The first thing to know is what the main differences are between each cartridge in terms of their general makeup. Entourage Carts and Sauce Carts use ethanol to extract the cannabis oil from the flower, whereas Hash Rosin carts are completely solventless.

Not only do these affect things like pricing and branding but may yield nuanced results for each individual. Let’s break it down, because a subtle difference may make a big impact on your experience.

1. Entourage Cartridge

Simple and streamlined, the Entourage brand combines full-spectrum cannabis oil with cannabis derived terpenes to create a well-rounded and flavorful experience. It is especially important to note that the terpenes, the chemicals in plants that determine flavor and aroma, are completely derived from their specific cannabis strains.

Botanical or food grade terpenes exist and are safe for external use generally (like in perfumes and soaps), but it’s not something you would want to inhale. The cannabis derived terpenes and the cannabinoids from the oil itself work together with your body chemistry to create an “entourage effect,” or a profound experience that manifests in both the mind and body.

Each Entourage Cart contains about 7% terpenes, enough to give you those strain-specific effects and signature aromas. The oil, as it is extracted with ethanol and contains the fullest spectrum of cannabinoids, ends up being a deep amber color or darker -- completely normal for an extraction like this. Distillate cartridges, another popular and inexpensive option for vapes, tend to be much lighter in color but may not always offer a consistent entourage effect depending on the presence of other cannabinoids. The Entourage Cart oil is also available through our PAX pods and single use pens, allowing for a range of prices and doses for every budget and personal preference.

Strain of choice: Girl Scout Cookies (GSC)

Experience: This is a hybrid crossing Durban Poison, an incredibly potent sativa hailing from its namesake in South Africa, and a phenotype of OG Kush. I enjoy those particular strains a great deal, as the common thread between the two have always given me a clear-headed disposition while still remaining comfortable in the body.

As a person struggling with various mental illnesses, I tend to reach for strains that exhibit balancing effects that relax the body but keep the mind intact. This strain is high in caryophyllene, a really cool terpene that also acts like cannabinoid and allows your body to be more receptive to the effects of the strain. Flavor wise, it’s subtle but provides a lovely herbaceous and sweet, almost minty note on the exhale. I love the versatility of GSC, providing me relief in small amounts during the day and a more substantial amount of relaxation in the evenings.

2. Origyn Sauce Carts

I always love an opportunity to get lost in the sauce... specifically the terp sauce, my favorite kind of cannabis concentrate. This is a beautifully deep, thick oil with a high fraction of terpenes, which makes for an unbeatable flavor reminiscent of a dab. After extracting the cannabis oil, a layer of terpenes is separated from the extraction. Depending on the conditions and length of time, the THC can also crystalize and separate from that mixture. You won’t find any crystals in your cartridge, though, just a smooth, dark oil bursting with aroma and flavor. You also won’t find any additives in these, or any, of our cartridges. This means absolutely no Propylene Glycol, Vitamin E Acetate, vegetable oil, MCT Oil, or botanical terpenes. Just straight up, flavorful extract, all from the flower.

One major benefit of the Origyn Sauce cartridges over the Entourage Cartridges is the fact that the oil comes directly from the flower itself, making for specific batches of popular strains or a blend of a few different strains together. This is what the Origyn product range represents -- strain specific batches of concentrates derived from its origin source. For example, if you love Dosido #22 and we don’t happen to have any flower in stock, you can easily get those signature effects and flavors with the convenience of a sauce cartridge.

For what it’s worth, these are my personal favorite of the vape options. I love a good dab, but admittedly I am a little lazy. These hit the spot with the convenience factor and the flavor and effect output. I would absolutely recommend using a battery with variable voltage as well, just so you can find the perfect temperature for maximum flavor.

Strain of Choice: Grape Cookies

Experience: Again with the cookies theme! If it has cookies in the name, there’s a solid chance I will love it. This is a cross of Grape Kush, a DJ Short Strain and Girl Scout Cookies, and exhibits a mostly balanced, but very mellow effect on the mind and body. I love the complexity of the flavor: it’s funky and dank thanks to the kush lineage, a little peppery from the Cookies, and on the exhale it’s floral, musky, and fruity like a glass of pinot noir. I mostly medicate with this strain in the evenings -- sometimes after closing the shop I am still wired and ready to work when I’m supposed to be winding down for the night. Grape Cookies provides a gradual uplift in mood while melting away tension and stress, and when consumed in larger doses, it ended up quieting down some racing thoughts and anxiety.

3. Origyn Hash Rosin Carts

Hash Rosin carts are very nifty and are somewhat of a rare gem in our concentrate collection. These are completely solventless, meaning we are not using anything else to extract the oil from the flowers or hash other than a little bit of heat and a whole lot of pressure. This results in a gorgeous golden oil that packs a ton of herbaceous, verdant flavors and (for me) a punch of potency in just a single hit. What I love most about the rosin cartridges is that they give me a very similar high to smoking flower, which is something I don’t normally do anymore now that the weather is getting colder and grosser outside. I also love how a few hits of one of these cartridges goes a very long way -- if you have a lower THC tolerance, be very careful with these as they can sometimes feel like a few big rips from a bong, depending on how long you are inhaling or how hot your battery runs!

Strain of Choice: Mother of Grapes

Experience: Mother of Grapes was one of the first strains I bought after I got my medical card, shortly after starting at Sira in the summer of 2019. This strain crosses Grape Stomper OG, a fun sativa hybrid with sour, tangy grape and citrus notes and a profound sense of focus, and Mother of Berries, a New England treasure with blissfully relaxing indica leaning effects. I love how I can perceive both parents in the flavors and high: sweet and sour, verdant and fruity, clear headed and mellow. The rosin hits me a little harder than the sauce or terp cartridges, so I tend to vape these on a lower temperature setting. I would absolutely recommend these to anyone who is looking to bridge the gap between smoking flower and vaporizing concentrates, as the rosin carts embody the best of both worlds.

Cannabis cartridges may not be for everyone and that’s okay -- everyone has their own preferences for medicating. I happen to love the versatility, convenience, and potency while still getting fun flavors and nuanced effects. I hope this dispels some of the concerns regarding cannabis cartridges as well and allows folks to safely explore new options and methods of consumption that compliment their regimen.

Written by Somerville Team Lead Shan Adamites