A terpene analysis isn’t read like a label. It’s read like a list of ingredients.
The figures on this page aren’t taken from the literature. They come from 17 GC-FID analyses conducted between January 2025 and March 2026 on our own resins by Guttentag Solutions GmbH in Dietikon.
We’ve been producing CBD hash since 2020, between the Moroccan Rif and Switzerland. Here are the 36 molecules our lab tests for, what we actually find, and how to read the document that accompanies each batch.
The list is not in alphabetical order
It follows the order in which the molecules elute from the chromatograph—which, more or less, corresponds to their boiling points. The top of the column evaporates; the bottom remains. That’s the key to interpreting the data.
The dominant terpene isn’t the one you’d expect
In our 17 batches, myrcene isn’t the top compound in any of them. The most abundant compound is a sesquiterpene that almost no one talks about, and which our own lab identifies with some reservation. We’re publishing it anyway.
1. What this table contains—and what it does not guarantee
Two clarifications we’d rather provide ourselves, rather than have them held against us.
The terpene analysis falls outside the scope of the lab’sISO 17025 accreditation —this is noted at the bottom of each report. Cannabinoid analysis, however, is accredited. This is standard practice throughout the industry, yet no one mentions it.
Two molecules have been provisionally identified and are marked with a question mark on our reports: selina-4,7(11)-diene and guaia-1(5),7(11)-diene. Their retention times match, but confirmation by mass spectrometry has not yet been performed.
Finally, our panel changed in 2026: it now includes the isomers of ocimene, citral, and nerolidol, and adds two sesquiterpenes. The table below is from 2026.
2. The 36 Terpenes in Hemp
Boiling points at atmospheric pressure. The “Our data” column shows the range observed in our 17 analyses; tr. indicates below the limit of quantification of 0.01%.
| # | Terpene | Odor | Also found in | Boiling point | Here |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alpha-pinene | Pine, fresh resin | Pine, rosemary, basil | 155 °C | 0.03–0.48% |
| 2 | Camphene | Camphor-like, herbaceous | Fir, cypress, valerian | 159 °C | tr. – 0.01% |
| 3 | Beta-pinene | Dried conifer, resinous | Hops, parsley, cumin | 166 °C | 0.02–0.17% |
| 4 | Myrcene | Earthy, musky, ripe fruit | Mango, hops, thyme | 167 °C | 0.08–0.24% |
| 5 | Delta-3-carene | Sweet pine, citrus | Cypress, bell pepper, rosemary | 170 °C | tr. – 0.02% |
| 6 | Alpha-terpinene | Herbaceous, lemony | Marjoram, cardamom | 175 °C | tr. |
| 7 | Limonene | Citrus zest, bright lemon | Lemon, orange, juniper | 176 °C | 0.03–0.10% |
| 8 | Ocimene | Sweet, green, fresh | Mint, orchid, mango | 177 °C | 0.01–0.11% |
| 9 | p-Cymene | Spicy, dry citrus | Cumin, thyme, coriander | 177 °C | tr. – 0.01% |
| 10 | Gamma-terpinene | Warm, spicy citrus | Oregano, grapefruit | 183 °C | tr. |
| 11 | Hydrated sabinene | Woody, peppery | Marjoram, nutmeg | ≈ 190 °C | tr. |
| 12 | Terpinolene | Herbaceous, green apple | Nutmeg, lilac, apple tree | 186 °C | 0.01–0.18% |
| 13 | Linalool | Floral, lavender, sweet | Lavender, coriander | 198 °C | 0.02–0.08% |
| 14 | L-Fenchone | Camphor-like, anise-like, bitter | Fennel, wormwood | 193 °C | tr. |
| 15 | Fenchol | Camphor-like, fresh, woody | Basil, fennel, pine | 201 °C | 0.01–0.04% |
| 16 | Isopulegol | Light, spicy mint | Lemongrass, mint | ≈ 212 °C | tr. – 0.01% |
| 17 | Citronellal | Sweet lemon, green | Lemongrass, eucalyptus | 207 °C | tr. |
| 18 | Isoborneol | Camphor-like, herbaceous | Mugwort, camphor tree | ≈ 212 °C | tr. – 0.01% |
| 19 | Menthol | Peppermint, cold | Peppermint | 212 °C | tr. – 0.01% |
| 20 | Borneol | Earthy, mildly camphor-like | Rosemary, ginger | 213 °C | tr. – 0.02% |
| 21 | Camphor | Camphor, medicinal | Camphor tree, sage | 204 °C | tr. |
| 22 | Alpha-terpineol | Sweet floral, lilac | Pine, eucalyptus | 219 °C | 0.02–0.03% |
| 23 | Citronellol | Lemon rose | Geranium, rose | 225 °C | tr. |
| 24 | Geraniol | Rose, sweet floral | Geranium, palmarosa | 230 °C | tr. |
| 25 | Citral | Intense Lemon | Lemongrass, verbena | 229 °C | 0.01–0.02% |
| 26 | Pulegone | Strong mint | Pennyroyal | 224 °C | tr. |
| 27 | Geranyl acetate | Floral-fruity | Geranium, coriander | 245 °C | 0.01–0.09% |
| 28 | Trans-caryophyllene | Black pepper, clove | Black pepper, hops | 262 °C | 0.08–0.42% |
| 29 | Eugenol | Clove, hot spice | Clove, cinnamon | 254 °C | 0.02–0.16% |
| 30 | Alpha-humulene | Hops, dry wood | Hops, sage | ≈ 276 °C | 0.03–0.14% |
| 31 | Selina-4,7(11)-diene (?) | Woody, herbaceous, dry | Celery, hops | n.d. | 0.14–0.65% |
| 32 | Nerolidol | Softwood, bark | Ginger, jasmine | ≈ 276 °C | 0.02–0.06% |
| 33 | Guaia-1(5),7(11)-diene (?) | Woody, earthy | Guaiac wood, patchouli | n.d. | tr. – 0.02% |
| 34 | Caryophyllene oxide | Spicy, dry woody | Lemon balm, eucalyptus | ≈ 280 °C | 0.04–0.09% |
| 35 | Cedrol | Cedarwood | Cedar, juniper | ≈ 291 °C | tr. – 0.02% |
| 36 | Alpha-bisabolol | Chamomile, sweet floral | Chamomile, yarrow | ≈ 314 °C | 0.09–0.36% |
The first 27 lines are monoterpenes: light, they are what give the scent its initial character. The last 9 are sesquiterpenes: heavy, they linger when everything else has faded. A resin where only the base notes stand out has been through a lot.
3. The Six Terpenes That Define Our Profiles
The profile of batch HQ x Lemon No. 0018: selinadiene at 0.62%, ahead of pinene and caryophyllene.
Out of 36 molecules we test for, only six regularly exceed 0.1% in our samples. These are the ones that define a resin’s character—the other thirty are nuances or trace amounts.
| Terpene | In our batch | What it indicates |
|---|---|---|
| Selina-4,7(11)-diene | 0.14–0.65% | Predominant in 8 of our 12 2026 batches. Poorly documented molecule; provisional identification by the laboratory. |
| Caryophyllene | 0.08–0.42% | Present in all 17 analyses. Boiling point at 262 °C: it’s often the last compound remaining in old resin. |
| Alpha-pinene | 0.03–0.48% | The most volatile of the 36. A 16-fold variation between our batches: this is the best indicator of processing. |
| Alpha-bisabolol | 0.09–0.36% | The least volatile. Survives everything, including rough pressing—so it proves nothing about the processing. |
| Myrcene | 0.08–0.24% | Present everywhere, dominant nowhere. The opposite of what the market claims. |
| Caryophyllene oxide | 0.04–0.09% | Not produced by the plant: it’s caryophyllene oxidized by air. Serves as an age marker. |
The most useful calculation on this entire page is in this last line. Divide the caryophyllene oxide by the caryophyllene: you get the percentage that has already degraded. In our 17 analyses, the ratio ranges from 14% to 32%, with a median of 19%. Above 25%, we consider a batch to have “breathed .” Apply this calculation to any analysis you’re presented with.
4. Our 17 analyses, batch by batch
Our entire production since January 2025, ranked from the richest to the poorest profile. No selection was made: the weakest batch is included as well.
| Batch | Total | Three with the highest concentrations | Lab Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| HQ Gourmet 0016 | 2.20% | Selinadiene 0.65 · α-Pinen 0.25 · Caryophyllene 0.22 | GS.947.005-02 |
| HQ x Lemon 0018 | 2.20% | Selinadiene 0.62 · α-Pinen 0.26 · Caryophyllene 0.22 | GS.947.007-02 |
| HPP x Lemon Haze 0013 | 2.10% | Caryophyllene 0.39 · Selinadiene 0.29 · Bisabolol 0.29 | GS.947.002-02 |
| Joy Fruit x Cannatonic 0012 | 2.00% | Caryophyllene 0.38 · Bisabolol 0.29 · Selinadiene 0.26 | GS.947.001-02 |
| Blue Berry x Cannatonic 0019 | 2.00% | Selinadiene 0.38 · Bisabolol 0.36 · Caryophyllene 0.30 | GS.947.008-02 |
| Amnesia x HQ 0010 | 1.90% | α-Pinene 0.48 · Caryophyllene 0.28 · Myrcene 0.23 | LZ.456.005-03 |
| Strawberry x Cannatonic 0015 | 1.80% | Selina-diene 0.44 · α-Pinen 0.37 · Caryophyllene 0.21 | GS.947.004-02 |
| Mango x Lemon 0017 | 1.80% | Selinadiene 0.35 · Caryophyllene 0.25 · Bisabolol 0.22 | GS.947.006-02 |
| Lemon Lot Series 0004 | 1.80% | Caryophyllene 0.39 · Bisabolol 0.28 · Myrcene 0.20 | LZ.456.003-02 |
| Super Silver Haze x Cannatonic 0014 | 1.70% | Selina-diene 0.36 · Caryophyllene 0.27 · Bisabolol 0.24 | GS.947.003-02 |
| Cannatonic 0022 | 1.70% | α-Pinen 0.34 · Bisabolol 0.28 · Selinadiene 0.23 | GS.947.011-02 |
| Golden Tonic Lot Series 0005 | 1.70% | α-Pinene 0.45 · Caryophyllene 0.23 · Myrcene 0.21 | LZ.456.004-02 |
| Orangella x Gelato 0020 | 1.60% | α-Pinene 0.35 · Caryophyllene 0.25 · Bisabolol 0.22 | GS.947.009-02 |
| Amnesia x O.G. 0006 | 1.60% | α-Pinene 0.41 · Myrcene 0.24 · Caryophyllene 0.21 | LZ.456.006-03 |
| Strawberry Lot Series 0003 | 1.40% | Caryophyllene 0.42 · Bisabolol 0.35 · Myrcene 0.13 | LZ.456.002-02 |
| Lemon Haze 0021 | 1.30% | Selinadiene 0.25 · Caryophyllene 0.20 · Bisabolol 0.19 | GS.947.010-02 |
| Peanut Butter Indoor CH | 0.81% | Selinadiene 0.14 · α-Pinen 0.12 · Myrcene 0.11 | GS.947.012-02 |
Our totals range from 0.81% to 2.20%, with an average of 1.7%. Only three molecules share the top spot: selinadiene eight times, alpha-pinene five times, and caryophyllene four times.
You can browse the catalog by dominant terpene rather than by strain name.
5. What a Terpene Profile Doesn’t Tell You
What remains in the resin depends on everything that happened between the field and the press.
You’ll find tables everywhere that link a terpene to an effect: this one for sleep, that one for focus. We don’t publish them.
These associations come from animal studies, using doses that bear no relation to what we inhale. A study showing sedation in rodents at several tens of milligrams per kilogram says nothing about the effects of 0.16% myrcene in a gram of resin. The extrapolation is made by sellers, not by researchers.
What a profile actually reveals is more modest—and more useful: genetics, harvest time, and the quality of the drying and pressing processes. A rich profile is a hallmark of meticulous work—an indicator of production, not of effects.
We explore this distinction— what research actually shows and how glands function—in our article on trichomes.
6. Four Key Metrics for Identifying a Reconstructed Profile
An overly “clean” terpene profile is the first sign of a reconstituted product.
- A monoterpene exceeding 0.5%. In our products, none exceeds 0.48%, and that’s an isolated maximum. A limonene level advertised at 1% doesn’t match any plant we’ve measured—ours tops out at 0.10%.
- A profile with only two or three peaks. Our analyses show between 14 and 20 molecules above the detection limit. A plant never produces a single molecule on its own.
- The same aroma across all varieties from the same seller. This is the most reliable indicator, and it requires no analysis.
- A very low oxide-to-caryophyllene ratio in an older product. Oxidation is inevitable; its absence suggests a recent addition.
The rest of the adulteration methods are detailed in “How to Spot Fake CBD Resin.”
7. Preserving the Terpenes in Resin
Three enemies, in order: heat, which tops the list; air, which causes continuous oxidation; and light, whose UV rays break down the molecules.
In practice: use an airtight, opaque container that’s completely filled, stored between 15 and 20 °C. The refrigerator is not recommended—the condensation that forms every time you open the door causes more damage than the cool temperature prevents.
The first terpene you’ll lose is alpha-pinene, at 155 °C. The last will be alpha-bisabolol, above 300 °C. In between, everything else in the table evaporates in order. For more details, see our article on terpenes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many terpenes does hemp contain?
More than 200 have been identified in the Cannabis genus. In practice, only about 15 exceed the limit of quantification: in our 17 reports, the count ranges from 14 to 20 detectable molecules. Our panel is testing for 36.
What is the dominant terpene in CBD?
There isn’t one. In our 17 analyses, three molecules share the top spot: selina-4,7(11)-diene, alpha-pinene, and caryophyllene. Myrcene does not rank first in any of our batches.
Which terpene gives CBD its lemon scent?
Mainly limonene, with citral and ocimene rounding it out. In our products, it peaks at 0.10%: a very upfront lemon scent, without any earthy or woody undertones, is more often an added flavor than a natural terroir characteristic.
What is a good total terpene level?
Our batches range from 0.81% to 2.20%, with an average of 1.7%. Above 2%, the profile is rich and the processing has been meticulous. Below 1%, either the genetics are poor or the material has oxidized significantly. An analysis that doesn’t include terpenes is data in and of itself.
Is a very fragrant hash necessarily better?
No. What matters is complexity, not intensity. A powerful but monotonous scent—one that’s identical across varieties from the same seller—indicates additives. A profile that unfolds in layers indicates a natural plant.
Do terpenes survive the pressing process?
Only partially, depending on the temperature. Our alpha-pinene levels range from 0.03% to 0.48%—a 16-fold difference that’s due as much to processing as to genetics. That’s the technical reason for cold pressing.
Can you choose a hash based on its dominant terpene?
For taste, yes: it’s the best available criterion. To achieve a specific effect, no—there’s no guarantee. Our catalog is searchable by dominant terpene for this reason, and for this reason alone.
17 GC-FID analyses, Guttentag Solutions GmbH (CBD-TEST), Dietikon, January 2025–March 2026. Terpene analysis outside the scope of ISO 17025 accreditation.
