When you cut a plant and hang to dry, the transport of fluids within the plant continues, but at a much slower rate. Stomata close soon after harvest, and drying is slowed since little water vapor escapes. The natural plant processes slowly come to an end as the plant dries. The outer cells are the first to dry, but fluid still moves from the internal cells to supply moisture to outer cells which are dry. When this process occurs properly, plants dry evenly throughout. Removing leaves and large stems upon harvest speeds up drying; however, moisture content within the "dried" buds, leaves and stems is uneven. If buds are dried too quickly, chlorophyll and other pigments, starch, nitrates are trapped within plant tissue, making it taste green, burn unevenly and taste bad.
When dried relatively slowly, over a period of seven days or longer, moisture evaporates evenly in to the air, yielding uniformly dried buds. Slowly dried buds taste sweet and smoke smooth. Taste and aroma improve when pigments breakdown. Slow even drying where moisture content is the same throughout stems, foliage and buds allows enough time for the pigments to degrade. Hanging entire plants to dry allows this process to take place over time.
I enjoy opening my jar and having the freshly trimmed buds literally stinging my nostrils. The aromas are extremely pure and pungent.
I try to end up having between 8%-10% moisture content in my finished buds.