Ravon Williams
If you’ve ever stood at a dispensary counter staring at 30 different vape cartridges, you’ve maybe wondered what the heck the actual difference between all of them is. As a guy who was once a budtender, I’d break it down like this: Distillate is good, live resin is better and live hash rosin is best.
Distillate: Good
Distillate oil is made from weed that is processed primarily for THC. That’s why the carts usually have such a high THC percentage. But the downside is that most of the plant’s other cannabinoids and terpenes are removed during the process. Oftentimes, manufacturers add those cannabinoids and terpenes to the oil to create different flavors and effects.
So if a company has 20 different distillate strains, there’s a good chance they’re all starting with the same batch of oil and changing the flavor profile. That Blue Dream cart might taste like Blue Dream, but don’t expect it to necessarily feel like smoking Blue Dream flower.
Live Resin: Better
Live resin is a step up because the plant is harvested and processed in a way that preserves more of its natural cannabinoids and terpenes. It uses a solvent extraction to pull oil from the plant. It’s a better representation of the actual plant than distillate, but there’s still another level to get to. It’s a solid middle ground.
Live Hash Rosin: Best
If you read last month’s piece, you might remember that I recommended a live hash rosin cart as the best vape to buy. That’s because live hash rosin takes a completely different approach. The plant is fresh frozen—literally stored in freezers—washed in an ice bath to separate the trichomes and then pressed into oil. Instead of stripping the plant down to THC and adding the rest back, this process keeps much more of what’s actually in the plant.
That’s why a Blue Dream live hash rosin vape should actually taste like Blue Dream and give you more of the kind of high you’d expect from the strain.
The catch? Price. A full gram distillate cart sells for about $20, while a half gram of live hash rosin usually costs around $40.
If you’re the type who chain smokes their vape and just wants to get high, buy the $20 distillate cart. But if you want the better experience and can afford it, shell out the extra cash for the rosin. You’re paying twice as much for half the oil, but you should need less of it to get to where you want to go. Remember, buying weed is practically buying an experience, so always consider what kind of experience you’re looking for when you’re at the counter.