The word “charas” is used to describe a specific type of cannabis concentrate that has been used and produced in India, Nepal, and other countries in South Asia for hundreds of years. The way it’s made is even more interesting: rather than extract THC using dried plant material (how hashish and other concentrates are made), charas is made with the resin gathered from live or freshly-cut cannabis while harvesting. The resin is then rolled up into a perfectly round ball that sparkles from the cannabis crystals and looks like a galaxy sitting in the palm of your hand.
The name Charas as a cannabis brand name was inspired by the novel Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts. Shantaram follows Lindsay, a hardened criminal, who escapes prison in Australia and flees to India. Lindsay’s new life in Mumbai, India introduces him to an array of characters including an organized crime group , who later become his best friends. The mumbai gang uses charas like a sacrament before attentively reflecting on their lives and to contemplate the tough decisions they face daily. Their use of charas is reminiscent of the way professionals in The West contemplate business decisions with one another over several glasses of top-shelf whisky.
One brand of whisky that stands out for their creativity is Boutique-y. Boutique-y releases small batches of different types of whisky (scotch, rye, bourbon, etc) with creative, artistic labels.
Navigating the legal landscape of the California Cannabis Industry is a little tricky. Any cannabis sold within legal cannabis retailers must have come from a cultivation facility that has both state and local licenses. Most cultivation facilities dedicate a considerable amount of their grow space to strains of cannabis with a large yield, so they can maximize their profit. However, both large and small cultivation facilities with creative times are dedicating small areas for experimental strains of their own creation — where Charas comes in.
Like Boutique-y, Charas’s model is to collaborate with brands and cultivators to co-launch new, funky, and rare cannabis strains with individual artwork that embodies the product’s character.
Charas is able to collaborate with multiple cultivators because by utilizing California’s law that allows for white-labeling. The law helps Charas function as a stand-alone brand, and makes them capable of working compliantly with as many companies within California, leaving the brand to focus on releasing unique products, elegant artwork, and targeting new cannabis users.
Charas is currently only focused on launching flower-related products; specifically 8ths and pre-rolls. Keep an eye out for their products at a cannabis retailer nearby.
