Distillate Formulation Basics and Ratios

There are 4 main classification types of flavor profiles that can standalone and/or be mixed with neutral flavors to be mixed with others to create blends.

Fruity – all fruit, lemon, mango or “sweet” flavors
Botanical – grassy, pine, flower flavors
Dank – skunky, onion, pungent flavors?
Neutrals – mostly for “mouthfeel” and “smooth body” after tastes

There are many new supplier entrants to the market who do not understand how to color remediate and are still using basic sort paths for production. The combination of high temperature and lack of in-line analytics (HPLC/MS) cause quality to vary widely.

Suppliers should be able to explain how they color/pH remediate and have distillation equipment like wipe films or falling films.

The best D9 THC is manufactured by decarboxylating crystalized THCA and is not available on the open market – most of the material is going into live resin production or dab concentrates.

Fruity Vapes: Generally follow a single primary flavor @ 80%, followed by 20% neutrals for aftertaste

Example: 1kg 6% “strawberry” flavored distillate vape
Formulation recipe:
940 grams of distillate
48 grams of strawberry terpenes
6 grams myrcene
6 grams valencene

Notes: There isn’t much you want to do with the complexity of a fruity distillate vape – most customers like “college students” and “Juul users” who by this type of vape expect a strong fruit flavor followed by a soft plant after taste (from valances and a myrcene after note). Much like eating a strawberry you taste the strawberry first followed by hints of “plant” flavor.

Botanical Vape: Generally follows 60% primary flavor, 20% secondary flavor, 20% neutrals

Example: For a 1kg 8%“lavender” flavored distillate vape

Formulation recipe:
920 grams of distillate
40 grams of lavender terpenes
20 grams of bergamont
10 grams myrcene
10 grams valencene

Notes: Floral vapes are actually much more difficult to flavor – due to flavor layering. Customer’s like “soccer moms” expect a spa experience but flavors cannot overpower which will cause coughing. In this lavender vape, specifically a lavender flavor is overlaid with bergamot which is orange peel followed by small sweet and plant after notes. Getting the vape correct is difficult due to the low tolerance to “big hits” in the demographic.

Dank Vape: Generally follows 80% primary flavor, 20% secondary flavor, trying to mimic an actual strain taste.

Example: For a 1kg 6 %“Durban Poison” flavored distillate vape

Formulation recipe:
940 grams of distillate
48 grams of “Durban” mix
12 grams of blood orange or subtle sweet terpene

Notes: Many terp shops already premix favors that are more or less ready to go and do a reasonable job. Usually, it is recommended to reduce the amount of actual strain terpenes and add in a sweetener for a “fresher taste” to encourage continual usage. Most customers who will buy this vape probably have smoked flower and are more seasoned and social users like “ skate boarders” or “urban hippies.”