roll your joint. You can also use bongs, pipes, or vapes as each of them has its uniqueness and taste. That’s why most people prefer consuming their plants by smoking.
• Lastly, Tinctures: Tinctures are alcohol-based infused products that are consumed orally. The sublingual method is used to consume them. It’s when you use the dropper to put a few drops of it under your tongue. This method of consuming weed is gaining a lot of attention as it absorbs much quicker this way. When it’s absorbed quickly, that means it’s going to act quickly; hence, it’s pretty potent.

Interesting Reads: What Does Weed Feel Like, How to Make Potent Cannabutter, Hash vs. Weed: What’s the Difference?

References

1. Mattes RD, Shaw LM, Engelman K. Effects of cannabinoids (marijuana) on taste intensity and hedonic ratings and salivary flow of adults. Chem Senses. . 1994 Apr;19(2):125-40.
2. Sommano S, Chittasupho, Ruksiriwanich W, and Jantrawut P. The Cannabis Terpenes. Molecules. 2020 Dec; 25(24): 5792.