What is Live Resin?

First up, we have live resin, a concentrate made from fresh frozen cannabis. Think “live” because freshly harvested cannabis, usually fat buds with frosty trichomes, are rapidly frozen and kept frozen throughout the entire extraction process to preserve the OG characteristics and allow the user to have a more true-to-flower experience. 
About 48 hours after freezing, solvents like butane and carbon dioxide are used to extract the plant’s compounds. These solvents help preserve the flavours and aromas associated with the strain’s terpenes
Right at the end of the process, heat is added for purification and decarboxylation, and voila, you have your live resin concentrate. 

• Live resin typically has a colour that ranges from a golden yellow to a deep amber or honey-like hue. 
• The consistency of live resin can vary from a thicker, more saucy texture to a sugary or crystal-like form, but it tends to have a translucent and glossy appearance.

• Live resin retains a high concentration of terpenes, the compounds responsible for the plant's distinct smells and flavours. Users often report that live resin has a more pronounced and diverse flavour profile compared to other concentrates, leading to a more flavorful and aromatic experience. 
• Live resin typically contains high levels of THC (often between 60% to 80%), leading to potent psychoactive effects. Users may experience strong euphoria, relaxation, and enhanced sensory perception. 
• The presence of various cannabinoids and terpenes in live resin may enhance its effects, contributing to the entourage effect, where the combination of compounds produces a more balanced and holistic experience.

What is Live Rosin?

Now let’s look at live rosin. Similar to live resin, live rosin is also extracted from fresh frozen flower. However, live rosin is produced without the use of solvents. Instead, ice, heat, and pressure are used in the process.

Live rosin is often more sought after and seen as one of the purest forms of THC concentrate because no solvents are used in its creation.
Its extraction process is more time-consuming, but the resulting product provides a more well-rounded, pure flavourful experience for you, the user. 

• Live rosin typically ranges from a light, golden yellow to an amber hue in colour. Its appearance can vary depending on the quality of the starting material, the extraction process, and the temperature at which it is processed. 
• The consistency of live rosin can range from a soft, buttery texture to a more glassy or sap-like form.

• Users often report a vibrant and complex flavour profile that reflects the original strain, making it highly desirable for those who prioritise taste. 
• Live rosin typically has high THC levels (often between 60% to 70%), providing strong psychoactive effects. Users can expect a potent experience that can lead to euphoria, relaxation, and heightened sensory perception. 
• Live rosin retains a wide range of cannabinoids and terpenes, which can enhance its overall effects through the entourage effect. Users often experience a balanced high that can be both uplifting and relaxing, depending on the strain used.

What is Distillate?

Distillates are the most common vape concentrate by a mile. Generally speaking, distillate is isolated for one specific cannabinoid, whether THC, CBN, or CBG, and is usually very potent in terms of THC. 

While live resins and live rosins are made from fresh cannabis, distillates are produced from dried and cured buds. Usually, chemical solvents like ethanol or butane are used to extract the distillate from the bud, after which it is decarboxylated into an oil. We won’t bore you with the whole process here, but if you want to learn more about the decarboxylation process, keep an eye out for a future article. 

After the decarb process, the oil is further distilled using heat and pressure to remove impurities and isolate the potent THC concentrate.

Because of the distillation process, distillate concentrates have lost most of their terpene profiles, meaning that a lot of the flavour and aroma have been removed.

• Distillate typically has a clear, translucent appearance and ranges in colour from a light, pale yellow to golden amber. It is often much lighter in colour compared to other concentrates like live resin or live rosin. 
• Because of its high level of purification, distillate has a smooth, almost honey-like consistency and can appear almost completely clear or with a slight yellow tint. 

• Distillate typically contains 80% to 95% THC, making it one of the most potent cannabis products available. This high potency means that users can achieve strong psychoactive effects with a smaller amount of product.
• Distillate has a relatively neutral flavour and aroma compared to other cannabis extracts, as the refining process removes most terpenes. This can be a benefit for users who prefer a milder taste.
• Distillate is often used by medical cannabis patients for its effectiveness in addressing a range of conditions, such as chronic pain, anxiety, and insomnia. Its high THC content can provide significant relief from these symptoms.

Short and sweet:

While live resins, live rosins, and distillates are all concentrated using an extraction process, their potency, purity, flavour profile, usage, and effect all vary quite significantly from one another. 

• Live Resin: Buds are harvested at peak ripeness, frozen, and remain uncured throughout the process. Hydrocarbon solvents like butane and propane are used in the extraction process. The resulting product is more similar to the flower’s OG smoking experience with the entourage experience in full swing.
  
  If you’re just starting your journey and looking for entry-level experience, we recommend live resin.

• Live Rosin: Like live resin, the bud is harvested at peak ripeness and frozen to preserve its cannabinoid and terpene profiles.  Instead of solvents, the extraction process makes use of ice, heat, and pressure.
  Out of the three concentrates, live rosin is often considered a purer and more holistic form of concentrate.
  
  If you’re a connoisseur looking for a purer, richer, and more flavourful experience, we recommend live rosin. 

• Distillate: Purity and potency with high THC levels. Most of the flavour profile and natural cannabinoid content has been destroyed in the lengthy extraction process, and the entourage effect is not as present as a result.
  Out of all three concentrates, distillates have the most complicated extraction process and the most neutral flavour and aroma. 
  
  If you’re an experienced user looking for a more potent concentrate, we recommend distillate.

Want to compare them for yourself? 

Hey Bud stocks a range of Live Rosin and Distillate products, so you’re welcome to try them out and find what works best for you. Check out our Live Rosin here, cartridges here, or head over to our Distillate Ccell cartridges here. 

Stay lifted, stay curious, and enjoy the journey.

— The Hey Bud Team 🫶