Cannabis is constantly evolving to such an expanse but remains gatekept by-laws. As a result, some other stoner-soul, a wise master of Hash and all things revolving around our favorite plant provides all the answers. As concentrates become the center of conversation in these days, my teacher is none other than the Dank Duchess. The eclectic lady of green and purp took over Instagram with her knowledge and joint size. With nearly two decades of growing experience, The Dank Duchess’ prowess is as big as her smoke. Like many others, I tuned into her words and learned all about the obscure art of Hashish. The word pops up throughout the industry; but it’s an elusive product that most have never tried, let alone seen.
Hashish, popularized in Eastern Asia, is compressed kief. There are a variety of ways to produce it; but, regardless, the source material needs to be pristine. Hash is essentially a thickly packed sheet of trichomes. Only the best-grown cannabis can produce the amounts needed to make a quality product. Despite the quality, however, this product that predates most modern cannabis products is relatively unknown. In that regard, Hash and The Dank Duchess have something in common.
Masters of the Hashish Niche
For the Duchess, the road to get recognition in this space is a bittersweet one. She came to Los Angeles to pursue cannabis professionally, leaving a successful high-end massage business back in South Beach Miami, FL. This was all in 2014; back then, however, dispensaries were turning the future queen of cannabis away for job opportunities. Given the path that she is on today though, she sees it as a blessing in disguise. One of her first visits to a community event led to the start of it all.
At a cannabis cup, the Duchess met the late Frenchy Cannoli, a well-known cannabis connoisseur and Hashish master. New to the concentrate world, she floated to a table in search of dabs; but was quickly disappointed by what she thought was chocolate. A French accent informed her that this was indeed weed and that it was definitely dab-able. After that moment, the Dank Duchess and Frenchie continued to run into each other and converse about ‘chocolate dabs’ and everything in between. Finally, Frenchie asked her to write about hash for him.
Since then, she’s amassed a following across social media. In addition, she’s been featured in Season 1 of the series, Bong Appetit, as well as hosted both national and international cannabis competitions. In those endeavors, she’s met people from every facet of cannabis and learned even more about it. When she started this journey, Frenchy told her that if she was going to write about hash she had to know how to make it. She’s done that and moreover the years, proving the blessing that the industry almost denied her. The Dank Duchess may not be known in every corner of the cannabis world; but that is quickly changing, becoming the editor at Skunk Magazine last year and the face of hash as a whole.
What is Hashish?
So, we’ve been talking enough about it; but let’s dive deeper into Hashish. The original use dates back to ancient times, being the original way that we consumed cannabis. Compared to the cannabis you see on the dispensary shelves, hash is exponentially more potent. Again, the contents of hash are technically just trichomes, the part of cannabis that actually gets you high. A brick of hash may look harmless but it’s much stronger than the average top-shelf buds. As a result, patients looking for faster and stronger results can turn to hash. The Duchess explained the separation of feelings with cannabis and hash. The source material guarantees a level of clarity and quality that cannabis-bud just can’t reach.
“It’s not a spacey feeling but the clarity of cannabinoids and flavor. Cannabis allows me to have a lot of different ideas where Hashish allows me to think a lot on one or two ideas.”
Alternative to the States, Hashish is the product of choice. That increased clarity and potency sends The Dank Duchess to cannabis competitions in Spain regularly to judge the quality for herself. Furthermore, many other countries have a cultural connection to cannabis, using it not only for medical treatment but for building and a variety of religious rituals. Centuries ago, it was used alongside other substances but, today, Hashish is the consumption product of choice. While hash isn’t entirely legal in a lot of countries, its use isn’t criminalized like it is here in the US. As a result, hash is treated like the popular coffeehouses of the Netherlands.
A Vocal Community
Regardless of the perception, the Dank Duchess continues to educate consumers, new and old, on the ways of Hashish in hopes that we will one day mimic international Markets. After all, she did move across the country to help just that happen. In the Duchess’ eyes, the only way to change the perception here in the States is through vocal cannabis leaders. Through platforms like Clubhouse, leaders like the Knox Docs and Mocha MaryJane Media create a place to learn and stake claim in the industry. Until we are on one accord for the benefit of the plant, however, it will be corporate cannabis vs. international cannabis.
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