Distillate helps products (and customers) lift off and reach new heights. If your products promise an experience, however, terpenes let you choose the destination. Discover how adding terpenes to distillate gives you more control over the overall consumer experience.

Distillates are versatile. They’re potent and perfect for dabs, carts, and as ingredients for various edibles, topicals, and more. While the distillation process creates some seriously powerful oils, it also removes the natural terpenes. That means the flavor, aroma, and desired effects are stripped from the final distillate as well. 

Your cannabinoid of choice will still be felt loud and clear, but the effects consumers know and love (euphoria, creativity, calm, etc.) won’t be part of that journey. That’s why we like to think of distillates as a blank canvas for creative product ideas!

Once you’ve got your distillate, mixing terpenes with oil is surprisingly easy and you’ll control the consumer experience—flavor, aroma, and effects.  Read on and discover how adding terpenes to distillate helps create products consumers love. 

Reading Time - 6.5 min

Adding Terpenes to Distillate

This is pretty juicy info, so here’s a quick rundown...

• On their own, cannabinoids can get consumers pretty lit. Without terpenes, however, that’s pretty much it. Want popular effects like euphoria, creativity, or relaxation? You’ll need terpenes.
• The manufacturing process that creates distillate naturally removes most of the terpenes from the original plant matter. That’s what makes distillate so pure, but it also removes most of the flavor, aroma, and desired effects.
• Adding terpenes BACK into a distillate gives manufacturers control over flavor and aroma. 
• Additionally, you’ll have more control over the experience your distillate creates. Each terpene isolate has unique effects, and blending terpenes creates even more unique experiences (euphoria, focus, sedation, etc.). 
• Without terpenes, the Entourage Effect “engine” can’t start revving. So, if you want customers to rave about the effectiveness of your distillates, adding terpenes is non-negotiable.
• Adding terpenes to distillate isn’t hard. Check out our checklist below for a few must-know pieces of info about this process PLUS access to a list of equipment you’ll want on hand.
• Don’t hesitate to partner with a terpene expert. They can recommend terpene blends and help determine how they’ll smell, taste, or feel in your finished product. Adding terpenes to weed products may seem tricky, but having experts at your back helps ensure success.

Why Should You Add Terpenes To Distillate?

The simplest answer? Because cannabinoids are only half of the experience. Yeah, THC is psychoactive and CBD has anxiolytic properties, but terpenes are what create the effects—plus flavor and aroma—that consumers love.  Not buying it? Keep reading.

Terpenes are the hydrocarbons present in most plants that provide natural flavor, aroma, and effects. Obviously, they’re prevalent in cannabis, but they exist in essentially every plant. Even flowers like lavender are packed with terpenes. Linalool, for example, is a dominant terpene in lavender that helps create its delicate floral scent and relaxing properties.

The terpenes in various cannabis strains do the same thing. Each strain has a unique terpene profile which is why every strain has a slightly different aroma, flavor, and experience. 

So while adding terpenes back into distillate after they’ve been removed might seem silly, that’s how you fine-tune the flavors, aromas, and effects consumers will experience. From a consumer’s perspective—that’s a pretty big deal.

Terpenes Provide Flavor and Aroma Control for Distillates

Like we’ve mentioned, the original terpenes that provide flavor and aroma are mostly removed during the distillation process. While there might be a consumer out there looking for a scent/flavor-free product, the majority of consumers want mouthwatering aromas and flavors.

That’s why adding terpenes to distillate is so important. You can use terpene blends that authentically recreate flavors and aromas from specific strains, classic flavors, or even create something entirely new. 

Plus, we take our terpenes very seriously. So you’ll never have to worry about consistency, quality, or blending terpenes on your own. We’ve got you covered.

Terpenes Let You Design The Ultimate Consumer Experience

If you want your consumers to have a specific experience, terpenes are non-negotiable. Yes, if someone does a huge dab of pure THC distillate, they’ll get pretty lit. However, some of the most sought-after effects come from the unique terpene profiles of certain strains. We’re talking about things like euphoria, relaxation, and even enhanced focus. 

It’s a lot more subtle, but you’ve probably already experienced the effects of natural terpenes in common plants. For example—lavender is relaxing and the scent of lemons is invigorating. That’s from terpenes! So, adding terpenes to your distillate products helps create scent, aroma, AND  specific effects for consumers.

Plus, strain-loyalty is real. Some consumers seek out the effects of certain strains. So having an OG Kush terpene infused distillate will immediately resonate with consumers who love the way that strain feels. On the other hand, you could just as easily create an entirely new experience by partnering with our terp-experts. Seriously, the possibilities are endless.

Add Terpenes To Distillate To Promote The Entourage Effect

If you manufacture products in the cannabis or hemp industry, you’re probably already familiar with the Entourage Effect. Basically, all the various compounds in the cannabis plant work synergistically together to create stronger effects than they’re capable of on their own. 

However, if a product has only one part of the cannabis plant (like distillates), there aren’t enough parts to get the entourage “engine” revving. 

That’s why adding terpenes to distillate is so important! Once you understand the effects of different terpene isolates, then you can experiment with blending terpenes for even more powerful effects—or you can just consult us because that’s what we do for a living.

How to Add Terpenes to Distillate

At this point, it should be pretty obvious WHY you should add terpenes to distillate. But before you go all mad scientist and start throwing things together, there are a few details you’ll want to cover. Plus, if you don’t know how to use terpenes safely, you’ll want to pay attention.

• First, decide what type of flavor, aroma, and experience you want to create for your customers. Once you have an idea, check out our Flavor & Effect Chart or contact us directly with questions. You can even check out a few of our favorite THC distillate terpenes here.
• Depending on the size of your manufacturing operation, you likely have most of the necessary equipment around. However, if you want to double-check, we’ve got a handy list of necessary equipment right here.
• Before combining all your ingredients, review the ratios of your carriers and diluents. Technically, terpenes are diluents since you’ll be adding them to oil. Your diluent should make up no more than 10% of your finished solution—remember terpenes are POTENT and a little goes a long way. We recommend starting at 1% and adding more as needed. You’ll be surprised how little you need.
• Terpenes dissolve well in oils and alcohol, so the solubility of your finished distillate shouldn’t be an issue. However, if you’re using your finished distillate as an ingredient in another product, you may want to consult a terpene expert about whether you’ll need a solubility fix. 

Adding Terpenes to Cannabis Creates Better Products and Experiences

That’s pretty much it! Adding terpenes to cannabis products doesn’t have to be difficult. With the right plan, equipment, and the right team of terpene experts behind you, you’ll quickly be manufacturing distillates that elevate products and instill brand loyalty. 

If you have questions about our terpenes, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re passionate about helping the cannabis industry grow and succeed, so we want you to move forward with confidence and winning products.