Cannabis production and consumption continues to grow across the world as more states and countries legalize access to cannabis. The ever-increasing access has lead to an explosion of new diverse flavor and aroma classes of cannabis cultivars. These aromas vary from the classic woody, herbal, spicey, and gassy to exotic citrus, tropical, berry, and even savory varietals. However, the current chemical understanding of the chemistry behind these robust aromatic notes is lacking. Historically it had been attributed primarily to terpenes and terpenoids with little if any emphasis on other flavorant classes. We highlight key classes of non-terpenoid flavorant compounds that produce specific aromas, ranging from “sweet or fruity” to “savory or chemical”. We then provide a framework for using this new chemical information for validating the authenticity of a given variety to reduce misassignment or mislabeling of products. Our results not only provide a comprehensive understanding of many popular cannabis varieties on a fundamental chemical level, but also provide a powerful method of comparing and validating various cannabis varieties.