You’ve heard the terms resin and rosin. Maybe you even thought they were the same thing but people just say them differently. If you didn’t know any better, we can certainly see how you might think that. The problem is that simply isn’t true. If you’re using these terms interchangeably, please stop. They are both very similar and yet also very unique in certain ways for cannabis products.
What is the difference? We got you covered. Take a look at this guide that provides a comprehensive breakdown and comparison of live resin vs rosin so you can see the dynamic differences and be fully informed when you choose.
production and extraction
Let’s start with production and extraction. This is where you are going to find the most significant differences between the two cannabis concentrates. However, we want to point out that the word live does make a difference. When you say live resin or live rosin, it means that it was extracted from a fresh plant that was freeze-dried rather than a cured cannabis flower. More on that later.
live resin
Live resin is one of the most natural and potent forms of cannabis extract on the market. Why? Because it is extracted immediately from a fresh plant. That cannabis flower is picked and then immediately flash frozen to preserve it at that state right after harvest. The flash-freezing process helps to maintain the terpene profile and cannabinoid content as it is at that very moment.
Live resin is very robust because of this. It is full of the natural elements of the plant, which means you get to enjoy natural flavors, aromas, and high potency, too. Because of the preservation, it’s a full spectrum experience on all of these fronts.
Let it be known that live resin is extracted using solvents. In fact, that is the primary difference between resin and rosin. When no solvents are used, it becomes rosin from this concentrate style. In order to maintain the intentions of the natural plant material, there is a very strict purging process for live resin to remove residual solvents. This helps to ensure you get the natural details that this concentrate is so popular for.
rosin
In comparison, rosin is extracted using heat and pressure with absolutely no solvents to create cannabis oil. Another important detail to note is that rosin comes from a dried cannabis flower, but live rosin comes from a flash-frozen cannabis flower just like live resin. The term live makes a significant difference in the details so you need to be mindful of that word. If it’s not there, you can assume it was from a dried and cured cannabis plant. If it is there, you can assume it was harvested and flash-frozen for the ultimate natural elements.
Just to break it back down for you: Rosin is created using no solvents. The process simply uses heat and pressure to squeeze out the plant material, extracting terpenes and cannabinoids and maintaining a broad spectrum in the process. It’s still potent and it’s still flavorful. Live resin uses solvents and that’s the primary difference between these two terms.
concentrate profile
The overall profile of live resin and rosin also varies. They are both said to be potent and flavorful, but there are still key differences between them. Let’s take a look.
live resin
Live resin is described as being robust or complex. Since the plant matter is frozen and preserved prior to extraction, many of the terpenes and cannabinoids are both preserved. It’s a delicate balance. The cannabinoids are what produce the effects such as THC and CBD. It’s the terpenes that essentially provide the flavors and aromas. Since we’re looking at the overall profile, it’s important to note both of these elements.
The flavor and aroma element is thanks to preserving high levels of terpene content. Most cannabis consumers love the well-rounded experience this provides with strong, natural flavors and aromas paired with high potency.
rosin
On the other hand, cannabis rosins are also very flavorful. While the flavors are different from live resin because of the extraction process, they are still preserved better because there are no solvents that detract from the natural elements of the plant. Yes, with traditional rosin, a dried and cured plant is used for extraction. However, since there are no chemical solvents, the extraction process destroys fewer natural terpenes, maintaining much of the original plant matter.
The combination of no chemical solvents and careful extraction helps to retain the cannabis strain and the essential profile it was created for.
Let it be noted that live rosin would be similar in flavor to live resin. Again, because there are no solvents used, you might even experience far bolder and more robust flavors from live rosin. It still will be a very different experience because of solventless extraction processes.
potency
Here is another place you will notice a difference. The potency between live resin vs rosin is different.
live resin
Live resin is perhaps one of the most potent concentrates out there. This high potency typically comes from the fact that a fresh plant is used and preserved immediately after harvesting the plant. There is no curing or drying. While there is nothing wrong with using cured or dried plants, it does take away some of the natural components of the plant matter. That impacts potency.
Since the plant is flash-frozen quickly and maintains the harvested levels of cannabinoids and terpenes, it also contributes to the potency of the plant. This type of experience is called well-rounded or perhaps the ultimate experience. It’s robust by the time you add the flavor, aroma, and potency to the mix. It’s powerful, intense, and long-lasting, regardless of whether you use it for pain relief or to get high.
rosin
The potency of rosin can vary. Much of that detail goes to the extraction method used. It is typically more potent than alternatives because there is no solvent-based extraction that can reduce the plant matter or the effects that it has to offer. However, it is not always guaranteed to be highly potent either. This could depend on the cannabis strains, the extraction processes, and even the drying/curing process.
That being said, rosin is generally highly potent and that is what most people expect of rosin when they use it. Rosin is said to be strong and it has immediate effects for the consumer.
Live rosin is very similar, but it is going to be high potency for sure since it comes from a live or fresh plant. This does make a difference.
overall experience
Alright, now let’s take a wrap-up look at the overall experience and finalize our thoughts. Both live resin and rosin have a lot to offer. It all boils down to personal preferences. We know their big differences come from the extraction process and the harvesting process used.
live resin
Experimenting and enjoying live resin is more likely to give you a consistent experience. This is because your experience is based on the freshness of the plant. While the cannabis strain might also impact your experience, all of the plants are flash-frozen to preserve their natural elements and that leads to consistency for a well-rounded experience.
To recap on the experience with live resin, you can expect high potency, long-lasting effects, robust flavors and aromas, and an ultimately complex profile. It’s consistent in that you can expect these types of details every time you use live resin.
rosin
Rosin will not be as consistent as live resin, but you still have a general understanding of what to expect. It’s not quite as strong in terms of potency unless it is live rosin. Different factors of harvesting, curing/drying, and extraction can affect the experience as a whole. That means you may not always get a well-rounded experience in terms of flavor profile or even potency.
Rosin is not so consistent, but you can reliably note that it will be aromatic and flavorful and it will be potent, you just don’t know the exact details the same way you do with live resin.
Again, we want to point out that live rosin will be more similar to a live resin experience because of the harvesting and preservation method used for the marijuana flower. That truly does make a difference in the experience and the finished product.
conclusion
In this guide on live resin vs rosin, you can see that there are some similarities, but they are two very different choices when it comes to pleasing cannabis connoisseurs. It’s important to know the difference so that you can decide based on your preferences or the desired effects. You should also be familiar with live rosin and what the word live means for the concentrate. Ultimately, it’s up to you to choose what you like and you can certainly like both options if you want to!
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