What Does CBD Taste and Smell Like?

Have you thought of trying pure CBD oil but were worried it wouldn't taste as good as you imagined? It is normal to wonder what pure CBD oil tastes like if you have yet to try your first dosage. Most first-time users assume it tastes how a cannabis plant smells, expecting a strong and skunky smell that is challenging to swallow.

Most CBD oil products that are unflavored have an earthy flavor, while others can have a flat flavor, tasting like nothing at all. Because of this, many products come with additional flavors to provide a pleasant taste.

The Breakdown of CBD Oil Taste and Smell

If you have taken unflavored CBD oil, you will probably agree that it tastes like greens and other foods that have a bit of an earthy bite, like dark chocolate. 

Since it is meant for supplemental use, most people find its taste tolerable and therefore have no problem purchasing the unflavored CBD oil. The ingestion process involves keeping the CBD oil under your tongue for a minute or two to gain maximum absorption benefits. This process doesn’t work well with those who find unflavored CBD oil to be bitter.

With all that said, the bottom line depends on personal preference. If you like earthy flavors, then most CBD oils will work perfectly for you.

How Can You Make Your CBD Taste Better?

You might not get the CBD oil that tastes exactly the way you want it to taste, but you can certainly find ways to make it taste better. 

Take Your CBD With a Chaser

A chaser is an acidic drink like orange juice that you use to wash away the taste of CBD oil. Immediately after you have the CBD oil in your mouth, follow it up with the chaser to keep the hemp oil taste from lingering.

This option has a drawback, though. You might not be able to keep the CBD oil under your tongue for maximum absorption benefits. You can try holding the oil in your mouth for as long as you can before you gulp the chaser for the taste-clearing mission.

Purchase Only High-Quality CBD Oil

CBD molecules naturally contain a bitter taste. However, the bitterness in your CBD oil product might not always be due to the CBD molecules. 

The fact that hemp contains high chlorophyll levels with a green strong-tasting substance that brings about the bitterness does not mean the CBD oil will always be bitter. A CBD extract that looks greener than usual may have too much chlorophyll. If the looks do not convince you, you can take the first taste to confirm your suspicions. 

A low-quality CBD oil will have too much chlorophyll that enhances the bitter taste. Therefore, you should consider buying CBD oil from a trusted CBD company that provides transparent lab reports and results (like we do at Penguin!) so that you can tell the concentration of chlorophyll beforehand. 

Brush Your Teeth

Brushing your teeth helps a great deal in making the ingestion process of CBD oil a pleasant experience. The taste of toothpaste not only masks the CBD flavor you wanted to avoid; it also leaves your mouth clean to absorb less oil. 

We recommend brushing your teeth before taking CBD oil. Failing to brush your teeth before taking the CBD oil leaves a thin film in your mouth that attracts the hemp oil and makes it stick there. 

After taking CBD, brushing your teeth is also a viable option, but you are always better off starting with the brushing than doing it later.

Use the Under-the-Tongue Method

Putting CBD oil under the tongue (sublingual consumption) is an ideal way of ingestion if you don't want to perceive CBD oil's taste. However, you have to hold the oil under your tongue for up to 60 seconds for the method to work effectively.

You can also add something sweeter under the tongue to help mask the oil's taste. A spoonful of honey or some chocolate can work magic for those 60 seconds you will be holding the oil under your tongue.

Mix Your CBD Oil With a Drink

You would be surprised by how compatible CBD oil is with hot drinks such as coffee and tea. The hot drinks break down the molecules of the oil, making it easier to ingest. Smoothies are a cold option enjoyed by many.

Use Vcap Capsules

A Vcap capsule is an empty capsule that you can place a few drops of your CBD oil in to make it easier to ingest the oil without perceiving the taste. You take it like a regular pill. 

However, this method will take a while before the oil is absorbed into your body as it has to go through the digestion process. You should therefore choose this option if you aren’t pressed for time.

Vcaps are entirely vegetarian, which means they are perfect for the environment and you can use them anywhere without the worry of environmental pollution. 

Buy Mints

For obvious reasons, mints are a perfect balance for your breath. You can place the mint under your tongue when taking the oil. This helps to establish a fresh minty breath, giving you a more refreshing taste after the ingestion.

Best-Tasting CBD Oils to Try Out

Knowing the CBD oils that taste great before going for the purchase is a terrific way to start your CBD journey. Here is a list of some of the best-tasting CBD oils on the market today.

Penguin CBD Oil

At Penguin, we produce some of the best CBD extracts you can find in the market, including CBD gummies and CBD capsules. Our CBD oil is not new to ardent CBD users. It is manufactured using the best Oregon-grown hemp, making it an ideal supplement for reviving your body and mind.

But what makes ours the best-tasting CBD oil? We have a variety of tastes to choose from, including citrus, fan-favorite mint, strawberry, and cookies and cream.

Our CBD broad-spectrum oil is available in the above flavors and divided into SKUs known as strengths. The strengths we offer are 250mg, 600mg, 1,000mg and 2,500mg. The products are fresh as they are made to order. Once you make a purchase online, we go in to prepare your product and deliver it to your doorstep.

Kanibi CBD Oil

This brand is known to offer some excellent tasting CBD products that are tested in the lab for quality assurance. If you need the lab data, you can easily access it from their website, where it is displayed in a simple, understandable language.

Based in Utah, Kanibi is committed to raising CBD product innovation and quality standards. You can trust their products if you need sweet-tasting CBD oil.

PureKana CBD Oil

PureKana is such a successful brand in part because of the variety they offer. When you add the sweet taste these CBD oil products have, the products become an appealing choice to many users of all ages.

They have managed to keep all their products within the U.S. and maintain hemp from organic sources. This culture has given their products the market penetration they need to sell their sweet-tasting CBD oil.

They offer five flavors of oil: vanilla, citrus, Fruity Pebbz, natural and mint. All these products come in 300mg to 5,000mg SKU units.

Charlotte’s Web

This brand got its name from Charlotte Figi, a young girl whose incredible story helped bring global attention to CBD. The brand's mission is to better the planet.

Taste is not their No. 1 priority when producing CBD oils. Most of the time, they rely on the intent rather than the flavor of the product. So, the flavor may come in to top up the goodness they have already introduced in their products.

Tips on Finding the Best-Tasting CBD Oil

Knowing the best-tasting CBD oil in the market is not enough. Here are some tips to guide you through.

Settle for Favorable Carrier Oil

A carrier oil is a food-grade oil that is combined with CBD. Some of these oils include:

• Olive oil. This gives the CBD an earthier flavor, but it can be overwhelming in lower-concentration CBD tinctures. 
• Coconut oil. When CBD oil is mixed with coconut oil, CBD oil’s natural flavor takes the day as refined coconut oil is almost flavorless.
• Hempseed oil. If you love nuts, especially walnuts, hempseed oil will give you a taste reminiscent of that.

Go for Flavored CBD Oil

There are three main varieties of flavored CBD oils. These include mint, citrus and natural (subtle). Mint and citrus are light to consume and give a refreshing feeling after ingestion.

Give Gummies or Capsules a Try

CBD gummies and capsules are an ideal alternative to go for if you want to avoid the taste of CBD oil.

CBD gummies are delicious and are people's favorite. However, they have to undergo digestion before you get to enjoy their full benefit in the body.

CBD capsules, on the other hand, are pills. They are ideal for bypassing the taste of CBD oil. It is best if you take them on an empty stomach to allow for effective digestion.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on CBD Taste and Smell

Should CBD Oil Have Taste?

The natural taste of CBD oil is earthy. However, some people claim CBD oil tastes like olive oil or other plant oils. 

Based on the extraction method, some CBD oils will have a much more bitter taste than others. For example, full-spectrum CBD oils tend to taste more bitter as they contain more chlorophyll than CBD isolate products.

Does CBD Have an Odor?

With a careful manufacturing process and perfectly regulated lab conditions, developing an odorless CBD oil is possible. However, if there is any smell, it should be a slightly earthy natural aroma.

Can Drug Dogs Smell CBD Oil?

With appropriate training, dogs can easily detect CBD through smell. It depends on what the dog is trained to perceive.

Final Thoughts

With adequate knowledge of what to expect from CBD oil's smell and taste, you will be better positioned to pick the product that fits you. You can always weigh options until you find the product that suits your needs. Try the flavored, and unflavored options to see what works for you.