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Dear Stoner: Is all distillate of the same quality? Since it’s basically purified THC, I was curious whether different distillates would all rate the same.
Ron Swan
Dear Ron: Valid question, but even with distillate, price and quality are connected. Think of it like vodka: It’s all distilled, but is every bottle going to be the same? Those bottom-shelf shots we took in our twenties don’t taste as smooth as Belvedere or Grey Goose – and we definitely don’t wake up feeling as nimble after drinking the cheap stuff. Don’t let the clear and astringent qualities fool you: Factors like starting material, equipment, technique and storage all matter when making distilled products, from vodka to THC vape oil.
Distillate is sold in many packages and forms, from self-dosing syringes and vape pens to traditional gummies and edibles.
Elsa Olofsson/Unsplash
Distilled THC is refined, and different batches may test the same, but they can (and likely will) taste different due to age and differences in cannabis quality and extraction tech. I’ve felt nauseous after vaping flavored distillate or eating homemade edibles made with distillate, and cheap gummies infused with bottom-of-the-barrel distillate usually come with a catch, whether it be weaker highs or woozier effects. I’m more of a full-spectrum guy, if you couldn’t tell.
Send questions to marijuana@westword.com.
