Wanna Know More About Your Weed? The Nose Knows

We all know the scene- A couple sits at a table as their first glass of Pinot Noir is poured. They lift their glasses to their line of sight, peering deeply into what they would soon be drinking. But right before they do, they lift it to their nose, sometimes even inserting their nose into the glass, to “nose” it. Is it woodsy or earthy? Maybe they smell the familiar raspberry ketone? Or is something just amiss? 

“Nosing” as it’s commonly referred to isn’t just a pre-consumption technique in the wine world. In fact, it’s long been a tool of the cannabis connoisseur (or cannasseur) to gauge the aroma, flavor, and even the type of high they are about to experience from their flower.

While nosing can certainly give you clues as to why your experience is going to be amazing, it also can serve to give you key insight as to whether your cannabis is fresh, and in some cases, even consumable at all.

Why Does My Weed Smell Like This?

Many adjectives like earthy, citrusy, gassy, skunky, and several others are used to describe the fragrance of cannabis. These descriptors often match up with what type of Terpene profile one may find when they consume it. Some of the most common terpenes (or terps) found in cannabis are:

Beta-caryophyllene

Scent:  Pepper, Spicy

Most Common Effects: Relaxing, Chill, Sedative

Popular Strains: GSC, OG Kush, Bubba Kush

Pinene

Scent: Pine, Woodsy

Most Common Effects: Euphoric, Creative

Popular Strains: Forbidden Zkittles, Blue Dream, Cherry Gelato

Myrcene

Scent: Earthy, Musky, Fruity

Most Common Effects: Relaxing, Couch-lock

Popular Strains: Granddaddy Purple, Grape Ape, Jillybean

Limonene

Scent: Citrus

Most Common Effects: Uplifting, Energetic

Popular Strains: Wedding Cake, Jack Herer, Durban Poison

Limonene

Scent: Floral, Sweet

Most Common Effects: Uplifting, Relaxing

Popular Strains: Rainbow Belts, Mazar, Amnesia Haze

Keep in mind that this is in no way an exhaustive list as there are currently over 400 terpenes found in cannabis and scientists are only beginning to scratch the surface of their potential effects. 

This Doesn’t Seem Right…

Sometimes you take a large whiff of your weed and something seems…I don’t know…off. In these situations, it’s always best to trust your instincts. If your stash smells like a non-ventilated closet, dirty tennis shoes, or soiled hay, it could be a sign of trouble. The best-case scenario is that it isn’t fresh, but in some cases, it could mean mold. If you suspect for any reason that your grass has mold spores, don’t smoke it.   

No(se) Diggity, No(se) Doubt

Sniffing up the sweet aroma of cannabis isn’t only a pleasant pre-smoking experience, but it also gives you great insight as to what flavor to look forward to, what your high will be like, or if you should even smoke at all. When in doubt, always remember, the nose knows.