What Is CBD Distillate? Understanding CBD Oil Distillation

You're standing in front of a CBD shelf, or scrolling a product page, and the words distillate, isolate and full spectrum all start to blur together. Here's a quick way to tell them apart. 

CBD distillate is a thick, yellow to honey-colored hemp oil with about 65% to 90% CBD by weight, made through CBD oil distillation, which uses heat and vacuum to remove waxes, plant matter and many terpenes. Manufacturers use it as an ingredient in tinctures, softgels and other finished products.

Below, you'll see how the process works, how distillate differs from extraction and from isolate, and what to check on a label.

Key Takeaways

• CBD distillate is refined hemp extract with about 65% to 90% CBD by weight.
• CBD oil distillation separates compounds by boiling point, and a vacuum lowers the temperature each compound needs.
• Extraction pulls cannabinoids out of the hemp plant. Distillation refines the extract afterward.
• CBD distillate keeps minor cannabinoids, while CBD isolate is about 99% CBD alone. Broad spectrum distillate has THC removed.
• A batch Certificate of Analysis (COA) confirms the CBD percentage, the THC level and the contaminant results.

What Is CBD Distillate?

CBD distillate is a refined hemp oil with about 65% to 90% CBD by weight, plus other cannabinoids and plant compounds. Distillation removes most of the waxes, chlorophyll and plant matter that crude hemp extract carries. The result is a thick oil that manufacturers dilute and blend into finished products.

CBD distillate has 6 defining attributes:

• Appearance: thick, yellow to honey-colored oil.
• CBD content: about 65% to 90% by weight.
• Other cannabinoids: minor cannabinoids such as CBG, CBN and CBC may remain.
• Terpenes: some remain, and distillation removes many of them.
• bvaries by type. Full spectrum distillate keeps trace THC, and broad spectrum distillate has THC removed.
• Role: an ingredient for finished products, not a finished product.

What Is Distillate?

Distillate is any cannabinoid oil refined by distillation. The cannabinoid in the name tells which compound leads the oil: CBD distillate, CBG distillate or CBN distillate. CBD distillate, CBG distillate and CBN distillate follow the same refinement steps, which the next section lays out.

How Does CBD Oil Distillation Work?

CBD oil distillation works in 5 steps: extract, winterize, decarboxylate, distill under vacuum and test.

1. Extract: Pull a crude extract from hemp with CO2 or ethanol.
2. Winterize: Chill an ethanol-based extract to below minus 20 degrees Celsius so waxes solidify, then filter the waxes out.
3. Decarboxylate: Hold the oil at 110 to 135 degrees Celsius for up to one hour, which converts acidic cannabinoids such as CBDA into CBD.
4. Distill: Heat the oil in a vacuum chamber and collect it in two cuts. The terpene cut runs at about 200 to 500 mTorr, a unit of pressure, and removes volatile terpenes. The cannabinoid cut runs at about 0.1 to 10 mTorr and collects the cannabinoids. Normal air pressure is about 760,000 mTorr.
5. Test: Send a sample to a third-party lab, which confirms the CBD percentage, the THC level and the contaminant results on a Certificate of Analysis.

Lower pressure lowers the boiling point of every compound, so the oil needs less heat to vaporize. Short-path systems keep the vapor path brief. Wiped-film systems spread the oil in a thin layer on the heated wall, which shortens the time the oil spends hot. Excess heat degrades cannabinoids, so both designs limit heat exposure. The first step in the list, extraction, is a separate process, and the next section explains how the two differ.

What Is the Difference Between CBD Extraction and CBD Distillation?

CBD extraction removes cannabinoids from the hemp plant, and CBD distillation refines the extract afterward. The table below compares 3 CBD extraction methods and the distillation step across 3 attributes: what each one uses, what it does and where it sits in the process.

Distillation is a refinement step, so it does not replace any of the CBD extraction methods above. NuLeaf Naturals uses CO2 extraction for its hemp extracts. The full breakdown sits in the guide to NuLeaf Naturals' extraction and formulation process. Once an extract is distilled, the next question is how the refined oil compares with isolate.

CBD Distillate vs Isolate: How Do They Compare?

CBD distillate is a refined oil with about 65% to 90% CBD and other plant compounds, while CBD isolate is a crystalline powder with about 99% CBD. The table below compares 3 forms across 6 attributes: form, CBD content, other cannabinoids, terpenes, THC and typical use.

Manufacturers make isolate by purifying one step further: CBD is crystallized until only CBD remains. Distillate keeps minor cannabinoids and some terpenes for terpene profile, while isolate has no companion compounds. Serving strength depends on the milligrams of CBD in each dose, not on the form.

Broad spectrum distillate and isolate are both formulated to be THC-free, although we cannot guarantee that you will pass a drug test after consuming this product. For more on the spectrum types, read the guide to full spectrum vs. broad spectrum CBD and the comparison of full spectrum CBD oil and isolate.

How Does Distillation Affect CBD Oil Purity?

Distillation raises the CBD percentage by removing waxes, chlorophyll, plant matter and many terpenes, but only a lab test confirms CBD oil purity. Purity has 2 meanings. The first is the percentage of the target cannabinoid. The second is the absence of contaminants. A large CBD percentage covers only the first meaning.

A Certificate of Analysis covers both meanings. A full COA reports:

• Potency: the CBD percentage and the other cannabinoids.
• Terpene profile: the terpenes that remain.
• Heavy metals: metals the hemp plant can absorb from soil.
• Pesticides and herbicides: residues from farming.
• Residual solvents: leftovers from extraction.
• Mold and mycotoxins: microbial contaminants.

Match the batch number on the packaging to the batch number on the COA. NuLeaf Naturals products are third-party lab tested, and a COA is available for every batch. The guide on how to read a Certificate of Analysis explains each line. After testing, the refined oil moves into finished products.

How Is CBD Distillate Used in Finished Products?

Manufacturers dilute CBD distillate in a carrier oil or blend it with other ingredients to make tinctures, softgels and similar products. Three methods are common:

• Dilute: Blend distillate into a carrier oil such as organic hemp seed oil to reach a set strength in milligrams per milliliter.
• Fill: Measure distillate into softgels so each capsule holds a fixed milligram amount.
• Combine: Mix CBD distillate with CBG distillate or CBN distillate for a two-cannabinoid formula.

An ingredient list names the extract in use. "Broad Spectrum CBD Distillate" signals a refined oil with THC removed. "Full Spectrum Hemp Extract" signals a whole-plant extract with trace THC. "CBD Isolate" signals a single-compound powder.

Which NuLeaf Naturals Products Are Made With Distillate?

NuLeaf Naturals has 6 products made with USDA Organic Broad Spectrum Distillate.

• Broad Spectrum CBD Oil: 1800mg CBD in 30mL, made with USDA Organic Broad Spectrum CBD Distillate and Organic Hemp Seed Oil.
• Clarity Broad Spectrum Oil: 1500mg total, CBD and CBG, in 30mL, made with USDA Organic Broad Spectrum CBD Distillate, USDA Organic Broad Spectrum CBG Distillate and Organic Hemp Seed Oil.
• Deep Rest Broad Spectrum Oil: 1150mg total, CBD and CBN, in 30mL, made with USDA Organic Broad Spectrum CBD Distillate, USDA Organic Broad Spectrum CBN Distillate and Organic Hemp Seed Oil.
• Organic CBD Pet Oil, Broad Spectrum: 30mL, made with USDA Organic Broad Spectrum CBD Distillate and Organic Hemp Seed Oil.
• CBD Broad Spectrum Softgels: 15mg of CBD per softgel, 60 softgels per bottle.
• CBN Broad Spectrum Softgels: 15mg of CBN per softgel, 60 softgels per bottle.

All 6 products are formulated to be THC-free although we cannot guarantee that you will pass a drug test after consuming this product. The batch COA shows the THC result for each batch. NuLeaf Naturals full spectrum oils use Full Spectrum Hemp Extract and Organic Virgin Hemp Seed Oil instead. The NuLeaf Naturals massage oils are made with CBD isolate or CBN isolate and are for external use.

Read more in the guide to broad spectrum CBD oil, or browse the broad spectrum CBD collection.

What Should You Check Before Choosing a Distillate Product?

Six checks confirm that a product made with distillate matches its label.

1. Read the ingredient list for the extract name: distillate, full spectrum hemp extract or isolate.
2. Match the batch number on the packaging to the batch COA.
3. Check the CBD percentage and the THC result on the COA.
4. Confirm the residual solvent, heavy metal and pesticide results show a pass.
5. Compare the milligrams of CBD per serving, because a percentage alone does not show serving strength.
6. Verify organic claims against a USDA Certified Organic label.

Talk to your doctor before use if you take medication, are pregnant or are nursing. Our Expert Team can help with questions about our products and batch COAs.

*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.