Not far from the highway, down a stretch near the local sheriff’s station, there’s a high-security facility surrounded by barbed wire. If you happen to drive past, you might catch a sharp, earthy scent in the air, which some call skunky and others say smells like fuel. Either way, it’s unmistakably the scent of cannabis.
The facility is home to District Cannabis, where over 15,000 pounds of marijuana flower are grown annually. Founder and lead cultivator Andras Kirschner proudly calls it their dream “weed factory.” Inside, the air is thick with earthy plant aromas, hints of citrus, and soft floral notes. The familiar strong, skunky odor that used to define marijuana is fading, replaced by sweeter and fruitier profiles as new strains emerge.
According to Pamela Dalton, a Monell Chemical Senses Center smell researcher, the growing popularity of recreational cannabis is pushing the market toward more appealing fragrances. “When people are using it for enjoyment, they want the experience to be pleasant from start to finish,” she explains. This has led to more crossbreeding and new strains with smells that are easier on the nose.
The District Cannabis facility grows thousands of young plants in warm, humid rooms until they’re ready for harvest. Once matured, they’re dried, trimmed, and packaged for sale. Kirschner’s strain, Layer Cake, recently earned top honors in a regional cannabis competition. A related strain called Gelato Cake, also grown on-site, continues to be a strong seller in Maryland and D.C.
Kyle Perrell, operations manager at the facility, says Gelato Cake gives off a complex mix of grape sweetness, a touch of cognac, and a sharp, kerosene-like finish. These layered smells come from terpenes—natural compounds also found in fruits, herbs, and trees. Gelato Cake’s leading terpenes include linalool, caryophyllene, and limonene, which contribute spicy, citrus, and floral notes.
Although many still associate marijuana with that classic skunk smell, new research has identified sulfur compounds as the true source of the strong odor. “We’re extremely sensitive to sulfur,” Dalton says. “Even small amounts can dominate what we smell.” That’s why some strains still hit hard with that pungent scent, even when mixed with more pleasant terpenes.
Each area of the District Cannabis facility carries a signature scent. In one greenhouse, the strain Pavé puts out an intense, earthy, and minty smell. Nearby, in the curing room, Cherry Limeade Cake hangs to dry. Workers in the trimming room carefully shape buds from a new hybrid called Berry Payton, a mix of tropical Runtz and a strain called Gary Payton, filling the air with a blueberry-like scent.
Still, the end goal isn’t just to grow something that smells good. The marijuana grown here goes straight to market, whether as buds, vape oil, edibles, or pre-rolled joints. The facility can produce up to 4 million joints per year, though Kirschner admits they’re not selling at that volume yet.
It would be interesting to hear what long-established cannabis entities like Cronos Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CRON) (TSX: CRON) have to say about the fraction of their customers who still insist on buying products having the classic skunky smell of marijuana in comparison to those who prefer the newer, less pungent aromas.
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