THC concentrates and extracts are still relatively new when compared to other formats of marijuana. That means each day hundreds of people try them for the first time without realizing that temperature plays a very important role with these products. The difference of just 10 degrees Fahrenheit can make a huge difference in the flavor of the vapor in particular. Each concentrate has a different mix of terpenes, which are the flavor compounds that make a particular weed strain taste fruity or skunky. It turns out that the specific scents you can detect from a concentrate will also help you determine what temperature to use.
Earthy Flavors: Humulene
Humulene is the most heat-resistant terpene and tends to remain even when other flavors disappear from overheating. Still, you'll need to keep the temps below 435 degrees F or risk burning it up. Many people who complain that all concentrates or extracts taste of dirt are simply using too high of a temperature and only leaving this terpene behind for flavor. If you mostly taste this terpene after every hit, experiment with dropping 15 degrees F at first.
Pine Flavors: Pinene
Helpful for pain relief, Pinene is the next toughest terpene when it comes to heat. But it will disappear too above 430 degrees. Stick to 420 degrees, which is easy to remember, for any concentrates where you can detect a whiff of pine scent. It'll bring out the richness of the flavor rather than reducing it to just humulene.
Spicy Flavors: Caryophyllene
Bring the temperature down to 390 degrees F and you may notice a sudden spiciness increasing in your concentrates. Temperatures right below 400 degrees are best for bringing out this unique terpene. It has also been described as tasting like black pepper or even spicy wood.
Fruity Citrus Flavors: Linalool
One of two lemon-flavored terpenes found in marijuana, Linalool is sweeter and tends to provide the floral scents you can detect from concentrates sometimes. It takes a sensitive nose, but Linalool can be teased out of a shatter or resin product by careful temperature control. Aim for 388 to 375 degrees F to help the Linalool bloom in particular. Many people are disappointed to be a sweet and floral-smelling concentrate only to miss out on the corresponding flavor. Keep lowering the temperature a few degrees at a time until you start to taste it coming through.
Sour Citrus Flavors: Limonene
While Linalool might taste like jasmine green tea with lemon, Limonene is your classic sour lip-puckering flavor. It's even more delicate and requires a heating temperature of around 350 degrees F to emerge as a flavor. Many devices that don't allow for fine temperature control are set at 400 degrees F, leaving you with no chance of enjoying the lovely Linalool and Limonene flavors of many concentrates.
Clove and Woody Flavors: Myrcene
The rarest terpene of all in concentrates is also the hardest to describe. It's called Myrcene since it is similar to the scent of Myrrh. The scent or flavor is woody, spicy, and reminiscent of cloves. It can only emerge at temperatures between 330 and 350 degrees F.
Invest in a device from High Five you can control to experience more flavor and a wider range of effects from your favorite concentrates. Not every concentrate will contain all of these terpenes, but you should be able to pick up the main notes with a few sniffs to get a starting temperature point. Experiment with going higher and lower as you indulge to see what other flavors emerge.
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