Cannabis Basics
Linalool Terpene: Effects, Flavours and Cannabis Strains
Linalool is a terpene that’s found in more than 200 plants and takes partial credit for the scent of Earl Grey tea and even some wines.
Last updated March 13, 2025 | Published on January 4, 2021
Our terpene spotlight is an in-depth exploration of the 5 most common terpenes found in cannabis: myrcene, pinene, limonene, and beta-caryophyllene.
Quick refresher: Terpenes are fragrant oils found in plants that produce unique flavours and aromas. Linalool is found in flowers and foliage, releasing aromas you might recall from the flower shop or the aromatherapy blends from your last spa visit. Here, you’ll discover where to find linalool in nature and on the shelves, what the research has to say about its effects and some recommendations for cannabis strains high in linalool.
What does linalool smell like?
Unlike its more literally named peers limonene and pinene, linalool has a more complex floral aroma that’s a bit harder to pin down. In different concentrations and different terpene profiles, it can come across floral, spicy, woody scent or even tropical in aroma. Linalool is most well-known for being the dominant component of lavender, although it’s also found in other aromatic plants like mint and cinnamon.
Linalool is an essential ingredient in many perfumes. Its soft, nuanced aroma makes it extremely versatile as a blender in many perfume categories, enhancing the crispness of citrus, adding warmth to amber and depth to woody scents.
Each cannabis strain has a rich bouquet of its own, and many terpenes that work together to create a complex aroma profile. Though linalool is most famously floral, it may come across in cannabis in herbaceous, earthiness and subtle spiciness, offering notes that might remind you of basil, cinnamon or rosewood.
What does linalool taste like?
The taste linalool offers depends a lot on its concentration and combination with other flavours, but it primarily has a creamy, floral but not overly sweet taste. Some other ways linalool shows up is in the brightness of citrus juice (whereas limonene is more concentrated in the peel) and in the spicy zippiness of flavours like citrus and mint.
Where is linalool found?
Linalool is found in hundreds of plant species, serving two roles. Much like perfumers that use linalool to create attractive scents, plants produce linalool to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies. At the same time, linalool repels pests and harmful insects that threaten the plant. Some people use lavender oil, rich in linalool, to naturally repel fruit flies, mosquitoes and house flies. Natural sources of linalool include:
- lavender
- rosewood
- coriander
- basil
- camphor
- citrus blossoms
- mint
- cinnamon
Commercially, linalool is extremely versatile, from food and beverages to household products to pharmaceutical uses. It adds a natural freshness that balances out synthetic taste in imitation fruit profiles like blueberry and contributes depth and sweetness to cola and chocolate flavours.
Linalool also acts as a natural deodorizer and mild antimicrobial in cleaning products. It may offer a natural alternative for people who are sensitive to the harsh chemical smell of some disinfecting products.
Lastly, linalool is used in vitamin synthesis, as a starting material to make compounds such as vitamin E and retinoids.
Some products where you might find linalool are:
- toiletries like soaps, shampoos and lotions
- perfumes and deodorants
- laundry detergents
- all-purpose cleaners
- air fresheners
- fruit and chocolate-flavoured foods
- teas
- baked goods
- natural insect repellents
What are the reported effects of linalool?
Traditionally, people have used linalool-rich lavender in aromatherapy for its calming properties, but what does modern science say? Studies done with mice have shown that inhaling linalool (one of the two main terpenes in lavender) can result in a calming effect. Another study showed that when mice were injected with caffeine and then inhaled linalool, their level of hyperactivity was reduced to near normal, counteracting the effects of the injected caffeine.
Are cannabis strains with linalool calming?
Given that lavender’s calming effects are linked to linalool, could cannabis strains containing this terpene offer similar benefits? The answer remains unclear. More research on the subject, especially as it relates to humans and cannabis, is needed to say for sure.
In any case, there are many factors that contribute to your experience with a strain, and anxiety is a commonly reported side effects of cannabis consumption, even in strains containing linalool. Overconsuming cannabis is always risky, no matter the terpene profile.
The bottom line: There isn’t enough evidence to support claims connecting linalool in cannabis with any specific effects. You can, however, use a strain’s terpene profile to choose your favourite aroma or taste.
