10 Key Tips for Blind Cannabis Tastings

10 Key Tips for Blind Cannabis Tastings

Why would one conduct blind tastings in the first place? 

Well, because the placebo effect is very real, and can sway your senses. The producer’s name, the genetic lineage, description of aroma, and other indications like primary terpene can influence how you interpret your sensory inputs. This has been confirmed again and again at a laboratory level. Wine tastings, coffee tastings…all of them are done blind because, in order to develop the skill of determining regional typicity and quality from sensory analysis alone, you must start from a blank slate. 

How to run a blind cannabis tasting 
  1. Safety first. For the person filling the role of the ‘blind tasting coordinator’ (e.g. the person gathering the cultivars and preparing the blind-tasting), that means keeping your tasting COVID-safe (a theme that runs throughout this list) while also knowing the potential aversions of your tasters in terms of cultivar/biochemistry. For some, high CBD cultivars just don’t sit well. Conversely, for others, too much THC can be overwhelming. Sometimes there is a particular terpene that can cause issues for some people if occurring in high concentrations. It is important to make sure that you check with your tasters for known adverse reactions to certain aroma profiles, gene pools, and chemotypes.

  2. Once the cultivars have been gathered, the tasting coordinator must place each cultivar into a jar marked with nothing except for a number or symbol on the underside of the jar. All information relating to what is in the jar must be kept away from the tasters previous to the tasting. Now the can begin.

  3. The tasting coordinator must first ensure that everyone in the group gets a chance to physically analyze the bud, mentally noting points like morphology, trichome expression, and aroma of the cured flower before grinding. Keep it COVID-safe by using gloves and reminding people to avoid putting their nose in the jar/putting the bud too close to their nose.

  4. After physical and olfactory analysis has been conducted by the tasters, standardized joints should be rolled using the same grinder and consisting of the same weight. Whatever form of rolling you choose—cone, machine rolled, hand-rolled—ensure that you repeat the process exactly the same for every cultivar and avoid licking the paper, using a moist sponge instead. Don’t forget: never use flavoured paper, opt for high quality extra thin rice or hemp paper instead.

  5. Pipes allow for less expensive blind tastings, but only a professional tasting piece like Genius Pipe will allow for thorough and easy cleanings between tastings, allowing for a neutral starting point. Genius Pipe also has the advantage of being able to cool and filter the smoke without the use of water, which can capture water-soluble terpenes.

  6. Avoid grinding in an electric grinder. Grind by hand, using the same type of grinder for all cultivars and ensure to twist the same number of turns for each bud cluster that is ground (should be about ten turns, 180 degrees each). Ensure to use one grinder per cultivar type or clean your grinder very thoroughly between tastings.

  7. The CannaReps recommended joint weight for tastings is 0.75g to 1g per joint. Pipes on the other hand can be packed with as little as 0.2 of a gram. Keep in mind that you cannot share joints in the age of COVID and mouthpieces must be cleaned with swabs of alcohol if used by more than one taster.

  8. Looser, more socially oriented tastings are great fun when everybody talks about what they perceive in terms of typicity and overall quality. However, more serious tastings—like those conducted to prepare for your Cannabis Sommelier Level 2 certificate—should be done without tasters revealing anything to each other until all tastings are conducted.

  9. Keep in mind that when tasting several cultivars, one can avoid feeling overly intoxicated by doing the ‘cigar style’ puff. You do this by ingesting the smoke only as far as the esophagus instead of inhaling into your lungs, and then exhaling through the nose and mouth in order to denote taste and flavour.

  10. Once everyone has tasted the flower or concentrate, participants compare their findings to the official product information that should have bee previously collected by the tasting coordinator. Compare how well each taster was able to identify genetic lineage, producer, terroir, biochemical content (cannabinoid content/ total terpene content/individual terpene content), and notice overlaps/differences in perceptions of overall aroma/quality/effect.

Feel free to use the CannaReps Quality Grading Scale during tastings to help each participant assign a numerical grade to the overall quality of a particular flower. 

Blind tastings are more than just an opportunity to show off — they are an opportunity to build real-world, palpable product appreciation skills while building community with your fellow weed geeks.  

We hope this encourages many of you out there to coordinate a tasting session with your friends or colleagues. If done right, it will be a fun and engaging evening that provides everyone with a chance to build sensory skills. Keep tasting!

MORE FROM THE BLOG

Welcome to CannaReps!
Please read and submit the following Waiver & Release to continue your enrolment confirmation.

WAIVER & RELEASE (the “Release”)

This event is conducted by CannaReps Consulting Ltd. (“CannaReps or Company”). Please read and submit below.

I am an attendee at an event hosted by CannaReps (the “Workshop“). I release CannaReps from any and all liability, claims, demands, actions and causes of action whatsoever arising out of or related to any loss, damage or injury, including death, that may be sustained by me while participating in the Workshop.

I understand and agree that:

  • Any cannabis or cannabis products that I bring to the Workshop is from my personal supply and was lawfully purchased.
  • I will not possess in excess of thirty (30) grams of cannabis, unless I am lawfully permitted to possess more under the applicable regulations. If I am in possession of medical cannabis, I will not share my medical cannabis.
  • I will not distribute, sell, display, consume, or lose custody of the cannabis or cannabis products that I bring to the Workshop and will adhere to all applicable laws, and regulations.
  • Any promotional material I bring to the Workshop is in accordance with the applicable laws, and regulations. I will include the promotion of the safe consumption of cannabis.
  • CannaReps reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to eject, disqualify, or remove any exhibition or person for the contravention of any applicable laws and regulations.
  • The use of cannabis or cannabis products may impair your judgment, ability to react. By law, you should not drive or operate heavy machinery while under the influence. Please read the statutory rules and regulations surrounding cannabis in your jurisdiction for clarification.
  • Any advice or recommendations given by CannaReps is for informational and educational purposes only and CannaReps does not warrant or guarantee the completeness or correctness or the information provided.
  • I freely and voluntarily accept and fully assume all such risks, dangers, and hazards associated with attending the Workshop.
  • I certify that I am over the age of 19. This Release shall be effective and binding upon my heirs, next of kin, executors, administrators, assigns and representatives in the event of my death or incapacity.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Any confidential or proprietary information or material relating to the Company’s operations or business which I obtain from the Company or its officers, employees, agents, suppliers or customers or otherwise by virtue of my participation with the Company or by the Company’s predecessor. Confidential or proprietary information or material includes, without limitation, the following types of information or material, both existing and contemplated, regarding the Company or its parent, affiliated or subsidiary companies: corporate information, including contractual licensing arrangements, plans, strategies, tactic, policies, resolutions, patents, trademarks, printed or digitized materials, handouts and brochures. Including any marketing information including sales, investment and product plans, customer lists, strategies, methods, customers, prospects and market research data. Including trade secrets; technical information, including drawings, designs, personal information (the “Confidential Information”).

I understand that the copyright and proprietary interest of any material provided to me belongs to CannaReps. All shared experiences from the Workshop are to remain confidential and private. I agree not to disclose any of the information learned during the Workshop outside of the Workshop except with others who attend the Workshop. I will not use any audio or video recording equipment during the Workshop, unless CannaReps approves of the recording and filming by providing prior written consent. I understand that any audio or video recording made during the Workshop is the property of CannaReps. I will not use CannaReps’ information for business or commercial purposes, without first obtaining the prior written consent of CannaReps.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

I understand, acknowledge and agree that all copyright, trademarks, trade secrets, intellectual property rights, and any other rights arising from any designs, and all of the work products and materials conceived, developed or created by the CannaReps and any rights ancillary thereto (collectively, “Intellectual Property Rights”) which were solely or jointly with others, conceives, designs, creates, derives, develops or makes in the course of or in connection with the work with CannaReps shall belong solely to CannaReps. If you haven’t already, you shall promptly disclose to CannaReps in writing any and all Intellectual Property Rights, conceived, created, derived, developed or made in the course of or otherwise in connection with my participation with CannaReps, whether alone or with others, and whether during work shop hours or through the use of facilities and properties of CannaReps.

INDEMNITY

I agrees to indemnify and hold harmless CannaReps, its officers and directors, employees and its affiliates and their respective successors and assigns and each other person, if any, who controls any thereof, against any loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (including, but not limited to, any and all expenses whatsoever reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation commenced or threatened or any claim whatsoever) arising out of or based upon any false representation or warranty or breach or failure by me to comply with any covenant or agreement made by me herein or in any other document furnished by me to any of the foregoing in connection with this transaction.

CONSENT

Notwithstanding the immediately preceding paragraph, I consent to and grant CannaReps, the Workshop, and its assignees, the right to photograph and record me, my name, voice, appearance and likeness and other material furnished by me for use on trusted online media which include, but are not limited to, their website and social media pages. My hereby release said matter in perpetuity to CannaReps without prejudice and acknowledge that this consent is freely given without expecting compensation.

By submitting my email address below, I agree to receive electronic communication from CannaReps including personal course information, news, updates and promotions regarding CannaReps’ products. I understand that I can withdraw my consent at any time.

PRIVACY POLICY

Protecting your privacy is important to CannaReps. This Privacy Policy (“Privacy Policy”) set outs the ways in which we use your information and how we ensure its protection.

CannaReps will only collect personal information (“Information”) that will allow us to provide, enhance, market or improve our events and services. Information is collected by means of registration for any CannaReps sponsored event or service. Information collected may include name, age, gender, address, email address, payment information, and geographical information.

CannaReps may share Information. CannaReps retains the right to share Information and other statistics with our partners, prospective advertisers, and other third parties for the purposes of improving, protecting, enhancing, and promoting our events and services. CannaReps may also disclose information to our affiliates, agents, contractors, and service providers in order to facilitate the functioning and maintenance of our events and services. We will not sell any information to advertisers or other third parties.

This Privacy Policy only covers the treatment of Information and other non-identifiable information gathered by CannaReps. This Privacy Policy does not apply to the practices of any third-party services. CannaReps does not take responsibility for the content or privacy policies of any third parties. CannaReps recommends that you review the privacy policies of any third-party service providers or events you access, use, or register for through our events or services.

This Privacy Policy has been established to help you understand our commitment to protecting your privacy. CannaReps reserves the right, at any time, to change or replace any portion of our Privacy Policy. You will be notified of any changes, if we believe, they materially impact your experience at our events or services. Continued use of our services after any change to the Private Policy constitutes an acceptance of those changes.

By submitting this Release and providing Information during the registration process, including the Exhibitor’s Agreement, you consent to the collection and use of your Information for these purposes.

If you have any questions or concerns please email us at info@cannareps.ca.