THCA Diamonds vs Live Resin Diamonds: The Complete Guide

If you check out the blog, you’ll see just how similar many of the cannabinoids in hemp and cannabis can be, whether it be through their chemical structures, effects, or uses. Well, today we’re going to flip the script a bit, and do a side-by-side comparison of two very similar-sounding—but actually different—products you’re going to want to know more about: THCA diamonds vs live resin diamonds.

Here’s the short version: THCA diamonds are the crystalline structures of 99.99% pure THCA that are formed through a careful process of extraction and concentration. THCA, of course, is the cannabinoid precursor to THC, the compound most responsible for the cannabis plant’s signature high. And while THCA is not intoxicating on its own, that all changes when it’s exposed to sufficient heat.

Live resin diamonds take the concept one step further, combining these incredibly potent crystals with a terpene-rich “sauce” that matches the diamonds blow-for-blow in terms of memorable flavors and aromas.

So, what’s it gonna be? The purity of THCA diamonds on their own, or the one-of-a-kind sensory experience of live resin diamonds? The good part is that you don’t have to decide between THCA diamonds vs live resin—you can try them both!

We’ll share everything you need to know about these two products, including:

• What is live resin?
• What are live resin diamonds?
• What are THCA diamonds?
• THCA diamonds vs live resin
• THCA diamonds vs live resin diamonds

And much more. Are you ready? Let’s get rolling.

What Is Live Resin?

To explain live resin, it helps to know a little bit about how cannabis extracts are made. In the process known as solvent-based extraction, cannabis flower is immersed in a solution of CO2, butane, or some other approved solvent, which separates out the precious cannabinoids and terpenes—the “good stuff” in cannabis—so that they can be concentrated into a highly potent form. Afterwards, the solvents are carefully “purged”—or rinsed away—so that the resulting product is completely safe to use (be sure to check a product’s lab results for proof).

But live resin offers something a bit different. Instead of being made with the dried and cured flower you’re probably used to, it’s made with just-picked, flash-frozen plants instead. As a result, live resin contains an unbelievable amount of terpenes—the aromatic compounds that give different strains their unique sensory profiles. When you work with live resin, you’re tasting terpene percentages that literally weren’t even possible just a few years ago.

If you love the special flavors of cannabis as much as we do, you owe it to yourself to give live resin a try! Think of the multilayered aromas and flavors you already know—the piney, fruity, earthy, gassy tastes of various terpenes—and then imagine them magnified several times over.

What Are Live Resin Diamonds?

When we’re comparing live resin vs diamonds, it’s important to know that they’re not totally unrelated, but in fact they can be thought of as two closely related products. In fact, if you allow live resin to sit undisturbed for several weeks in its semi-liquid form, you’ll see tiny crystals naturally forming inside. These are THCA diamonds, the clear- or amber-colored “rocks” we mentioned earlier, and they’re the most potent form of concentrate that exists.

While THCA will naturally crystallize in live resin under the right circumstances, some clever producers have figured out how to jump-start the process. It’s called “diamond mining,” and it involves exposing the live resin to varying amounts of heat and pressure in a closed-loop extraction system.

But here’s the thing: Live resin diamonds are typically sold in an incredibly flavorful and terpene-rich liquid medium sometimes known as “terp sauce.” Packaging the diamonds in terp sauce gives you the best of both worlds: The incredibly high potency of the diamonds—which typically exceeds 90% THCA—while the addition of the terp sauce adds a huge flavor boost. Some fans believe that the extremely high level of terpenes contributes to the sensory experience—a theory that’s backed by a growing body of research.

All that said, the unusual combination of textures and consistencies in live resin diamonds demands a unique approach to consuming them. They’re generally not the kind of thing you add to a joint or a bowl. Instead, most people dab them or consume them with a handheld vaporizer that can handle semi-liquid products—usually with the addition of a concentrate pad to avoid clogging or damaging the heating element.

What Are THCA Diamonds?

Now that you know a bit about live resin diamonds, let’s switch to the topic of THCA diamonds for a moment. First things first: THCA diamonds are pretty unmistakable. They really do look like tiny jewels, with sharp, angled sides that are either crystal-clear or sometimes have a slight amber tint to them. As we noted a moment ago, they can be made by the simple passage of time, or they can be created through a complex closed-loop extraction process.

Let’s dive in a little deeper. As we explained earlier in this post, solvent-based extractions usually have all the solvent purged so that the concentrate can be enjoyed in a dab rig, vape, or other tool. But when creating THCA diamonds through the closed-loop process, a proportion of the solvent is left in to create what’s known as a supersaturated solution. Over a period of days (or even weeks), this rich solution undergoes a variety of specific temperature and pressure environments in order to induce the growth of those precious crystals.

When the crystals have reached optimum size, the remainder of the solvent is carefully purged by exposing it to controlled heating in a vacuum. The result is the very special crystals we know as THCA diamonds. And however they’re created, one thing’s for certain: They’re the purest and most potent form of THCA you can find anywhere!

THCA Diamonds vs Live Resin: Compare and Contrast

Okay, now that you’re clear on this very pure form of THCA, let’s compare it with some of the other products we’ve been talking about today.

Live resin, of course, is one of the most flavorful forms of cannabis concentrate made from fresh, flash-frozen plants. As such, it’s quite potent—sometimes reaching 90% THC—and also extremely flavorful due to the unusually high terpene content. But it’s very different from THCA diamonds.

As the purest form of THCA you can find, THCA diamonds are typically flavorless, as the terpenes and other secondary compounds have been removed during the manufacturing process. So in most regards, when it comes to live resin vs diamonds, the two products—while both created from cannabis—couldn’t be less alike.

THCA Diamonds vs Live Resin Diamonds: A Closer Match

Here’s where things get sticky—no pun intended. Because both these products include as their basic building block THCA diamonds, they’re fairly similar to each other in effect—except for one big difference. THCA diamonds are ultra-potent but relatively flavorless crystalline structures, while live resin diamonds often packages those little gems in an ultra-flavorful, terpene-rich “sauce” or otherwise infuses them with terpenes for added flavor.

For many people, live resin diamonds are a “best of both worlds” kind of situation. The THCA diamonds supply incredible potency and a clean, long-lasting euphoric high, while the live resin sauce delivers the never-before-experienced flavors of pure terpenes and all the synergistic effects they provide.

THCA Diamonds vs Live Resin Diamonds: The Takeaway

There’s a lot of products floating around with “diamonds” in the name, and they can cause a good deal of confusion. Here’s how to keep it simple:

THCA diamonds are a highly purified and extremely potent form of THCA, the cannabinoid precursor to THC—and which transforms instantly to THC in the presence of sufficient heat.

While THCA diamonds can be sold and enjoyed on their own, they can also be packaged in a highly flavorful, terpene-rich “sauce” that adds considerable flavor (and the potential synergistic benefits of those aromatic terpenes) to the mix.

This “terp sauce” is often created from live resin, a cannabis concentrate that preserves an unusually high proportion of terpenes. What’s important to remember here is that while “live resin diamonds” contain a live resin-derived “sauce,” live resin doesn’t typically include THCA diamonds.

Explore Premium THCA By The Dopest

With incredible potency and huge flavor, liquid diamonds are one of the hottest products in the hemp world, and only likely to grow in popularity. And if you want to try them today, we can help!

We’re proud to stock the best selection of THCA diamonds and liquid diamonds available anywhere, including 2G liquid diamonds, disposable vapes and more—plus The Dopest’s THCA flower grown right here in the USA from premium genetics.

If you’re itching to learn even more about THCA diamonds vs live resin diamonds—plus the latest and best tips, research, and news on THCA and other hemp compounds—just visit our hemp blog. You’ll find everything you need to get the very most out of these incredible (and fully legal!) cannabinoids.