# Connoisseur

> A cannabis connoisseur judges flower and hash on aroma, flavour, cure, smoke and genetics history rather than THC percentage or looks.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/connoisseur.html
- Also written: connoisseurs, connoisseur grade, cannasseur, head
- Glossary category: Grower slang and culture
- Status: Draft: awaiting expert review · Updated: 2026-10-31
- Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), attribute "GenetixBay cannabis glossary"

A connoisseur is someone with trained judgement for cannabis quality: aroma and flavour, how the flower was dried and [cured](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/curing.md), how it burns and smokes, and where the genetics come from. The word also labels a market tier ("connoisseur grade").

## In practice

A connoisseur tasting session [looks](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/bag-appeal.md) like a wine flight: several samples, small amounts, notes on aroma intact and ground, first draw and later draws, ash colour, harshness, and any hay, grass or musty notes from a poor dry. Knowing that a [hay smell](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/hay-smell.md) means bacteria, drying too fast or [over-drying](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/over-drying.md), and never fully cures out, is the kind of knowledge connoisseurs bring.

Connoisseurs are often the first to say that [THC](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/thc.md) percentage and quality are different things, and that classic profiles are being lost.

## Don't confuse with

- **Heady**: describes craft and culture; a connoisseur is the judge.
- **Budtender**: a retail role; some are connoisseurs, many are not.

## Related terms

[Heady](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/heady.md), [Smoke report](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/smoke-report.md), [Terps](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/terps.md), [Bag appeal](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/bag-appeal.md)

## Read more

- [Curing and burping: jars, humidity and how long](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/harvest-cure/curing-burping.md)