Understanding Terpene Flavors

Terpene Flavor Breakdown

Taste is personal — what one person experiences as sweet or fruity, another might describe as herbal or earthy. That’s why flavor perception in cannabis can be subjective and hard to pin down, especially when based on individual strain reviews. To bring more clarity, Azarius chooses to define flavors at the source: the terpenes themselves.

Primary notes

Each terpene has its own dominant aroma profile. These are what we call primary notes — the core flavors most commonly associated with a specific terpene. They form the foundation of a strain’s scent and are consistent across different varieties when that terpene is present in significant amounts.

Terpene	Primary notes	Secondary notes	Description
Bisabolol			Chamomile-like scent with soft floral sweetness.
Camphene			Pungent pine scent with earthy and camphor-like tones.
Caryophyllene			Warm peppery aroma with woody and herbal tones.
Eucalyptol			Cooling, minty eucalyptus scent with herbal undertones.
Farnesene			Green-apple-peel scent with subtle herbal funk.
Geraniol			Sweet, rosy fragrance with citrus fruit hints.
Humulene			Woody, earthy aroma with subtle hoppy spice.
Limonene			Strong citrus scent like lemon or orange peel.
Linalool			Lavender-like floral scent with light herbal sweetness.
Myrcene			Earthy and musky with a hint of fruity sweet spice.
Nerolidol			Woody, bark-like scent with subtle herbal depth.
Ocimene			Sweet tropical scent with herbal and citrus undertones.
Pinene (α/β)			Fresh pine and forest scent, similar to rosemary.
Terpinolene			Fresh and bright with fruity, piney, herbal nuances.
Valencene			Orange-like aroma with sweet and slightly woody notes.

Bisabolol

Primary notes
Secondary notes
Description	Chamomile-like scent with soft floral sweetness.

Camphene

Primary notes
Secondary notes
Description	Pungent pine scent with earthy and camphor-like tones.

Caryophyllene

Primary notes
Secondary notes
Description	Warm peppery aroma with woody and herbal tones.

Eucalyptol

Primary notes
Secondary notes
Description	Cooling, minty eucalyptus scent with herbal undertones.

Farnesene

Primary notes
Secondary notes
Description	Green apple peel scent with subtle herbal funk.

Geraniol

Primary notes
Secondary notes
Description	Sweet, rosy fragrance with citrus fruit hints.

Humulene

Primary notes
Secondary notes
Description	Woody, earthy aroma with subtle hoppy spice.

Limonene

Primary notes
Secondary notes
Description	Strong citrus scent like lemon or orange peel.

Linalool

Primary notes
Secondary notes
Description	Lavender-like floral scent with light herbal sweetness.

Myrcene

Primary notes
Secondary notes
Description	Earthy and musky with a hint of fruity sweet spice.

Nerolidol

Primary notes
Secondary notes
Description	Woody, bark-like scent with subtle herbal depth.

Ocimene

Primary notes
Secondary notes
Description	Sweet tropical scent with herbal and citrus undertones.

Pinene (α/β)

Primary notes
Secondary notes
Description	Fresh pine and forest scent, similar to rosemary.

Terpinolene

Primary notes
Secondary notes
Description	Fresh and bright with fruity, piney, herbal aroma.

Valencene

Primary notes
Secondary notes
Description	Orange-like aroma with sweet and slightly woody notes.

Secondary notes

Beyond the basics, some flavor nuances only emerge when terpenes interact with one another. These secondary notes add complexity and depth, creating layered aromas that aren’t tied to just one terpene. By including both types of notes, this table offers a clearer, terpene-driven understanding of how cannabis really smells and tastes.

Note: Secondary notes are not linked to a single terpene, but result from terpene synergy

Candy

Candy flavors are created by combinations of sweet and fruity terpenes like limonene, myrcene, ocimene, linalool and geraniol, resulting in a bright, candy-like aroma.

Cheese

Cheese flavors are usually a blend of myrcene, humulene, and caryophyllene, creating a funky, earthy, and slightly sour scent through terpene synergy.

Diesel

Diesel flavors come from a mix of terpenes like limonene, myrcene, and caryophyllene, often enhanced by sulfur-like compounds. The result is a sharp, fuel-like aroma.

Posted in: Genetics