If you‘re a regular cannabis user and live in a state that permits legal cannabis consumption (THAT'S US, COLORADO!) finding quality products can be a difficult task.

According to the New Frontier Data, cannabis will likely generate $1.3 billion in sales this year. This steady growth of the cannabis industry has also increased the number of suppliers, retailers, dispensaries, and wholesalers. 

Unfortunately, not every weed supplier sells you the quality product you’re looking for. 

This is when you need to have an in-depth knowledge of weed strains to evaluate their quality. It is especially true when you’re looking to buy weed products like top shelf and private reserve. "Private Reserve" and "Top Shelf" are common terms that confuse many cannabis buyers.

Dispensaries sell many qualities of flowers, such as graded, top, mid, low shelf, and private reserve. Whether you’re looking for Marijuana buds or searching for quality Top Shelf products, educating yourself on these classifications is important if you want to save time, money, and frustration. 

Let’s get some details to help you understand the key differences between Private Reserve vs Top Shelf.

What is Private Reserve?

Private Reserve is the most popular cannabis flower and is the highest and purest cannabis available in dispensaries.

Though all cannabis flowers go through growing, drying, and curing processes, Private Reserve has special care procedures. The exclusive curing methods for Private Reserve help restore and preserve the cannabinoids and terpene content levels. 

Cultivators leave small cannabis batches for Private Reserve cannabis products to retain the quality. The most popular type of cannabis flower comes with appealing colors, a strong aroma, and a unique bud structure. Typically, it has the highest price tag. 

In the cannabis market, products are divided into four categories:

Compassion or White Horse Bud is the first-tier.

The mid-grade comes next, and Top Shelf is the third tier.

Private Reserve tops all tiers with its high quality and price.

Private Reserve is considered high-quality if it includes a rich trichomes coating, deep and bright blues, greens, purples, and ideal texture. The moisture level is also high to provide the best smoking experience to users.

Note that the strains of Private Reserves are fairly rare. This is the reason why they are the most celebrated product among cultivators. The premium Private Reserve is lab tested for metals and pesticides. 

The tests are also important for determining cannabinoids and terpenes. Most consumers and users seek out Private Reserves because of the high levels of THC.

What is Top Shelf?

Top Shelf is a fantastic variety of cannabis flowers that many consumers prefer over other varieties. It has a different aroma, typically pungent and stronger.

The buds on the Top Shelf are fat and dense. The cannabis product is completely coated in unique trichomes. 

As the Top Shelf contains rich trichomes and a complex terpene profile, it offers consumers a pleasant experience when they get high on this weed. Typically, the bud of Top Shelf has a bright color and is stickier than Private Reserve. 

The smell is also not consistent and varies depending on the strain and terpene profiles. Regardless of the strain, the smell of Top Shelf is powerful.

The taste of Top Shelf is good but doesn’t have the rich flavors Private Reserve has. Top-shelf marijuana contains substantially higher THC content than Private Reserves. 

The Top Shelf has a THC level of around 20 to 30 percent. Concentrates can have a THC potency of around 40 to 80 percent. That is why the weed smokes and tastes better. You may get really high on Top Shelf weed. But the synergy from different cannabinoids gives a balanced feeling. 

The high-quality, top-shelf weed doesn’t use any fertilizers or chemical pesticides. However, you must buy from reliable suppliers and know how to separate the high-grade weed from its low-grade counterparts.

Characteristics of Private Reserve vs. Top Shelf

One feature that sets Private Reserve from Top Shelf or any other weed is the quality of care provided to the cannabis plant.

It is definitely a higher grade than Top Shelf as the materials and conditions growers use for these flowers are controlled. Plus, Private Reserves are grown in smaller batches than Top Shelf. The growers are much more experienced.

THC levels are also different in Private Reserves and Top Shelf. Private Reserve is a potent product that comes with THC levels of around 20 percent. The percentage isn’t ideal for new users, but if you’re a seasoned user, it can give you a deep, comforting, and blissful experience.

On the other hand, Top Shelf has a 40 percent THC level which is higher than Private Reserve. It is also not ideal for new consumers. Private Reserve is the most expensive type of cannabis.

However, many consumers are fine with buying mid-grade weed like Top Shelf. If you don’t smoke much and want to save money, mid-grade weed such as Top Shelf is the right choice.

You can save up to $10 on buying flower by using weed deals here on Cannasaver. 

Also, you can get the best deal for Mix & Match 8 Gram’s of Top Shelf to save $149.

If you’re looking to buy high-quality marijuana, our site has a comprehensive collection of deals and discounts. All you need to do is keep an eye on the deals on the site to find the best offers on top-shelf and Private Reserve cannabis without going over budget.

Finding premium quality weed is challenging if you don’t know the primary differences between the most used varieties, such as Private Reserve and Top Shelf.

Ask your budtender for private reserve and top shelf options!