Rebel Wine Ltd: CBD Infused Wine

Are you taking part in the new lockdown trend of the ‘virtual happy hour’? We at The Amazing Blog think it’s a brilliant way to say ‘cheers’ and stay in touch with our family and friends. As regular readers will know, we’re always looking to introduce new kinds of tipples, and today its Rebel Wine with their trio of CBD-infused wines. Yes, our beloved CBD in a very different guise!

Rebel Wine Ltd is a British company founded by Rupert St Aubyn, a wine connoisseur and merchant. After two years of experimentation, they created the perfect formula for CBD-infused wine, commissioning the award-winning South African winemaker Matthew Copeland from Vondeling Estates, to blend and create. St Aubyn had this idea to combine CBD and wine, and when asked why, he said, “CBD is usually served as an oil and can be taken in its natural form using a dropper. However, it has a bitter taste, so is much nicer when combined with food or drink. Blending our wine with CBD worked better than we could have dreamed of. It combines all the goodness of CBD with the highest quality wines imported from South Africa, to make a fabulous drink.”  Rebel Wine’s ethos is: “If you follow all the rules, you miss all the fun” this tongue-in-cheek attitude is reflected in their hip branding and kitsch 50’s vibe.  What makes this trio of wines unique, is that they’re the first CBD-infused wine produced here in the UK.  Each of the three wine varieties is combined with the highest-quality organically grown hemp from Colorado, where all the extraction is done using only the supercritical C02 method. It’s 100% vegan and each can contains 10mg of broad-spectrum CBD with no THC, guaranteeing a safe and completely legal drinking experience. Available in 200ml cans, makes these ideal for picnics or outdoor events. Not only do these cans lower the carbon footprint, but they’re more convenient for a quick glass, portable, fast chilling and easily recyclable. After only three months from their launch, the brand won their first Bronze award in the Beverages category of the Canex 2020 awards.   With a lower alcohol content of around 12.5% ABV, they currently offer a Rose, Sauvignon Blanc and Merlot which are sold at an affordable price of £4.25 each, and for this price you simply can’t go wrong.  

We were sent the Three Can Gift set bundle to try: Merlot, Rose, and Sauvignon Blanc.  Given the option, we prefer to drink our wine from a glass, rather than straight from the can. Something to quickly mention, is that when poured all three of these grape varieties had a noticeably cloudy hue. This is absolutely no reflection on the wine quality, and it’s to do with the CBD infusion. First, let’s talk about our favourite the Merlot, this is a smooth and fruity red wine that is great for everyday drinking. It contains 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 13% ABV. This original Merlot from Vondeling is currently featured in the renowned Platter's Wine Guide in 2020 with 3.5 stars. Rebel Wine recommends drinking this in combination with eggs and bacon butty while listening to (of course) Rebel, Rebel by Bowie! We’d say, with its red fruits, easy tannins and soft finish we prefer to pair it with dark chocolate (yum!) Next, the Rose, this is a refreshingly fruity with a crisp finish and needs to be served chilled. It is a pale blush pink in colour and we think great as a light refreshment and aperitif, as its easily quaffable with or without food. Also made from the Merlot grape, this original Rose wine from Vondeling recently won a Gold at The Annual Rose Rocks Awards in 2020. Finally, the Sauvignon Blanc, is a zesty, light-bodied gooseberry-ish white. It contains 100% Sauvignon Blanc and 12.5% ABV. Again, served chilled, we think this is an everyday drinking wine that marries well with anything from seafood, soft cheeses to a naughty fried chicken takeaway!  All without that taste of hempyness, we applaud Rebel Wine for creating this exceptional trio and can’t wait to try more - perhaps a CBD sparkling wine next? To purchase the Three Can Gift Pack at £14 (3 x 200ml cans), click here.

Broadies Supplements: CBD Antibacterial Hand Sanitiser & Sports Recovery CBD Roll On

We’re all being careful during this lockdown period and are all following the recommended hygiene practices to protect ourselves and others. Therefore, here at The Amazing Blog, we’re always interested in trying new types of hand sanitiser. So, this one with CBD from Broadies Supplements it certainly piqued our interest, together with their handy little Sports Recovery CBD Roll On.

As a small family business, based in Somerset Broadies Supplements was founded by Robert Broad and Esther Dodd when Esther found that CBD was effective in relieving the various pains and issues that she had been enduring for a while. Being quite surprised and smitten with the benefits of this hemp plant, she and Robert decided that they would share their knowledge and appreciation for CBD-infused products with others by creating their own range. With a focus on high-end customer service, their physical and online stores carry a wide range of CBD products for those who need to treat or soothe aches and pains or just calm the mind. These products include topical treatments, oils and tinctures, and edibles offering their customers a wide choice of products which have all been third-party lab tested. You can rest assured that they produce quality CBD products, as Broadies Supplements are members of the Cannabis Trade Association.

With these current pandemic times, we all know how essential it is to keep our hands clean to protect ourselves and loved ones. In these past few months, we’ve learned to place greater importance on wisely choosing the correct hand sanitiser. In the past, when we have selected a basic alcohol-formulated sanitiser, it became only a matter of days before our hands suffered. This is because of the alcohol in the sanitiser removes the protective lipid film on the skin causing dryness. And with winter fast approaching, it is bound to become even worse as we alternate in between the cold and central heating.  We’ve found that a quality hand sanitiser is the answer to help keep our hands clean and hydrated. We found that this 30ml CBD Antibacterial Hand Sanitiser, holds the right amount of alcohol to eliminate any germs with its antibacterial action but has added hydration with other natural compounds. These include aloe vera extract, vitamin E, nerolidol (a naturally occurring sesquiterpene alcohol found plants) and glycerin which work in synergy with the active 63% alcohol. This formula keeps hands soft and protected with the added bonus of the broad-spectrum CBD and its terpenes which ease any uncomfortable dryness or itches to help heal the hands. In each bottle, you will benefit from 30mg of natural CBD extract in this fragrance-free formula. To use, simply spray a small amount on dry hands and massage in until completely dry. This 30ml bottle of CBD Antibacterial Hand Sanitiser is available here for £5.99.

The second product is the Sports Recovery CBD Roll On (Full Spectrum) in a little 10ml glass bottle, which is as convenient as it is effective. it’s ideal for relieving muscle soreness that can be caused either by anxiety or over-exercise. Infused with 500mg of pure CBD from organic hemp plants, it’s available either in broad or full-spectrum (although, we’re a bit confused as Broadies say both are made up of CBD isolate and THC free?!) Either formula can be used to gain benefit for a pain-relieving action. This CBD Sports Recovery Roll-On allows you to target specific pain points, where the CBD starts by interacting with the bodies endocannabinoids to help ease and relax the muscles. In a carrier oil of grapeseed; the essential oils here are ylang-ylang, frankincense, lavender, and chamomile. These all provide a further relaxing and rebalancing action for both mind and body, giving an overall feeling of wellbeing. There is a  subtle fragrance of ylang-ylang and lavender, making it seem like an at-home calming spa moment. This Sports Recovery CBD Roll On has 500mg of CBD isolate and is available in 10ml for £15.99 here. 

We enjoyed using both these products and would highly recommend them if you are looking for a different way to incorporate CBD into your daily lifestyle. Also, in their Somerset shop, they offer a variety of CBD professional massage options, to help cope with chronic pain or just everyday tension. Which after the lockdown you can go online and book in here.

Beckford's White Pearl Rum & Coconut

We can feel the autumn nights drawing in, which of course, now gives us a good excuse to have a warming tot of rum! The Amazing Blog is back with Beckford’s Rum but this time with their new addition of White Pearl Rum & Coconut – yum!

Beckford’s Rums are named after and in honour of the one Beckford from history that Society can be proud of. Henry Beckford was a freed slave who attended the world's first anti-slavery congress by invitation, it was held in 1840 in London.  An ardent abolitionist he was accepted into polite society and became a beacon of light emerging from a dark past. An impression of Henry features on all our bottles and our premium Rum is also called “ Henry”. This range of four Beckford Rums offers the drinker a blend of anything from Rum & Caramel (see here), Black Pearl Spiced Rum & Spiced Pineapple and now the delicious White Pearl Rum & Coconut which we’re sipping now. All their rums have environmentally friendly credentials, as they’re produced in small batches with recyclable packaging and cork stoppers.

This elixir of White Pearl Rum & Coconut is as clear as crystal and with no caramel-like hue. We found this to be a much purer drink than the Rum & Caramel and far less like a liqueur. You may ask, what's the difference between light and dark rum?  When rum is first distilled, it’s always clear; light, silver or white rum is aged for less time than the other varieties. So think of this like a ‘virgin’ rum. Apart from being gluten, vegan and nut-free it’s made with only the finest premium Caribbean rum and baby coconuts. This White Pearl Rum & Coconut comes in a very palatable 25% ABV. Smooth as silk on the palate it tickles the taste buds and with its addition of coconut also gives it a  fantastic aroma. They suggest having this in pineapple juice or pink lemonade – but we preferred this drizzled over some vanilla ice cream! We got sent a 20ml bottle but you can purchase a 70ml bottle here for just £ 25.00. 

Beckford’s Rum & Caramel

OK, it’s time for a hands-up, we admit it, everyone here at The Amazing Blog (including my good self) likes nothing better than to indulge in a sweet tipple. As regular readers will know we’re particularly partial to cream liqueurs (see here) which are somewhat calorific, slip down far too quickly and swiftly add extra inches to our waistlines! So, we were delighted to find a delicious rum liqueur (minus cream) as one of our latest #amazingfinds. Let us Introduce you to Beckford’s Rum & Caramel which has made a very welcome appearance as a digestive here in the office.

This range of Beckford’s Rums are named after and in honour of the one Beckford from history that Society can be proud of. Henry Beckford was a freed slave who attended the world's first anti-slavery congress by invitation, it was held in 1840 in London.  An ardent abolitionist he was accepted into polite society and became a beacon of light emerging from a dark past. An impression of Henry features on all our bottles and our premium Rum is also called “ Henry”. The four Beckford Rums offers the drinker a blend of anything from Rum & Caramel (we have that), Black Pearl Spiced, White Pearl Rum & Coconut to the delicious Rum & Spiced Pineapple. All of which sound eminently quaffable!

Let’s talk about our rum – the Rum & Caramel. This bottle had to be prized out of my hands, as the girls got a little greedy and wanted more than their fair quota. It’s become an award-winning rum and earned Beckford’s a 3 Star in the 2019 Great Taste Awards. What makes this rum so special is its carefully pared recipe, as historically in Regency Britain, rum and caramel were two of the nation’s favourite treats. Beckford’s decided to bring these two delicious flavours together again, and brought this forgotten recipe to life. Apart from being gluten, vegan and nut-free it’s made with only the finest premium Caribbean rum, in case you hadn’t clocked-it already, both the caramel and rum originate from the same plant – sugar cane.  Today this Rum comes in two strengths: 25% ABV (ours) and a more recent addition of the powerful cask strength of 40% ABV.  All their Rums have environmentally friendly credentials, as they’re produced in small batches with recyclable packaging and cork stoppers.  Dare we say this, well we will anyway, we think this would be absolutely delicious poured over strawberries and cream too. This drink has inspired me to share a little drinking ditty with you all: “When I want it – I want it awful bad, when I don’t get it – it makes me sad, and when I do get it, it makes me hot to trot and some. Now don’t get me wrong – I mean a shot of rum!” You can purchase your bottle here for only £ 25.00. 

Afon Mêl - Heather Mead

Regular readers at The Amazing Blog will know, we can’t resist trying a new tipple! If you like us, you thought that honey was something reserved just for your tea and toast, then think again...  Let us introduce you to a honey-based wine, which we found to be so delicious that it rivalled even our most favourite of dessert wines. We’re talking about Afon Mêl’s Heather Mead, whose outstanding pedigree won a 3-Star Great Taste Award in 2019.  You can also see here the video of the judges sampling their Heather Mead here.

Afon Mêl is a family-run honey farm, founded by the Cooper family in 1995 in Ceredigion, Wales. They produce five types of raw honey all which have a unique flavour from the wildflowers from the cwms (a steep-sided hollow) and hedgerows which surround their rural farm. Their bees particularly love the blossoms from sycamore, hawthorn, willow trees, as well as the heather, rosebay, willowherb, clover, blackberries and many more. From one of their special raw honey comes the distinctive flavours that give their Heather Mead its original and characteristic taste.

Mead is made by fermenting honey and water together, this beverage has long earned heritage brewed by monks through the middle ages, and it’s thought to be the oldest alcoholic beverage in the world. Also known as honey wine, mead has been around for millennia with mead makers, sometimes being called ‘mazers’.  The word honeymoon originates from the early tradition of the drink being given to newlyweds. Mead’s been expertly crafted for generations and is mainly responsible for making the Welsh famous and the process of making mead takes place over two year period in order to perfect. One of the key factors in making this beverage is to ferment it at ambient temperatures during the summer months allowing it to mature

Beautifully designed in a slim and elegant bottle, the Heather Mead elixir is golden in colour and fermented using their heather honey which gives a rich almost sherry-like finish.  It’s not a sweet as you might imagine, and they say that it has a slightly smoky taste from the heather. We found it easy to drink (perhaps a little too easy!) and it paired well with pudding or cheese.  Apart from the Heather Mead, Afon Mêl also produce a variety of other flavoured meads including the rather delicious sounding Welsh Chocolate Mead and  Welsh Raspberry Mead. If you’re interested in trying an exciting new tipple, then Heather Mead is for you. The Afon Mêl- Heather Mead is 13% Vol and available in four sizes; we tried the 37.5cl which retails for £11.50 here. We can’t recommend this enough and are certainly tempted to buy a few more bottles of their other Meads and raw honey too.