6 terpene profiles replace indica and sativa in new Emerald Cup classes

It’s high time to smoke out the old indica and sativa descriptions at cannabis cups. Consumers deserve to know more about the plant than the structure it has taken on over its lifetime. With research now showing just how much terpenes boost cannabis sales and quality, the Emerald Cup jumped at the chance to replace indica and sativa.

Terpenes to save the legacy of cannabis

The Emerald Cup is an annual cannabis competition held in California. Currently, the focus is still acute on THC percentage, ignoring the depth of quality in a full spectrum. Indica and Sativa still cannot properly describe a plant’s complexity, so the old classification has been updated with 6 new terpene profiles.

THC percentage drives delta-8 THC sales to gas stations, D9 distillates from questionable sources, and cannabis with poor genetic heritage. Emerald Cup argues on their website that a strict focus on THC threatens to kill the craft cannabis market. Because of this, the Cup needs to be changed to salvage exotic cannabis profiles, Jack Herer’s legacy, landraces, and many other qualities that are being lost across the spectrum of cannabis. (1)

Photo courtesy of Canva.

The new profiles of Emerald Cup

Jacks + Haze

• terpinolene, caryophyllene and/or myrcene
• Fruity, Pinesol, Haze
• Energizing, cerebral, artistically inspiring

Jack Herer is an obvious addition to this group, an uplifting strain named after the infamous cannabis activist. (2) Whereas Haze originally came from two surfers in California in 1969. Original Haze was a pure Colombian strain that was eventually brought to the Netherlands from California in the mid-1980s by David Watson. (3) Other common renditions of Haze are modifications popularized by Nevil Schoenmaker. (3, 4) Durban Poison, a strain bred by Mel Frank in the late 1970s, also belongs to this terpene class. (4)

High levels of terpinolene in this group provide an uplifting effect over moderate levels of myrcene. (1)

Tropical + floral

• ocimene and myrcene
• Sweet, floral, tropical fruits
• Soothing, soothing, relaxing

Hawaiian is a classic tropical strain and a prominent example in this class. And despite her name, In The Pines is also considered a Tropical + Floral strain.

OG’s + gas

• Dominant in either limonene, myrcene and/or caryophyllene
• gas, fuel, sweet and/or citrus and pepper
• Uplifting, stimulating, analgesic and/or relaxing

Of course, this terpene profile encompasses both classic OG Kush and gassy strains. Chemdawg and Sour Diesel are given as examples of gas profiles. Going down the genetic heritage, Gorilla Glue should also fit into this classification.

sweets + dreams

• Myrcene, pinene, caryophyllene
• Fruity, sweet, woody, hoppy, herbaceous
• Relaxing, Couch Locking, Analgesic

Sweets + Dreams is a profile that can be called In Da Couch (Indica), according to the classifications now used by The Emerald Cup. And while pinene is known to induce focus. However, when associated with caryophyllene and myrcene, pinene has less studied effects on sedation. (5)

Dessert

• limonene and caryophyllene
• Desserts, doughs, lemony and spicy
• Uplifting, stimulating, classy, ​​calming

Dessert profiles can easily remind you of the local bakery in the morning. GSC (Girl Scout Cookies), gelatos, and cakes commonly express a dessert profile. For those who have had enough Wedding Cake, the classic Bubba Kush strain falls into this class.

exotics

One might notice a lack of linalool, nerodiol, and other terpenes from the classes now used by the Emerald Cup. Linalool comes in two forms, for example a gassy one and a more sweet/floral one. Despite sharing about five other terpenes in common, the dominant strains within are considered exotic.

Exotic cannabis profiles can dominate in a variety of common terpenes, but rare profiles consisting of delta carene can appear in this classification. Despite all the limitations, is a terpene-based system enough to replace the old indica versus sativa descriptions?

The terpene classification system was originally developed by Phytofacts and operated by SC Labs. To support the system, the Emerald Cup announced an alliance with SC Labs and NAPRO Research. (1)

Let us know in the comments if you agree with the new classification system. And watch this story to learn how indica and sativa are secretly separated by terpene genetics in the marketplace, rather than plant structure.

Sources

1. The Emerald Cup. 2022. Terpene Classes.
2. SS 2020. Cannabis Strain Focus: Jack Herer®.
3. Personal communication with Todd McCormick.
4. Email reply from Mel Frank.
5. Yang H, Woo J, Pae AN Um, MY Cho NC, Park KD, Yoon M, Kim J, Lee CJ, & Cho S (2016). α-pinene, a key component of pine tree oils, improves sleep in non-rapid eye movement mice through GABAA benzodiazepine receptors. Molecular Pharmacology, 90(5), 530-539. https://doi.org/10.1124/mol.116.105080