Hash 101: The Original Concentrate

Hashish is the original concentrate from ancient times. It is made by rubbing cannabis flowers in your hands until all the resins form a layer thick enough to scrape off. This can then be rolled into a ball and smoked, or added to food.

This ancient hand-rolled method of making hashish concentrate is thought to date back to 900 CE, when it is believed to have become popular across the Indian subcontinent, the modern-day Middle East, and North Africa.

A thousand years later, the same regions are still producing some of the most prized hash on the global market. Zain Memon, who lives in Hyderabad, Pakistan, says that the hash he consumes comes from Peshawar, which is located in the mountainous northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He explains that the cannabis is grown in the mountains along the Afghanistan border, and that it is later hand-rubbed by pathans (Afghani immigrants) into pure unadulterated hash. Memon describes this hash concentrate as being black on the outside, brownish on the inside, soft and pliable, with a recognizable strong aroma.

“The effect is sedative and the brain feels uplifted,” he says. “It’s a hellish feeling that’s not fair to describe in words. It can only be felt.” It’s an open secret, but the police are not tolerant of people carrying goods, and they’ll find you something. If so, he says, he’ll demand a bribe before getting all the hashes.

Reddit user @trymebitcj lives in Cádiz, an ancient port city in the province of Andalucia, Spain—directly across the sea from major hash production in Morocco. According to the user, Cádiz is a key strategic point for smuggling operations, with tons of hash concentrate being smuggled into the city.

The local street hash is of questionable purity and is illegal, so he belongs to a legal association of cannabis consumers which gives him access to top quality Moroccan product. He says that last month there were 11 different types of hash concentrate available to buyers clubs like his, and that the hash made in the mountains is incredible.

Hash in Canada: A classic supply and demand story

The market for hash in Canada is a classic example of supply and demand. Hash is in high demand among Canadians, but the supply is limited. This has resulted in high prices for hash, making it unaffordable for many people. The government needs to take action to increase the supply of hash so that everyone can enjoy its benefits.

In Canada, hash has gone through many changes over the years. Back in the 1970s, Winnipeg had some of the best hash around. However, nowadays there is a much wider variety of hash, with some from different parts of the world. Some people even remember finding black hash back then, which was probably from Afghanistan. Overall, this type of hash is very strong and enjoyable.

Dave Kaplan, who lived in Halifax in the late-aughts, says that it was really difficult to find hash, even though it was shipped directly into the city’s ports via Europe. “We ended up having to get mostly weed,” he recalls, which was plentiful and easy to get, but he missed the mellow energy he got from hash.

Now back in Toronto, Kaplan jokes that he’s made up for lost time, particularly with his favorite (albeit illegal) Afghan product. Of the Canadian and even American gray market hash he’s tried, he says it doesn’t even come close to comparing to the old world stuff in terms of smell, texture, taste and most importantly euphoria. “Our version of Afghani is just extremely ‘weedy,'” he says, “compared to what I’m used to, it gives you a weed high, but a very strong weed high.”

Although Kaplan is doubtful that local hash will ever match up to the quality of imported hash, @TheGuyFromWpg is willing to give it a try. As a medical cannabis patient, he finds that the extra potency of kief or bubble hash can be therapeutic on days when he isn’t feeling well. Canna Farms’ kief product is the closest thing he can get to hash in Manitoba at the moment, but he says he would buy real hash again if it were available.

Is Canadian cannabis even right for hash?

Other than Kaplan and @TheGuyFromWpg, few people are talking about hash. Producers aren’t making a lot of it, and consumers don’t seem to want it in the wake of a sexier concentrate. Among his friends and peer group Kaplan is in the minority. He points out that is Canadian hash even necessary? “We don’t need to make hash here because our weed is already spectacular.” He may have a point: over in Pakistan, Memon says some people want to smoke cannabis flower but they don’t have access to good bud, “so they are left with no other option than making a spliff” using tobacco and their local, top-tier hash.

Unless licensed producers in Canada can artificially recreate the mountain environments of traditional hash-producing regions, our local hash will never measure up, according to Kaplan. However, this is a challenge that has been accepted by Aurora’s Whistler Cannabis Co., which recently launched a traditional hash product made meticulously by hand, according to their retail guide. The process includes running the cannabis through ice water and freeze-drying the resins before hand-rolling and pressing with a glass vessel filled with boiling water. The product is then cured to improve flavour and produce a high-THC, high-terpene hash.

It’s true that Canadian hash products will never have the same romantic appeal as those from small, family-run operations in remote regions. But we have to remember that the Canadian hash industry is very young, and it will take time to establish our own standards of excellence. In comparison, the international wine industry still looks down on Canada, even though our wines often outperform those from other countries in blind taste tests.

Although some people may prefer old-fashioned hash, @trymebitcj suggests that Canadians should consider a vacation in Andalusia. The climate is pleasant and the beaches are excellent. Plus, you can enjoy smoking high-quality hash while relaxing by the sea.