What Does CBD Oil Taste Like? How to Find the Best Taste


Posted by Prescription Hope - See Editorial Guidelines (Last Updated On: Mon Jul 10 2023)

Perhaps you’ve tried CBD oil and didn’t like the taste, but the taste can vary quite dramatically. Or perhaps you’re new to CBD oil and asking what does CBD oil taste like?

Here’s where we give you an idea of how CBD oil tastes, based on the varying factors and what to look out for…

What does CBD Oil Taste Like? In general, CBD oil is tasteless or has nutty, grassy, and earthy flavors. Strong tasting CBD oil may be artificially flavored. The taste mainly comes from its terpenes compounds. Depending on the type of terpenes, the taste varies. The carrier oil you dilute CBD with can also change its taste.

Let’s move on to adding some background on this brief response.

prescription hope

Background to CBD taste profile

What Does CBD Oil Taste Like

The answer to this question doesn’t necessarily have a single approach for several reasons.

Firstly, CBD oil is a form of CBD and a supplement sold in different and multiple variations.

For example, variations can be derived from how they’re made, processed, and even flavored. So, depending on these, the taste profile of CBD oil can vary.

Aside from these varietal exceptions, the CBD oil taste or flavor profile, in general, can differ depending on the quality.

With the recent popularity of CBD oil, there are many ways in which suppliers exploit the market with mediocre products. There are also a number of ways in which you can take CBD oil – here are the most popular ways to take CBD oil.

This exploitation has come to the point where it’s easier to find low to mediocre quality products more so than high-quality products.

One good thing about identifying the taste of a good quality CBD oil is that you can then distinguish good quality products from poor quality.

So what does CBD oil taste like – the general answer

As a general takeaway, CBD oil is actually tasteless.

This is because CBD oil is made by extracting CBD from the cannabis plant and then diluting it with carrier oils.

Hemp seed or coconut oil is the commonly used oil to dilute CBD oil. Most of these raw forms of CBD oil will not have THC content.

CBD rich extract

In contrast, if you use CBD-rich “extract,” it has its own unique taste profile. The unique taste of CBD-rich extract comes from two main elements.

First is that CBD-rich extract is taken from the stems, leaves, and flowers of the cannabis plant in a much-concentrated form.

Secondly, CBD-rich extract has varying levels of THC content (usually up to 0.3%).

This form of CBD also tends to have a high content of flavonoids and terpenes, which are beneficial compounds that provide unique scents and flavors.

It’s these natural and organic compounds in a complete and concentrated form that creates the unique flavor for CBD-rich “extract.”

In general, if you taste CBD oil or extracts as nutty, grass-like, or earthy, then it’s on the end of being a more natural, safe, and non-toxic product.

This mix of uncommon tastes makes an authentic CBD oil tasteless to most users.

So, always remember the more appealing, pleasant, or palatable the CBD oil is, the more likely it’s unnatural.

This can also mean that either artificial flavors have been added or the CBD oil is of low quality.

prescription hope

Full-spectrum CBD oil taste

Full-spectrum CBD oil has a more hemp-like taste to it when compared to isolated CBD oil.

The reason for this is because full-spectrum oil has more than one isolated cannabinoid. A high-quality full-spectrum CBD oil will not have any significant plant matters. This includes waxes and chlorophyll.

This type of CBD oil will only have essential compounds such as terpenes, flavonoids, and other cannabinoids.

Moreover, this type of CBD oil is fully filtered and mixed with a carrier oil. So, the type of carrier oil used will also greatly impact the overall flavor of the CBD. The most commonly used carrier oils for CBD are olive and hemp seed oil.

Taste overview of different CBD Oil Types

Here’s a quick summary table outlining the different taste profiles of the three main types of CBD oil. There are more details on each below the table.

Type of CBD oilBase carrierTaste profile
Full SpectrumOlive OilGrassy, Nutty
Full SpectrumHemp Seed OilWalnut, Sunflower seed
CrudeUnprocessedEarthy, Unsavory

Full-spectrum CBD oil taste with olive oil base

Full-spectrum CBD oil that uses an olive oil base will taste more like cooking oil. This will feature a smooth, grassy, and nutty taste profile. Overall, this taste is bearable and less intense.

Full-spectrum CBD oil taste with hemp seed oil base

If the full-spectrum CBD oil uses a hemp seed oil base, it will taste overwhelmingly nuttier than other oils. Because of this, the taste profile is often referred to have a walnut or sunflower seed flavor.

This nuttier taste profile has also made this type of CBD oil a common cooking ingredient.

Crude CBD oil taste

Crude CBD oils are more of unprocessed oil.

This contains various content of cannabinoids, terpenes, chlorophyll, and waxes. This mix of compounds contributes to its unsavory taste in comparison to other CBD oils.

They tend to have a very strong earthy flavor with an uneven consistency.

Terpenes contribute to the flavor of CBD oil

What Does CBD Oil Taste Like

So what does CDB oil taste like? Well this can vary in more ways.

Firstly it’s important to say that although CBD oil may have a tasteless flavor, it has distinctive flavors from one another.

The reason for this is a special compound called “terpenes.” Terpenes are aromatic oils secreted in the same glands that produce cannabinoids (ones that CBD oil is made from).

There are hundreds of different terpenes, and each type has its own medicinal properties.

For example, some terpenes mixed with CBD oil can promote a sense of relaxation and stress relief.

On the other hand, some other types of terpenes mixed with CBD oil may have benefits, such as anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.

Besides these different medicinal benefits, each type of terpene also contributes to different flavors.

This is why some consumers may find CBD oil to taste different from one purchase to another – despite it being the same brand.

Regarding the taste of each terpene type, most of them have a more unusual or uncommon taste profile.

Terpene types

Below is a breakdown of different terpene types and their tastes:

  • Myrcene Terpene – Herbal Taste
  • Pinene Terpene – Pine Taste
  • Caryophyllene Terpene – Pepper Taste
  • Limonene Terpene – Citrus Taste
  • Terpinolene Terpene – Fruity Taste

Although these may sound like an appealing taste profile, the concentrated form of these in extract or diluted with oil makes them overwhelming in flavor.

So these are heavily diluted and partly why many users of CBD oil complain of it being largely tasteless.

However, in general, the question of “what does CBD oil taste like” can also vary depending on a person’s unique taste buds and preferences. In fact, some users of CBD oil enjoy the unique taste of it, whereas some cannot tolerate it at all.

prescription hope

Final thoughts

We hope this has answered the question of what does CDB oil taste like. Sadly it’s less simple than you might expect. But the good news is you can spend lots of time discovering tastes and deciding which ones you prefer.

We can help further too, as many take CBD to help with their condition, we may be able to help ease the burden of finance on your medications…

For more questions regarding your specific condition, always consult your healthcare provider.

If you’re having trouble affording any of the medications you’ve been prescribed, visit our home page to learn more about Prescription Hope’s medication access service, compare the costs of your current prescriptions, and see how we can help obtain your medications at a cheaper price. Fill out an application today and start receiving Brand-Name prescription medications at your doorstep. Call us at 1-877-296-HOPE (4673) to speak to one of our representatives, we’re always happy to see how we can help.