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Understanding Terpene Flavors
Terpene Flavor Breakdown
Taste is personal — what one person experiences as sweet or fruity, another might describe as herbal or earthy. That’s why flavor perception in cannabis can be subjective and hard to pin down, especially when based on individual strain reviews. To bring more clarity, Azarius chooses to define flavors at the source: the terpenes themselves.
Primary notes
Each terpene has its own dominant aroma profile. These are what we call primary notes — the core flavors most commonly associated with a specific terpene. They form the foundation of a strain’s scent and are consistent across different varieties when that terpene is present in significant amounts.
| Terpene | Primary notes | Secondary notes | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bisabolol |  |
Chamomile-like scent with soft floral sweetness. | |
| Camphene | |
Pungent pine scent with earthy and camphor-like tones. | |
| Caryophyllene | |
|
Warm peppery aroma with woody and herbal tones. |
| Eucalyptol | |
Cooling, minty eucalyptus scent with herbal undertones. | |
| Farnesene | |
Green-apple-peel scent with subtle herbal funk. | |
| Geraniol | |
|
Sweet, rosy fragrance with citrus fruit hints. |
| Humulene | |
|
Woody, earthy aroma with subtle hoppy spice. |
| Limonene | |
|
Strong citrus scent like lemon or orange peel. |
| Linalool | |
|
Lavender-like floral scent with light herbal sweetness. |
| Myrcene | |
|
Earthy, musky aroma balanced by fruity and herbal notes. |
| Nerolidol | |
Woody, bark-like scent with subtle herbal depth. | |
| Ocimene | |
|
Sweet tropical scent with herbal and citrus undertones. |
| Pinene (α/β) | |
Fresh pine and forest scent, similar to rosemary. | |
| Terpinolene | |
Fresh and bright with fruity, piney, herbal nuances. | |
| Valencene | |
Orange-like aroma with sweet and slightly woody notes. |
Bisabolol
| Primary notes | |
| Secondary notes | |
| Description | Chamomile-like scent with soft floral sweetness. |
Secondary notes
Beyond the basics, some flavor nuances only emerge when terpenes interact with one another. These secondary notes add complexity and depth, creating layered aromas that aren’t tied to just one terpene. By including both types of notes, this table offers a clearer, terpene-driven understanding of how cannabis really smells and tastes.
Note: Secondary notes are not linked to a single terpene, but result from terpene synergy
Candy
Candy flavors are created by combinations of sweet and fruity terpenes like limonene, myrcene, ocimene, linalool and geraniol, resulting in a bright, candy-like aroma.
Cheese
Cheese flavors are usually a blend of myrcene, humulene, and caryophyllene, creating a funky, earthy, and slightly sour scent through terpene synergy.
Diesel
Diesel flavors come from a mix of terpenes like limonene, myrcene, and caryophyllene, often enhanced by sulfur-like compounds. The result is a sharp, fuel-like aroma.
Posted in:
Genetics
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