Open two CBD oils from different makers side by side and it is not unusual for them to smell and taste completely different. One has a clear, slightly grassy green note that lingers. The other is almost neutral, perhaps with a faint floral touch but nothing intrusive.
The difference is rarely a coincidence. Three things shape the aroma and taste: the carrier oil, how the extract was made and whether terpenes were added afterwards. Of these, the extraction method matters most.
At a glance
- A grassy taste often comes from chlorophyll, which is carried over when the extract is made with ethanol.
- CO2 extraction is more selective and picks up less chlorophyll and plant residue.
- Hemp seed oil has its own green, nutty flavour and goes rancid faster than MCT oil.
- MCT oil is almost odourless and resists oxidation better.
- The taste tells you nothing about how much CBD an oil contains.
The role of the carrier oil
A CBD extract is thick and sticky and needs to be mixed with an oil to be easy to handle and stay stable. The oil a maker chooses affects both the taste and the texture.
Hemp seed oil, pressed from the seeds of the hemp plant, has a distinct green, slightly nutty flavour that many people associate with the grassy character. It is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids such as omega-3 and omega-6. Those same fats make it sensitive: studies of hemp seed oil show that it oxidises fairly quickly in storage, which means a shorter shelf life and a flavour that keeps changing in the bottle.
Olive oil is sometimes used in simpler products. It has a characteristic aroma and flavour of its own and is thicker than MCT oil.
MCT oil, usually derived from coconut, is almost odourless and chemically stable. It consists mainly of saturated fatty acids and therefore resists oxidation and rancidity much better than hemp seed oil. An MCT-based oil keeps its flavour for longer and has a thin, even texture. A fuller comparison is available in our guide to the best carrier oil for CBD.
The extraction method matters most
Hemp contains far more than CBD. There are terpenes, flavonoids, chlorophyll, waxes and hundreds of other compounds, and the way CBD is separated out determines what ends up in the finished oil.
Ethanol extraction is common in the industry, mainly because it is cheap and easy to scale. The drawback is that ethanol is not very selective. It dissolves cannabinoids and terpenes, but also chlorophyll, which gives the green, grassy taste, and waxes that have to be removed in an extra step. Most of this can be cleaned up afterwards, but results vary between makers, and the solvent itself also has to be removed carefully.
CO2 extraction is technically more demanding and more expensive. Carbon dioxide under high pressure is more selective than ethanol and dissolves cannabinoids and terpenes without pulling along as much chlorophyll and plant material. The extract is lighter in colour and lacks the grassy edge. When the pressure is released, the carbon dioxide turns back into a gas and disappears, so there is no solvent left to remove.
Terpenes decide whether an oil smells alive
Terpenes are the aromatic compounds in hemp, responsible for everything from citrus and pine to earthy and floral notes. In a full-spectrum oil they remain naturally from the extraction, but how well they are preserved depends on how gently the process is handled, since terpenes are volatile and break down with heat.
In a broad-spectrum extract, THC is removed in an extra purification step, and some of the natural terpenes are lost along the way. By adding terpenes afterwards, a maker can steer the aroma and choose terpenes that suit the oil, without the grassy note of a chlorophyll-rich crude extract.
Many makers also add terpenes with reference to the so-called entourage effect, the theory that cannabinoids and terpenes work together and add up to something different than each does alone. The theory is debated and has not been confirmed in clinical studies, but it is a common reason for using terpenes. We explain the difference between types of terpenes in our article on botanical vs live terpenes.
What the taste tells you
- Grassy, green and slightly sharp: often an ethanol extract with chlorophyll left in, frequently in hemp seed oil. It is the most common combination on the market and the cheapest to produce.
- Neutral or subtle with a light floral note: often a CO2 extract in MCT oil, with a controlled terpene content. A neutral taste does not happen by itself but requires the right raw materials and a more expensive process.
- Sharp and chemical, like a solvent: a warning sign that can point to poor purification. That kind of smell should not be present in a finished product.
The taste says nothing about strength, however. How much CBD an oil contains can only be seen in a lab report, and our guide on how to read a CBD lab report explains how to read one.
How we do it
Our Premium CBD oils are made in Sweden under GMP from CO2-extracted extract with MCT oil as the carrier. CO2 gives a cleaner extract without chlorophyll or solvent residue, and MCT keeps for longer without affecting the flavour. In several of the oils we add natural terpenes from Nordic Terpenes.
The result is oils with a neutral, lightly floral aroma and taste, without the grassy edge. You can find the full range in the CBD oil category.
Why does my CBD oil taste like grass?
Usually because the extract was made with ethanol, which pulls chlorophyll out of the hemp, or because hemp seed oil is used as the carrier. There is nothing wrong with the product. It is a result of how it was made.
What does CBD oil taste like?
It depends on the extract and the carrier. Oils based on ethanol extract and hemp seed oil often taste green, nutty and grassy, while CO2 extract in MCT oil is much more neutral. Added terpenes can give a floral, citrus or herbal note.
Is a neutral CBD oil weaker?
No. Taste does not affect strength. A neutral oil can have exactly the same CBD content as a grassier one. The difference lies in the extraction and the carrier oil, and the content is shown in the lab report.
What is MCT oil?
MCT stands for medium-chain triglycerides, fatty acids that are usually derived from coconut. It is a thin, almost odourless oil that is stable in storage and used as a neutral carrier in many products.
Does the aroma fade over time?
Terpenes are volatile and can fade somewhat over time, especially if the oil is kept warm or in direct light. Store it somewhere dark and cool and use it before the best-before date.
Sources
- López-Olmos, C. et al. (2022). Comprehensive comparison of industrial cannabinoid extraction techniques: Evaluation of the most relevant patents and studies at pilot scale. Frontiers in Natural Products, 1, 1043147.
- Antioxidants (2022). Evaluation of Hemp Seed Oils Stability under Accelerated Storage Test. Antioxidants, 11, 490.
- Russo, E. B. (2011). Taming THC: potential cannabis synergy and phytocannabinoid-terpenoid entourage effects. British Journal of Pharmacology, 163, 1344–1364.
- Cogan, P. S. (2020). The ‘entourage effect’ or ‘hodge-podge hashish’: the questionable rebranding, marketing, and expectations of cannabis polypharmacy. Expert Review of Clinical Pharmacology, 13, 835–845.
