What Is Hashish? The World’s First Concentrate

Aromatic, mysterious…even enchanting, hash is one of the most fabled goods of the ancient world. A potent concentrate made of dried and sifted cannabis resin, hash—or hashish—has inspired Indian mughals, the heroes and villains of Arabian Nights, soldiers fighting under Napoleon, and countless others throughout history.

Rich, beguiling, and flavorful, hash makes for a legendarily smooth and rich smoke when consumed through hash pipes, chillums, or healthstones. If you’re new to this ancient cannabis concentrate, we’ll be answering all your burning hash-related questions here, including:

• What is hashish?

• What is hashish made of?

• How is hashish created?

Are you ready? Let’s get rolling.

What Is Hashish Made Of?

Many centuries before we had access to modern scientific tools, cannabis growers in present-day India and Pakistan stumbled upon a vital piece of knowledge. Suspecting that the trichomes—the tiny, mushroom-like glands that coat high-grade cannabis with a silvery dust—contributed the bulk of the plant’s potency, those farmers devised a method to separate the trichomes from the flower.

Those early cannabis growers were on to something. Today, we know that trichomes are where the cannabis plant produces not only the bulk of its potent cannabinoids—including THC and CBD—but the richly scented terpenes that define a given cultivar’s aromatic and flavor profile. That’s why expertly crafted hash, such as the varieties we offer impart such a potent and memorable sensory experience.

At Nasha Hash, we’re on a mission to share the sensory pleasures of hashish, one of the world’s most time-honored and exotic cannabis products. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about what cannabis hash is, how it’s created, and some key differences between hash vs cannabis.

How Is Hashish Created?

There are a number of ways to capture those potent trichomes for hash-making. The simplest is called hand-rubbing, and it was first used in ancient India to produce the style of hash known as charas.

Hand-rubbing is just what it sounds like: Rubbing cured cannabis flower between the hands in order to separate the dried trichomes from the plant and press it into a resinous ball. While this can result in an exceptional product—our signature Onyx Pressed Live Hash is inspired by the classic charas style—it’s a slow and labor-intensive process.

Sometime around the 15th century, the advent of dry-sifting changed all that. Because trichomes could now be collected, sieved, and stored for later production, hashish began to spread throughout the Far and Middle East and eventually beyond. Potent, precious, and shelf-stable, hash became an important commodity in and of itself, if sometimes an illicit one.

Today, many producers—ourselves included—draw upon traditional techniques to create a product that combines a cutting-edge understanding of botany and phytochemistry with a deep reverence for the tools and techniques of the ancient past.

Here at Nasha, we rely on a simple and elegant cold-water technique to create hashish that preserves a greater proportion of the precious trichomes while reducing the amount of plant matter. Our proprietary and chemical-free process results in what we humbly believe is the best hashish available anywhere. We invite you to find some at your local dispensary and taste the difference for yourself.

Hash vs. Cannabis: What’s the Difference?

Since trichomes are where the active compounds in cannabis are found, gently separating them from the plant and then collecting and concentrating them produces an even more potent product than the cannabis flower does on its own.

If you’re familiar with the subjective effects of cannabis flower, you already have a good idea of what to expect from hashish. Just as with a truly exceptional cannabis varietal, you’ll taste the distinctive terpenes that define that cultivar’s characteristic flavor profile. The euphoric high will be enveloping, long-lasting, and intense. And depending on the specific varietal, you’ll feel a mix of relaxing, body-centered sensations or a headier, more stimulating, and cerebral high.

However, there are some crucial differences. On top of the sensory experience—many hashish fans connect with the vivid sense of history when they interact with our pressed hash “Temple Balls”—hash is simply far more potent than even the most potent cannabis.

The strongest cannabis flower tops at around 30-35% THC, the cannabinoid responsible for most of the psychoactive and intoxicating properties of cannabis. By comparison, it’s not uncommon for hashish to reach potencies of 50% - 75% THC. If you’re not used to working with such potency, the experience can be considerably more intense.

And even if you’re used to hashish, we suggest you work with very small amounts of Nasha hash at first. Why? Our proprietary and chemical-free process results in a hashish of appreciable purity, flavor, and potency. We’re sure you’ve never sampled a hash quite like ours. We invite you to take your time to savor it.

How Is Hash Consumed?

Historically, hash has been consumed through a number of traditional methods, including hash pipes, chillums, and water pipes. Today, these methods are still used alongside newer innovations like healthstones and dedicated vaporizers. Let’s walk through each of these tools in a little more detail.

THE HASH PIPE

This spoon-shaped implement isn’t that different from a standard hand pipe for cannabis, but with a crucial difference. Instead of having a hole at the bottom of the bowl, it typically features three small holes placed at the bowl's rim instead.

Why? Because hash is composed of pressed trichomes, it tends to disintegrate as it burns. The design of the classic hash pipe prevents precious hashish from falling through the bottom of the bowl as it burns. The result is maximum flavor and potency with little to no wasted product.

THE CHILLUM

While similar from the “one-hitter” of cannabis lore, the chillum has a deep backstory. First popularized in India some 300 years ago, the chillum later spread to Africa and then west to the Americas, where it became an essential part of Rastafarian rituals.

Traditionally, chillums are made of ceramic or soft stone. A round stopper is placed in the throat of the pipe to prevent the hashish from falling all the way through, and then the hash is ignited with the chillum held upright between the middle and ring fingers. While it takes a little getting used to, it’s an exotic and pleasurable way to enjoy products such as our connoisseur-grade Blue Pressed Hash.

THE WATER PIPE

Otherwise known as a hookah or shisha, the simple water pipe is believed to have originated either in Mughal India (16th through 19th centuries) or the Safavid Dynasty of Persia in roughly the same period. Either way, it’s an admirably simple way to cool and purify tobacco, hashish, or cannabis smoke by drawing it through water.

THE HEALTHSTONE

A newer innovation than the hash pipe or chillum, the healthstone (or “health stone”) is an implement designed to be used with a special miniaturized dab rig. While it’s essentially an inert stone on which to place a small shard of hash, its pumice-like texture adds a twist

Instead of one brief and very intense hit—as you’d experience with a dab rig—the semi-porous texture of a healthstone allows the resin to permeate the stone. The result is a slower, more gradual release of vapor, allowing the miniature dab rig to be passed around and shared with friends.

Of course, you don’t need a specialized tool in order to enjoy our exceptional pressed hash products. Many consumers enjoy our 1.2-gram “temple balls” by scraping off tiny shards with a knife or similar implement then adding those pieces to joints and bowls to add a burst of potency and uncommonly rich flavor to your usual routine.

CONCENTRATE-FRIENDLY VAPORIZERS

Vaporizers are devices that turn the active ingredients from cannabis, such as cannabinoids and terpenes, into a smooth, smoke-free vapor for inhalation. There are many different types of vaporizers available today, but for concentrates such as hash you’ll want a vaporizer specifically made to be used with them. Devices from makers such as Puffco, Ispire, Volcano, and Dr. Dabber are designed to be loaded with solid concentrates.

What Is Hashish Made Of? The Story of Unpressed Hash

Thus far we’ve focused mostly on traditional pressed hash products. But unpressed hash is just as worthy of love as our temple balls are. Not only is it the essential building block of all other hash products, but it’s an incredibly versatile ingredient in its own right.

How might you use it? Because it’s a granular, sand-like powder, unpressed hash adds a spark of pure flavor and potency to your everyday smoke. Sprinkle it on a bowl or roll a pinch into a joint and you may never go back.

Explore an Ancient Cannabis Tradition With Nasha

We’re committed to crafting the cleanest, highest-quality hash available in the state. We work closely with local farmers from the Emerald Triangle and surrounding area to source the very highest quality California-grown cannabis for our chemical-free hash products.

Whether it’s our pressed hash, unpressed hash, infused pre-rolls or exceptional vape cartridges, we’re incredibly proud of our hard work—and we’d love to invite you on the journey. Find us at your local dispensary today.