Gas or gassy is a term that refers to the aroma of certain types of marijuana. Shorthand for “gasoline,” it refers to the pungent, refined, fuel smell of many popular strains. A gas or fuel smell can be synonymous with peppery or spicy, and is often astringent, biting, bitter, and earthy.
A gas aroma is one of the main, in-demand attributes of cannabis, alongside candy and grape aromas. The gas or pepper smell in cannabis is linked to the terpenecaryophyllene, but the full aroma profile of cannabis comes from the combination and amounts of terpenes. For example, myrcene can be a secondary or tertiary terpene that shapes the smell of the dominant caryophyllene. Gassy strains are often associated with caryophyllene combined with myrcene and limonene—see Sour Diesel.