Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/760410
WHAT CONNOISSEURS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CANNABIS AND ITS PRODUCERS THE CANNABIS INDUSTRY IS EVOLVING, and the language used to describe and under- stand it is attempting to keep pace. Elements used to describe wine or coffee are sometimes applicable to cannabis indirectly, but the properties of this medicinal plant are more com- plex and nuanced than borrowed vocabulary can distinguish. Cannabis sommeliers and others interested in finding well-crafted cannabis aren't pro- vided with enough information in most dispensaries to make selections with any kind of consistency, said Jeremy Plumb, owner of the Farma dispensary in Portland, Oregon "Our jargon has mostly been from the prohibition era," he explains. "I have nothing but respect for those who held up the flag of cannabis in the dark ages, but now that we are shining the light onto this industry, we should update the language we use." Terroir, the characteristic of the soil and region, is one way of considering small batch can- nabis products, according to international hashish expert Frenchy Cannoli. Giving producers official recognition of the terroir they grow in would encourage more of them to grow plants in the ground (as opposed to indoors or in pots) and, among other things, would allow con- sumers to understand more about the origins of their cannabis. But terroir is only one element that affects cannabis, and it is not something a sommelier can rely on alone, according to Plumb. What kind of information is available in a dispensary about the cannabis products in stock? That depends on the dispensary; most start with the LETTER FROM THE CANNABIS EDITOR THC content and strain name, and Plumb calls this "bringing people into a jungle," making it nearly impossible to narrow down the selection with any ease. Cannabinoids like THC and CBD are only one piece of the story, and there are flavonoid com- pounds in cannabis that Plumb said have not yet even be studied. Even the word "strain" is outdated industry jar- gon. Cannabis researcher and medical director of PHYTECS, Dr. Ethan Russo, said the word "strain" has no real meaning, though it remains in heavy use in the industry. The more accurate term is "varietal." Going by the name of a varietal when review- ing a dispensary menu is also an incomplete way to select just the right type for your needs: "Most people assume that Blue Dream is Blue Dream," Plumb said of strain names. "I can greatly influence the chemotype of the Blue Dream." To research this theory, Plumb gave four excellent produc- ers the same kind of cannabis to grow, Blackberry Kush. The four plants were grown in the different environmental conditions, and an analysis of the finished flowers showed there were massive ranges in the compounds present. "If you took coffee, wine, and beer and put them in one category, cannabis is more complex. THC and CBD, Indica and Sativa, and now people are talking about terpenes," Plumb said. "I've been working with chemists internationally and there is so much more to the story." But that isn't to say that the name of a varietal has no meaning. Heritage and small-batch produc- ers often work with a carefully cultivated library, sometimes with classic Prohibition-era names like OG (Original Gangster) and Sour Diesel, as well as more new developments like Cherry Pie, zkittlez, and many others. Projects like ResearchCannabis.org are also encouraging producers to enter varietal test results into their database so a large data sample can be collected. Over time, this will allow them to see how well different OGs and other varietals compare with others of the same name. "We're coming to a place that for cannabis som- meliers, it will be about knowing the producers," Plumb said. Producers who create small, very unique batches will be desirable to canna-somme- liers in particular, because large-scale produced cannabis just can't compare to the nuances and care the smaller batches garner." ■cr JEREMY BALL 2 8 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t What's in a Allison Edrington cannabiseditor@thecleverroot.com Name? Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)