From navigating THCa values to learning the potential benefits of different terpenes, it can be a daunting experience to determine which of the many products on dispensary shelves will meet your unique medical needs. But help is on the way, in the form of a new educational series – developed by our team of prime experts – to guide patients, whether you’re newly certified or a seasoned participant in the Commonwealth medical marijuana program.
The Terpene Tracker newsletter uses batch notes and lab test results to help you understand how our cultivation and extraction methods maximize the potentially therapeutic terpenes and cannabinoids in prime products. Terpenes are aromatic compounds found in the essential oils of the cannabis plant that may work with cannabinoids – such as the psychoactive chemical THC – that may produce a medicinal effect.
Read on for a closer look at how our world-class hydrocarbon method of extraction transforms the terpene and cannabinoid profiles in African Thai #15, resulting in a diverse range of concentrates from our premium whole flower. An added bonus is a templated PDF that patients can download here and use to track their experiences with prime offerings –recording details such as the product’s strain, form, terpenes, and potential effects. Think of the information like those genetic genealogy companies – the insights provide a more complete profile of the product’s DNA to assist with decision-making.
Terpene Tracker: African Thai #15
African Thai flower displays a true –meaning orignal – sativa structure that is covered in resin-producing trichomes, with a flavor similar to Sour Diesel and tea leaves.
African Thai #15 was the result of a small batch Colorado breeding project from relatively unknown genetics, spearheaded by our Senior Director of Production and Facilities, Brandon Miller. While the exact lineage and history of its South African Durban parent remains a mystery, the Thai lineage of this strain shines through in its extraction performance that yields concentrates with impressive values for both THC and terpenes. This strain’s Thai lineage means it is a “landrace,” a term that describes the original varieties of cannabis that were most likely domesticated by locals in their geographic area of origin.
Premium Whole Flower Form
Used as the parent strain for creating several Grower’s Select strains and exclusive backcrossed phenos, African Thai #15 is known around our grow facility as the “king” of prime genetics. When cured and packaged in our nitrogen-flushed N2 packaging, this Grower’s Select strain boasts harvest-fresh flavors similar to a classic Mexican sativa – including tea leaves, lemon zest, and hash. This strain holds the title as our highest performing cultivar when it comes to lab results, testing for 39% total cannabinoids. Our most recent batch of African Thai #15 flower also boasts nearly 4% total terpenes.
In this form, African Thai’s terpene profile is dominated by myrcene, limonene, caryophyllene, and humulene. The pronounced myrcene content in African Thai is unique for a sativa or “narrow leaf” cultivar. Because this terpene has demonstrated an analgesic effect in studies, African Thai may potentially provide daytime pain relief that is effective without producing a sedative effect.
Live Concentrates and Cartridges
Our world-class extraction methods were designed by our team of in-house experts through extensive research and development, aimed at preserving the resin-producing trichomes and essential oil content of plant material. Our extraction process begins by using medical-grade butane as the primary solvent. By saturating plant material in butane, our lab team allows the solvent to liquify the essential oils of the plant and separate these essential oils from the plant material. For our live resin cartridges, the plant material is extracted and purified – never separated – to best embody the full flavor and therapeutic potential of the live plant material.
For African Thai #15, our extraction process slightly manipulates the chemical profile of the plant matter. When creating cartridges, our method produces a small amount of terpinolene in African Thai plant material. Because terpinolene is not detected in African Thai flower, this means our extraction process converts the terpenes of the plant material to create a unique terpene profile for African Thai cartridges. A less-common terpene, terpinolene has a complex flavor that varies from citrusy to woodsy. Terpinolene’s observed antinociceptive benefit means it may contribute to African Thai’s pain-relieving potential.
