There is a new cannabis concentrate taking the stoner community by storm, it is called live resin, and it can take your BHO to the next level. So what is it, and what’s so great about it?

To answer these questions, we have to look at the fundamental differences between live resin and standard BHO. At its essence, live resin is a BHO extract made from fresh, frozen, whole buds, instead of bud that has been dried and cured.

The result is a BHO that has a significantly higher concentration of monoterpenes, and it has bud connoisseurs across the globe up in arms trying to get their hands on it. Basically, live resin BHO captures the unique taste and aroma profile of the plant much better than any BHO made from dried and cured bud ever could. Terpenes and monoterpenes are primarily responsible for the delightfully different and fragrant flavours you can get from a cannabis plant. However, it is a sad fact of life that many of these terpenes are lost through evaporation during the drying and curing process – up to 55%. To top it all off, monoterpenes are physically the smallest of the terpene group, meaning they evaporate first and in the greatest number, significantly altering the taste and aroma.

To put proof to theory, live resin was compared to everyday resin during the Michigan Medical Cannabis Cup, in lab tests. Terpene analyses confirmed that live resin did indeed contain a greater terpene content.

This isn’t to say you should consider lighting up some fresh bud. Fresh bud contains a lot of chlorophyll and other substances that are removed during the drying and curing process. If you smoke fresh bud, it is likely to be harsh and taste rancid. The reason this is not the case for live resin is that all this chlorophyll is left behind in the plant during the extraction process - resulting in a potent and flavorful concentrate.

Should you care? Well, it all depends on what you want to get out of your cannabis at the end of the day. Terpenes do have certain effects on the body, but they are not significant enough to notably change the high. If all you are doing is chasing euphoria, then it’s not really going to impact you. But if you consider yourself a cannabis connoisseur, and find delight in finer vintages, unique tastes, and the other finer subtleties of cannabis (in addition to the high), then live resin BHO may be something worth looking into. It certainly has us interested!