Archive for the ‘Product Review’ Category
Review. Gincanna Hemp-Infused Gin
Adding CBD oil to drinks has become de rigeur in the past year or two. Even Coca Cola has expressed interest in entering the market. So when I first heard of CBD-infused alcoholic drinks I was intrigued. Gincanna is a result of a joint venture between CBD company Ev8 Life and Selkirk Distillers and it certainly offers a new twist on your usual G&T.
It’s not about the therapeutic or ‘wellness’ properties of CBD, it’s about flavour, so gin is the obvious candidate for such an idea because it is essentially a neutral tasting spirit infused with juniper berries and other botanicals which give each product its individual flavour.
To those who find the taste of CBD oil quite disgusting this may seem strange! Please take it from me that cannabis can provide a very pleasant flavour ingredient if used properly. The classic hash brownie is perhaps the best example. A good recipe delivers a delicious earthy, herbal richness which blends very well with moist chocolate cake. Gincanna successfuly achieves the same sort of alchemy and although it’s a completely different context, it’s equally delightful.
Taking my tasting responsibilities very seriously, I sampled Gincanna neat to begin with, not something I would usually do with gin. The earthy taste is not very prominent but remarkably when you add tonic and lemon that seems to bring it out.
It’s a successful blend, more than just a talking point and with the boom in trendy gin brands this is something that could do very well. Gordons, Bombay Sapphire or Gincanna, the choice is yours and it will be good to see it offered in all the most fashionable bars and at the most sophisticated occasions. I can personally verify that a Ginacanna and tonic goes down very well on a summer’s evening with a nice, fat joint!
Review. ‘Cannabis Health’ Magazine
This is a milestone in cannabis law reform. A glossy magazine, produced to the highest standard, fit to sit alongside Country Life, Cosmopolitan or Vogue. It treats the subject with intelligence, with insight and the stories it tells are told with respect, sensitivity and common sense.
It would be easy to have made this sensationalist, to have made exaggerated claims, launched strident attacks on those who still oppose consumption of the plant or fallen into the trap of folklore rather than science, magic rather than medicine. The publishers have hit the bullseye with the right tone and style and provided it reaches the right coffee tables, perhaps doctors waiting rooms, it will help to drive reform. Never before have I been moved by a magazine but this represents the achievement of a level of acceptance that sometimes I doubted I would see in my lifetime.
CLEAR was able to contribute to this first issue, introducing our members, Robert Cohen and Marie Emma Smith, whose stories of how cannabis has transformed their lives are beautifully told and I am honoured to have been interviewed as part of a feature on the campaign.
It’s intended to be quarterly but I won’t be surprised if it takes off and becomes monthly before very long. There is a huge reservoir of advertising expenditure which has been stymied by the short-sighted attitude of social media companies. It will be poetic justice if traditional publishing can do well out of the reintroduction of this traditional medicine. A free, one year, postal subscription is available to the first 10,000 people to register by emailing chloe@aspectpublishing.co.uk
There is still a logjam of prejudice and lack of understanding, particularly amongst cowardly politicians and a medical establishment that feels threatened by a subject where patients know more than doctors. ‘Cannabis Health’ wll help to break this down. The sheer weight of public support, enthusiasm and real life experience will soon leave these sceptics desperate to catch up. Get yourself a copy and enjoy quality writing about cannabis published in print rather than online. The world is changing!
CBD Switzerland. Whole Plant Extract From Swiss-Grown Industrial Hemp.
Although something in my value system, no doubt instilled in my now very distant childhood, tells me that medicine is supposed to taste bad, there is no strict correlation between nasty taste and powerful effect. Some cannabis extracts taste foul, others are bearable and there a few that capture the distinctive, earthy taste of the plant and are really very nice.
The first time I saw a bottle of CBD Switzerland oil, I was pretty sceptical. It’s virtually crystal clear and I thought this is isolate in a carrier oil or it’s had all the goodness refined out of it – but the taste is just wonderful. The new trend for cooking with cannabis is a strange mix of hype, ignorance, fad-of-the-moment veganism and in a few cases its about getting high but there is a cannabis taste that is really desirable and works well in both sweet and savoury dishes. CBD Switzerland has captured that taste in a bottle.
The lab tests and a week of regular use confirmed for me that this is very much the real thing. There are other oils that I also rate very highly for taste but the combination of taste and clarity is stunning and I expect it is what more and more consumers will be looking for as the CBD market matures. This is probably the most modern, consumer friendly oil on the market. No doubt, a little further down the line, the same expertise in extraction and refinement can be applied to a THC product and that will be a winner.
CBD Switzerland offers its oil in virtually any specification required, either zero THC or with the trace levels that are present in a full spectrum extract from plants with 0.2% THC. Standard concentrations are 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% or 25% in either hempseed or MCT carrier oil. Full spectrum soft gels are available containing 10mg CBD each. Recently a THC-free distillate has been added with either 95% or 75% CBD content, a full spectrum, liposomal, water soluble mix and CBD vape liquid. As a white label supplier, CBD Switzerland offers everything that a CBD business could need to formulate and produce its own products.
Review. ‘The Beginner’s Guide to Medical Cannabis’ by Prof. Michael Barnes
There was just one word which came immediately to mind as I began to read this book – clear. It is a paragon of clarity and although I am very familiar with Mike’s writing, in personal emails as well as published works, he has exceeded my expectations and this is a truly excellent book.
In fact, I think it undersells itself. It is far from a ‘beginner’s guide’, it is a definitive guide and without overcomplicating anything, it covers everything of importance, accurately and clearly. There is also a place for a more technical guide but that is for a tiny audience. If doctors would read this book it would provide them with everything they need to know and a lot more than they do know about many drugs they prescribe every day.
It provides an excellent explantion of what cannabis is and how it works and a very practical guide to the endocannabinoid system. It looks at which medical conditions cannabis can help with, side effects, drug interactions and the legal position in different parts of the world. It also covers the history of cannabis and its prohibition.
Mike is unerringly accurate and I couldn’t find the slightest thing that I disagreed with, which is extremely unusual for a pedant like me. The proof reading leaves a lot to be desired and this is something I have noticed in several recently published books. It seems to be something publishers are skimping on. So while there’s no need to die in a ditch for it, mistakes like this, on page 111, are best avoided: “Wild cannabis, sometimes known as feral cannabis or dickweed[sic]…”
I hope Mike will forgive me when I say that this book really does make the truth about cannabis clear. Buy it here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beginners-Guide-Medical-Cannabis-Guides/dp/1912798069
Review. Cannectar Honey-Infused CBD
Cannectar Honey CBD Syringe 1000mg
There is now a wealth of different CBD products on the market. All sorts of oils, pastes, capsules, sprays, lozenges, creams. It’s a wonderful ingredient that can be added to almost anything we consume.
I’m fortunate in that I am sent a lot of products to try, so when I decide which to write about, I choose those that I buy for myself.
I was sent a selection of Cannectar products by CBD-UK and I was quite taken with the sugar-free and not-too-sweet sweets (sweetened with Stevia) but it was this honey-infused CBD paste that really caught me. It is delicious! If you like CBD in your coffee this is a particularly fine way of adding it. Squirt out an inch or two and whisk it into an unsweetened espresso. A gorgeous mix which meant I finished the whole syringe very quickly. So yes, I went to the website and ordered two more right here: https://www.cbd-uk.com/cannectar-honey-cbd-syringe-1000mg
At first, I was hesitant about a syringe as the packaging but it is practical and it dispenses accurately and cleanly which is exactly what is needed.
This is now a regular part of my morning routine. Tea, breakfast then about half a dozen double espressos, two of which I will dose with CBD. It’s what keeps me going!
Review. Flower Power CBD Infused Coffee
My name is Peter and I am a coffee addict.
I am hopelessly dependent, both physically and psychologically. Even more serious for the long term is that I really like my thick, sweet, very strong espresso and I have neither the desire nor any intention to give up!
Compared to coffee, my relationships with cannabis and alcohol, my other daily habits, are free and easy. I can do without even if I’d rather not. Once I walk away from my keyboard in the early evening then a beer and firing up my vaporiser are my cues to switch off and relax. But I can go without. Not without the thick black stuff though. I cannot get to lunchtime caffeine-free.
So the opportunity to combine coffee with CBD is right up my street. I’ve tried it before and I’ve also tried a wider spectrum of cannabinoids in coffee. It’s a marriage made in heaven. A caffeine kick mellowed with a cannabis cuddle, or a cwtch as we say in Wales.
From the Flower Power coffee range, I chose Morning Glory. It promises strength and South American stimulation. I wasn’t disappointed. It is truly delicious, blending excellent coffee with the earthy taste of CBD extract in a way that really works. It’s very easy to get this wrong. Some of the hemp coffee I’ve tried has been truly disgusting, managing to capture the very worst flavour of the nastiest, most bitter CBD oil you’ve ever tried. Flower Power have got this right, it’s gorgeous. As they used to say about that other black stuff, it tastes good and it does you good!
To order or for further information go to the website: http://flowerpowercoffeeco.uk/ or contact Scott Hardacre, National Sales Director at: info@flowerpowercoffeeco.uk
Review. Hydrology 9 Vaporiser.
The Hydrology 9 has reawakened my enthusiasm for vaporisers. It has its faults but overall this is a great machine and a real advance in vaporiser technology. It also has one nifty little feature that is very simple but makes a huge difference. It’s genius in fact and more of this later.
I’ve assessed it over about four weeks and all that remains is to see how well it lasts. This is an expensive machine at around £200.00 and if it packs up after a few months that isn’t going to be any good. I have high hopes though. Like all vaporisers it does need looking after and regular cleaning. The problem with some is that the dismantling and cleaning is what causes them to deteriorate.
The first and golden rule about vaporisers is that they all take practice before you learn to use them properly. Each one is different and until you get the ‘knack’ they can all seem very frustrating. The Hydrology 9 is no exception and it took me a week before it finally started working for me. As usual, I was at the point of giving up and then suddenly everything clicked. Another three weeks on and it’s become a very special friend, I am loving it!
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The most dramatic effect of starting to use it regularly is that my consumption of cannabis has plummeted. What I would put in one neat joint fills the Hydrology 9 about six times over, far more than I want to consume in a whole evening. The quality of the high is much better as well, smoother, cleaner, fresher and, well, higher! If you’ve never really appreciated vaping before, the breakthrough comes when you realise that half of the effect from smoking a joint is the carbon monoxide fugging up your brain. I’ll never stop smoking joints because I enjoy them and sometimes nothing else will do but vaporising has to be first choice.
It’s very well made. The water chamber isn’t entirely leak free but not so that it’s a problem as long as you keep it tightly closed at both ends. You load it at the bottom by unscrewing the bottom lid to reveal a small chamber. When you screw the lid back on there’s an outer revolving ring that operates a stirrer inside the chamber. This is the genius feature that I was referring to. It enables you to stir the weed while you’re actually vaping it, ensuring the hot air reaches all the way through and it’s thoroughly consumed. A simple but incredibly effective idea that I’m sure we will soon see on other vaporisers.
My only reservation is that I don’t think the battery is powerful enough. I have settled on using it at its fourth highest out of five heat settings. If it’s freshly charged then it will just about last for three or four fully-loaded chambers – but only just. You have to be careful to give it a rest before each inhalation. Go back on it too quickly and the heat will drop right off. Of course, you do get used to it and learn to adapt the way you operate it but I would definitely prefer a more powerful battery. This raises one other concern about its longevity. How long will the battery last and what will it cost to replace it? My favourite to date handheld vaporiser has been the Puri5 Magnum 2. My best investment with this has been to purchase three spare batteries and a mains charger. It’s very easy to swop an exhausted battery for a new one and I always have one fully charged on standby. This, perhaps with a more powerful battery is the only significant improvement I would like to see in the Hydrology 9.
Overall I rate the Hydrology 9 extremely highly and although I haven’t yet come to a final conclusion, it may well yet take the accolade of being my favourite ever vaporiser.
Review: The SteamCloud Mini Vape Cartridge Battery
This product is genius. It makes vape cartridges even more convenient and easy to use.
Since I first experienced quality vape pen cartridges I’ve become convinced they are the future of cannabis, both as a consumer product for adults and as a medicine. They are neat, clean, convenient and if you choose a reputable brand they are the safest, most effective method of consuming cannabis. The most important factors are that they are made by a safe extraction process which nowadays usually means CO2 extraction and that the oil is ‘winterised’. This means it goes through a secondary process to remove plant waxes, lipids, fats and chlorophyll. The purified product is then safe for vaping.
Of course, in the UK it’s not easy to get hold of any vape cartridges. There are some good CBD products available and for anyone using these I highly recommend they invest in a SteamCloud Mini from NY Vape Shop. I had to turn to the delights available in California to give the SteamCloud the sort of test it deserves. I sampled a few cartridges from Absolute Xtracts. All I can say is it is an absolute tragedy that these lovely little containers of bliss are not obtainable in the UK, in fact nowhere outside California. If you get to take a trip to one of the enlighted US states where such products are available, you can certainly find similar cartridges and in my opinion, the SteamCloud Mini is the best way to use them.
It charges up quickly using the usual USB cable. You have to screw on a small magnetic cap to the cartridge first (two are provided in the box) and then this lovely little device just seems to nestle perfectly in the hand, much nicer than the long and rather flimsy vape ‘pens’ which most people are using. It’s also an extremely powerful battery giving big clouds of vapour and lasting a long time.
So I give the SteamCloud Mini ten out of ten. I’d say for the modern cannabis consumer it’s as essential as your pack of kingsize papers used to be.
Darkest Hour.
This film is brilliant. The first movie I have watched in years where it felt too short rather than too long. Instead of self indulgence from a director with far too high an opinion of his work, this is beautifully crafted, paced and at the end I was thinking “no, surely it can’t be over now?”
The final minute delivers the most massive emotional punch which had me reeling and as the credits began to roll the tears followed them down my face.
Just magnificent.
Review: The Saber Vape Pen
I’ve enjoyed trying out the Saber Vape Pen over the last couple of months. It’s a vape pen for concentrates: wax, shatter, oil and all types of cannabis extracts with textures ranging from brittle toffee to gloopy sludge. In use, the main difference is how easy it is to get the gloop into the bowl – and sometimes it’s not easy, it quickly becomes a sticky mess!
Of course the sort of product that this is designed for isn’t easily available in the UK, so I turned to California for a selection of the delights available there. I asked for wax but ended up with two types – the first was called shatter but it wasn’t at all brittle, in fact it’s soft and pliable. The second, which seems to be the latest thing, is known as juice. It’s a very smooth and thick oil that goes stringy when you pick it up with a dab tool and you have to twist it like spaghetti round a fork to try and poke it into the bowl. I had a selection of strains: Banana OG, Blue Sherbet, Pineapple Express, Nug Run, King Louis OG, Juliet, Starfighter – yes I was that kid in a sweet shop!
Concentrate pens are essentially very simple devices. They consist of a battery, a bowl and a mouthpiece. The bowl heats up when you press a button and usually it can be set to three different heat levels. The big difference is in the technology that the bowl uses, either dual quartz coils, literally two tiny coils at the bottom of the bowl that heat up or a ceramic bowl that is just a clean, uncluttered reservoir where the bottom of the bowl heats up. The ceramic bowl seems preferable but in practice dual quartz coils generally works a bit better but are more difficult to clean. You really have to try for yourself to see which you prefer.
The Saber comes with both types of bowl and I prefer the dual quartz coils. The unique feature of the Saber is that it holds together magnetically. The battery connects to the bowl with a magnet which in turn connects to the mouthpiece with magnet, there’s no screw thread at all. This is convenient and it works well but where it falls down is in connecting to the charger which is also achieved with a magnet. This means that you always have to use the Saber charger and not one of the standard chargers of which I have many. This is inconvenient and if you lose or break the Saber charger you’re going to have to buy a new one.
All concentrate pens work in a very similar way and it’s difficult to differentiate between them. The type of mouthpiece, its size, the overall size of the pen, all these factors effect how each pen works and, to be honest, I think it’s just a question of getting used to each type and learning its idiosyncracies. I do like the Saber. I have tended to stick with it although I have another three or four in my drawer. I find it a handy size, it’s not too harsh as some pens can be and, with the exception of the magnet connection to the charger I have nothing to criticise about it.
If you haven’t used a concentrate vape pen before and experienced the effect of a good quality concentrate and the wonderful flavour and intense hit, then it’s something you can really look forward to. Take it slow! It’s very easy to rip your throat out if you pull too hard and as most of these concentrates are 80% THC and more, it’s very easy to blow your brains out! Even for an experienced cannabis consumer, be careful, these are very, very powerful and you need to learn how to use them so that the experience is safe and enjoyable. When you get it right though, there’s not really anything to beat it. It’s clean, convenient, wonderful flavour and you’re inhaling far less smoke or vapour than by any other method. In my opinion, this is the best way to consume cannabis.
My Saber Vape Pen came from NY Vape Shop. Thank you to them for giving me the opportunity to try it.
Peter Reynolds 