All three are concentrates, but they are told apart in different ways. Rosin and live resin are told apart by method, pressing versus a solvent. Distillate is told apart by its result, a Δ9-THC extract with most terpenes and other constituents removed. We prioritize products from licensed Connecticut cultivators and processors. To see what is on the shelf now, open our concentrates aisle, which shows live items from the menu of the store you have selected, with a switch to the other store. For delivery, open the Derby live menu, add items, and your address at checkout shows whether delivery reaches you.
Three concentrates, three different starting points
Connecticut law puts all three under one word. The definitions in Connecticut's cannabis statute treat any form of concentration extracted from cannabis as a cannabis concentrate, and they name extracts, oils, tinctures, shatter and waxes as examples. The same statute defines extract as the preparation, compounding, conversion or processing of cannabis to produce a cannabis concentrate. The legal word tells you a product is a concentrate. It does not tell you how the product was made.
The more useful split is whether a solvent was involved. Butane hash oil, wax, live resin and shatter are solvent-based concentrates, while hash and bubble oil are water-based solventless concentrates. Distillate is defined less by its starting method than by what is left at the end.
Other states draw the line in their rules. Oregon's cannabis regulator, the OLCC, classes an extraction as a concentrate when the process is mechanical, and as an extract when it uses a hydrocarbon based solvent like butane, hexane or propane. Connecticut's definition does not make that cut, so if a product name leaves the method unclear, ask us.
How each one is made, from plant to jar
Rosin. Rosin is a solventless extract made by mechanical compression using heat and pressure, in practice moderate heat and constant pressure applied to cannabis flowers. Solventless work does not always start from dried flower: one solventless technique uses fresh frozen flowers as feedstock for trichome extracts.
Live resin. Live resin sits on the solvent side of that split, next to butane hash oil, wax and shatter. A 2024 paper describes it as a full-spectrum extraction preserving the source plant's cannabinoid and terpene profile.
That description comes with a caveat. A separate content analysis found little scientific evidence that live resin preserves the terpenes and flavors of the fresh cannabis plant. Judge a live resin by the product in front of you, not by the word "live" alone.
Distillate. The same 2024 paper describes distillate as a highly concentrated Δ9-THC extract with most terpenes and other constituents removed.
What stays in and what comes out
| Concentrate | Defined by | Solvent | Terpenes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rosin | Mechanical compression with heat and pressure | None, solventless | Varies by product |
| Live resin | Solvent-based extraction | Yes, solvent-based | Described as full-spectrum, with thin evidence on fresh-plant terpenes |
| Distillate | What is left: a highly concentrated Δ9-THC extract | Check the product or ask us | Most terpenes and other constituents removed |
Price and potency change by product, so check both on the live menu.
The same line runs across the whole category: some concentrates preserve naturally occurring cannabinoids and terpenes, while others consist mainly of purified Δ9-THC reconstituted with commercial terpene blends. So a terpene name on a product does not by itself tell you whether those terpenes came from the plant.
If aroma and terpene makeup are why you are shopping, our guide to cannabis terpenes explains what those compounds are. If you are shopping vapes instead, our cartridge versus disposable comparison covers those two formats.
Which one to look at, by what you care about
- You want no solvent in the process. Look at rosin, or at hash and bubble oil, the water-based solventless options. Skip live resin, which is solvent-based.
- You want terpenes that came from the plant, not an added blend. Rule out distillate first, since most of its terpenes are removed. Live resin is the one described as keeping the source plant's profile, with the caveat above, so ask us whether a given product's terpenes are plant-derived or added.
Reading the label at the counter
Start with the package. Every Connecticut cannabis label must carry a symbol issued by the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) showing the package contains THC, plus a symbol that it is not safe or legal for people under twenty-one.
Concentrates add one more line. A concentrate above thirty percent total THC must carry the warning: This is a high-potency cannabis product and may increase the risk of psychosis. Our walkthrough on how to read a Connecticut cannabis label shows where each of these sits on a package.
When a product name does not say how a concentrate was made, ask us which method it used, at the counter or by calling 860-420-BUDS (2837) before you order.
Connecticut rules that apply to every concentrate
Adult-use cannabis in Connecticut is for adults 21 and older, and the rules below apply whichever of the three you choose.
- Possession. For adults 21 and older, the state possession statute treats one ounce of cannabis plant material as equal to five grams of concentrate, or to other cannabis products with up to five hundred milligrams of THC.
- Packaging. DCP says cannabis packaging must be child-safe, tamper-resistant and light-resistant, and that applies to a jar of rosin as much as to anything else on the shelf.
For the wider picture, our overview of this year's Connecticut cannabis laws covers the rules beyond concentrates.
More concentrate questions
What does dabbing mean?
Dabbing is smoking or vaporizing highly concentrated oils or extracts, the kind also called wax or shatter.
How big are the THC and under twenty-one symbols on a label?
Each one must be at least one-half inch by one-half inch, and it must not be obscured.
More product explainers are on the Hi! People blog.
Ordering ahead and checking delivery at checkout
Online ordering is open 24/7. Delivery orders go through the Derby live menu: add what you want, and the address you enter at checkout shows whether delivery reaches you. Our delivery guide explains the rest of the process.
If you are closer to Hartford, order ahead on the Hartford live menu and pick up at our Hartford store. Delivery availability for your address also shows at checkout there.
Delivery payment is accepted at the door in cash or debit card. Both stores take cash and debit cards. Credit cards cannot be used at Derby, which has an on-site ATM.