Holistic Hemp Scotland is one of the leading CBD brands in the UK and focuses on quality products and ethical growing. Check out our full review below .
About Holistic Hemp Scotland
Founded in 2016 by Alexander Sikorsky and Kyle Esplin, Holistic Hemp Scotland was born out of the desire to create a high-quality CBD extract for the UK market sourced from the most organic and ethical hemp farmers in Europe (from the Alps).
Like Endoca Raw, they have developed a range of full-spectrum products containing both CBD+CBDA (Cannabidiolic Acid), the acidic precursor – or raw state of CBD and are known for their CBD paste which contain a high percentage of CBD (up to 18.5%).
It’s also one of the only companies in the world to offer their customers three options of oil carrier when purchasing their products, including hempseed oil, MCT oil and olive oil.
Holistic Hemp CBD oil is made of full-spectrum CBD and contains no artificial preservatives, no GMOs and no pesticides. As a full-spectrum product, their CBD products have all the other all-natural hemp extracts such as CBDv (Cannabidivarin) and CBG (Cannabigerol), as well as the naturally-occurring terpenes, flavonoids, and Omega acids which can be found in both full and broad spectrum CBD.
As a full-spectrum CBD, their products contain traces of THC (the limit in the UK being 0.2%) will give you all the benefits from the full-entourage effect – a physiological phenomenon wherein the properties of active hemp compounds appear to be more powerful when consumed together rather than by themselves individually.
Their products are all derived from organic hemp plants that are grown under the highest agricultural directives in Europe (French & Swiss Alps) and their products are made in Scotland.
Holistic Hemp UK CBD oil is vegan friendly, gluten-free, organic, GMO free, lab tested and contains less than 0.2% THC (as per UK law), ensuring you get the purest CBD possible.
Holistic Hemp Scotland has developed a great range of CBD products, including an Alpine range and a range of full-spectrum products containing both CBD+CBDA.
Holistic Hemp Scotland CBD Review
Holistic Hemp Scotland has been officially tested by the CBD Unboxed team and products have not been gifted by the brand. As such, this review is 100% independent and based on our personal findings.
The CBD Unboxed Story
I founded CBD Unboxed because I suffer from bilateral femoroacetabular impingement (known as FAI), a painful condition in which extra bone grows on the head of the femur (hip joint), giving the bones an irregular shape.
Because they do not fit together perfectly, the bones rub against each other during movement. Over time this friction can damage the joint, causing pain and resulting in arthritis of the hip joint.
To manage my pain and to avoid relying on traditional painkillers which have known side effects, I turned to more natural products and found CBD to be a godsend. I have been using CBD for the past 3 years and want to share my experience so you too can experience the health benefits of CBD which include pain relief, improved sleep, reduced anxiety and more. If you want to find out more, check out this article on the health benefits of CBD.
Each brand is tested by myself and the rest of the CBD Unboxed team for a period of 2 weeks, and is then rated across 7 key metrics including:
- Product Efficacy
- Taste
- Value for Money
- Shipping & Delivery
- Customer Reviews
- Product Range
- Lab Testing
At the end of this article we have also hand-picked the best CBD products from Holistic Hemp Scotland.
Our Test: Holistic Hemp 10% Alpine CBD Oil
The test carried out by the CBD Unboxed team focused on their 1000mg Alpine CBD Oil (10% concentration with MCT oil carrier) which contains all the terpenes, flavonoids and cannabinoids, but is THC free, and as such benefits from the entourage effect. During the two-week period, we took 20mg of CBD in the morning on an empty stomach, followed by 10mg at lunchtime and a further 10mg an hour before bedtime, giving us a total of 40mg of CBD per day.
Holistic Hemp Scotland CBD oil is made of full-spectrum CBD and contains no artificial preservatives, no GMOs and no pesticides. Their full-spectrum product has all the other all-natural hemp extracts such as CBN (Cannabinol), CBDv (Cannabidivarin), CBG (Cannabigerol), CBC (Cannabichromene) and CBT (Cannabitriol), as well as the naturally-occurring terpenes, flavonoids, Omega acids and THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) + CBDa (Cannabidiolic acid).
For their full-spectrum CBD, Holistic Hemp Scotland have focused on maximising the entourage effect – a physiological phenomenon wherein the properties of active hemp compounds appear to be more powerful when consumed together rather than by themselves individually – through the preservation of synergy between the plants cannabinoids, terpenoids and flavonoids.
Their products are all derived from organic hemp plants that are grown under the highest agricultural directives in Europe and their products are made in the UK.
The characteristics of their 1000mg Alpine (10%) CBD oil are detailed below.
| Characteristics | |
| CBD oil | 10% CBD oil |
| CBD type | Full-spectrum |
| Oil carrier | MCT, Hemp and Olive oil |
| Hemp origin | Europe |
| Extraction | CO2 |
| Lab tested? | Yes |
| Laboratories | PhytoVista |
| Entourage effect? | Yes |
| Flavour | Unflavoured |
| Cost per day | £0.91 (20mg) |
| Our rating | 7.8 / 10 |
Be aware that results may vary depending on your personal requirements so be sure to check the dosage recommendations before taking any CBD products.
So how well did Holistic Hemp Scotland full-spectrum CBD perform?
Product Efficacy (7/10)
Good CBD Oil for Pain Relief
Holistic Hemp full-spectrum CBD oil has moderate analgesic (i.e. to relieve pain) and anti-inflammatory properties. The oil is left under the tongue for 30-60 seconds and absorbed quickly into the bloodstream. It gets to work within 30 minutes and in my case it has provided me with decent pain relief throughout the 2 weeks, but I haven’t been able to completely stop taking traditional pain killers as my hip still felt inflamed and stiff, despite my daily CBD intake.
By taking 5 drops (20mg) of their 10% full-spectrum CBD oil immediately after a tough workout in the morning (on an empty stomach), an additional 2.5 drops (10mg of CBD) just before lunch and 2.5 drops (10mg of CBD) just before bedtime, the hip pain experienced has certainly improved and it’s given me a better quality of life. However, the 40mg daily intake was not sufficient on days where I increased my physical activity, resulting in increased discomfort. So on those days, I’ve had to resort to using pain killers as the effects of the CBD wouldn’t last more than 2-3 hours.
Immediately after I stopped taking Holistic Hemp’s Alpine CBD at the end of the two-week product trial, I did notice that my hip felt stiffer and that the pain was returning, especially first thing in the morning. I also started to experience severe pain and discomfort after my morning workout, which clearly shows that whilst Holistic Hemp’s CBD may not be the most efficient on the market, it was certainly beneficial and helped reduced both hip pain and inflammation of the hip joint.
Excellent Relaxing Properties
An area where Holistic Hemp Scotland Alpine CBD performed well was related to sleep and stress. By taking 10mg of their Alpine CBD just before going to bed, it helped me drift to sleep more easily. So if you struggle to go to sleep in the evening or if you often wake up in the middle of the night, then we’d recommend you check out their CBD oils as they seem to have great relaxing properties.
If stress is an issue in your life, you may also want to try their CBD as the relaxing properties are not just linked to sleep, but also to overall stress and anxiety. During the two-week product test, the whole team reported feeling calmer and more relaxed, which may have been linked to Holistic Hemp CBD oil.
So if your aim is to use CBD oil for pain relief – conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, headache disorders – Holistic Hemp Scotland Alpine CBD oil can provide the necessary relief, although from our experience, there seems to be a few more efficient CBD oils on the market.
However, if your aim is to improve sleep or reduce stress and anxiety, then we would highly recommend you check out their CBD oils.
Taste (9/10)
Taste: A Strong Flavour Profile
When we first started taking Holistic Hemp Scotland 10% Alpine CBD oil, we noticed that the colour of the oil is quite dark in comparison to some of the other CBD oils we tested, which would have suggested a less palatable CBD oil. However, after taking it for two weeks, it is fair to say that their CBD has quite a nice flavour profile. When swallowing the oil after leaving it under the tongue for 30-60 seconds, you will certainly get a grass-like and slightly spicy taste and you will also experience a bitter aftertaste, which will remain in your throat and nose for 5-10 minutes.
However, the grass-like taste is more zesty than some of the other CBD oils we’ve tested, so it’s actually not that bad at all.
So, whilst we expect all unflavoured CBD oils to have this natural hemp flavour, we were pleasantly surprised by the relatively lovely taste of their Alpine CBD oil.
The flavour profile of their CBD could be explained by a few factors:
- Alpine Range: We went for their Alpine CBD range as opposed to their more traditional 5%-20% raw tinctures. This could explain the slight different flavour profile.
- Oil Carrier: The oil carrier also plays a major role in the overall taste of the CBD. As we went for an MCT oil product, it could have affected the flavour slightly as Hempseed oil tends to be slightly more bitter than MCT or olive oil. However, since Holistic Hemp offers their CBD oils with three different carriers – hempseed oil, MCT oil and olive oil – everyone will be able to find a product that suits their personal taste.
So all in all, Holistic Hemp Scotland’s CBD is not a bad tasting product at all. It’s a little on the grassy-side but it is more gentle than most of the other CBDs we’ve tried. We’d say it is on par with Provacan CBD who is also quite gentle on the palette.
Dewaxed Tincture for a Better Taste
For those of you who do not like the natural taste of CBD oils, Holistic Hemp Scotland have launched a 10% CBD dewaxed tincture that is both chlorophyll and wax-free, meaning that you still get the quality of CBD and other cannabinoids, but without the bitterness and earthy taste that comes from waxes and some terpenes.
And if the dewaxed product is still not right for you, check out their CBD capsules which contain 10mg to 15mg of CBD per capsule and also come with added turmeric paste extract (20mg of Curcumin and 10mg of Tumerone) which has known anti-inflammatory properties.
Value for Money (8/10)
An Affordable CBD Oil
Based on our experience, Holistic Hemp Scotland’s pricing is very competitive, making their Alpine CBD oil one of the cheapest and best value for money product available in the UK.
A person between 150 and 240 lbs may need between 18mg and 27mg of CBD per day depending on the severity of their symptoms. A 10ml bottle of their 1000mg Alpine CBD oil (retail: £40.00) will therefore last between 37 and 55 days and cost between £0.82 and £1.23 per day (with £5.64 shipping), which we think is great value for money. It’s just a shame they only offer free shipping for orders over £60.
Based on 20mg of CBD per day, here’s how the top 10 CBD brands stack-up in terms of daily cost:
| Strength | Price | Daily Cost | |
| Love Hemp | 10% | £99.99 | £0.66 |
| Medterra | 10% | £99.99 | £0.67 |
| Honest Hemp | 10% | £34.99 | £0.78 |
| Holistic Hemp | 10% | £40.00 | £0.91 |
| Love CBD | 10% | £99.99 | £1.00 |
| Naturecan | 10% | £54.99 | £1.10 |
| Provacan | 12% | £69.95 | £1.25 |
| Hempura | 10% | £64.99 | £1.30 |
| Blessed CBD | 10% | £74.99 | £1.50 |
| Bud & Tender | 10% | £80.00 | £1.60 |
So heavy CBD users will need to place an order every month, whilst mild users may be able to push this to 2 months.
In terms of how it compares to other CBD oils in our Top 10, we think that some of the other CBD brands have performed slightly better in terms of their analgesic properties (pain relief), which has been our main am when testing CBD oils. However, it’s an incredibly good value for money product and definitely not over-priced at all, which we like.
Product Range (8/10)
Since Holistic Hemp Scotland was founded in 2016, they focused their efforts on their CBD oils and CBD extracts, whilst at the same time launching a range of new products.
They have focused on a comprehensive range of quality full-spectrum CBD oils as well as products containing both CBD+CBDA (Cannabidiolic Acid), the acidic precursor – or raw state of CBD – and are known for their CBD paste which contain a high percentage of CBD (up to 18.5%) .
Whilst Holistic Hemp have decided to widen their product range to appeal to a broader market, we feel that they should have done a much better job at explaining the main differences between their various CBD oils and extracts. For instance, what is the difference between the traditional CBD+CBDa range and the Alpine range? With such a small product range and a desire from customers to get a better understanding of the benefits of CBD products, Holistic Hemp could really focus their efforts on educating their customers as they have clearly worked very hard to develop an awesome line of CBD oils and extracts.
Another problem we’ve noted by widening the product range is the fact that they often seem to be out of stock for certain product lines. At the time of writing, their 10% dewaxed tincture, 15% CBD paste and CBG paste were all out of stock.
Holistic Hemp CBD+CBDa Oil
In the CBD oils range, Holistic Hemp currently focuses on four different strengths – from 500mg to 2,000mg – and also provide two types of oils.
Their traditional CBD+CBDA raw tinctures are full-spectrum cannabidiol extract from organically-grown EU hemp mixed with Hempseed or MCT carrier oil. They come in 4 different concentrations and two different oil carriers (Hempseed oil or MCT oil). As a full-spectrum CBD product, it contains all the natural hemp extracts such as CBDv (Cannabidivarin), CBG (Cannabigerol), CBC (Cannabichromene) or CBT (Cannabicitran), as well as any of the naturally-occurring terpenes, flavonoids, and Omega acids. It also contains THC, CBN & THCv, meaning that you get all the benefits from the entourage effect coming from other cannabinoids.
Their CBD+CBDa raw tinctures are available in four different strengths and come in 10ml bottles:
| CBD (mg) | % | CBD / Drop* |
| 500mg | 5% | 1.25mg |
| 1000mg | 10% | 2.5mg |
| 1500mg | 15% | 5mg |
| 2000mg | 20% | 10mg |
*Amount of CBD oil per drop = 0.025ml
Their 500mg CBD+CBDa oil retails at £35.00 (£0.07 per mg), their 1000mg oil at £40.00 (£0.04 per mg) and their 2000mg oil at £60.00 (£0.03 per mg).
When comparing the price and strength of their full-spectrum CBD+CBDa products, going for a higher potency works out cheaper in the long run as a person using 20g of CBD per day will spend £0.60 per day using their 20% CBD oil and £1.40 per day when using their 5% oil, a saving of 57% when going for the higher potency oil.
Holistic Hemp Alpine CBD Oil
If you want a truly differentiated oil, you may want to check out Holistic Hemp Scotland’s Alpine CBD oil.
Their Alpine range is Swiss made organic premium full-spectrum CBD oil and does not contain CBDa due to the extraction process which is slightly different to their Raw CBD. This range comes in 3 different strengths and the choice of Hempseed oil, MCT oil or olive oil as a carrier:
Their Alpine CBD oil is available in three different strengths and come in 10ml bottles:
| CBD (mg) | % | CBD / Drop* |
| 500mg | 5% | 1.25mg |
| 1000mg | 10% | 2.5mg |
| 1500mg | 15% | 5mg |
*Amount of CBD oil per drop = 0.025ml
Their 500mg Alpine CBD oil retails at £30.00 (£0.06 per mg), their 1000mg oil at £40.00 (£0.04 per mg) and their 1500mg oil at £50.00 (£0.033 per mg). So their 500mg Alpine oil is slightly cheaper than their CBD+CBDa raw tinctures, and as always, going for the higher potency oil will work out cheaper in the long run.
Holistic Hemp Dewaxed Tincture
For those who are not fan of the earthy or grassy taste of CBD oil, they have also developed a 10% CBD dewaxed tincture that CO2 extracted as well as chlorophyll and wax-free, meaning that you will still get premium quality of CBD but without the bitterness that comes from waxes and some terpenes.
Their CBD oil is made from organic, non-GMO hemp which has been grown in the Europe and is extracted using CO2 meaning it doesn’t have any chemicals or solvents in it.
It only comes in a 10% strength and retails at £40.00 for a 10ml bottle (£0.04 per mg), so price wise there are no differences with their Alpine or CBD+CBDa products.
Holstic Hemp Scotland CBD Capsules
If the taste of CBD oil isn’t your thing or you would prefer not to take CBD using a dropper and leaving the oil under your tongue, then you may want to check out Holistic Hemp CBD capsules, as you will be able to experience all the benefits of CBD without the downsides of CBD oil.
When buying their CBD capsules, be aware that the amount of CBD in each capsule may vary depending on which strength you go for and that certain products could contain additional ingredients such as curcumin or vitamins.
All their bottles contain 30 capsules, but be aware that the amount of CBD in each capsule will vary depending on which strength you go for. It’s also worth noting that the 10mg capsules are available either as CBD or CBD + Tumeric (20mg Curcumin and 10mg Tumerone per capsule):
| CBD (mg) | CBD / Capsule |
| 300mg CBD+Turmeric | 10mg |
| 450mg CBD | 15mg |
Choosing capsules is a great way to get your CBD intake and it’s incredibly travel friendly, the ideal solution for those who are always on the go.
As with other Holistic Hemp Scotland CBD products, their capsules contain no pesticides, herbicides, solvents or chemical fertilizers, they are sourced from organically grown, non-GMO, pesticide-free hemp plants that have been grown in Europe. They have also been independently lab tested for potency and purity.
Note: Holistic Hemp Scotland CBD capsules are vegan friendly.
Holistic Hemp CBD Pastes
On top of their CBD oils and capsules, Holistic Hemp have developed CBD pastes. Also known as CBD extracts, these pastes are a powerful source of CBD and contain some of Holistic Hemp’s strongest CBD concentrations in 15% CBD paste and 18.5% CBG paste.
Their full-spectrum hemp extracts are the closest to nature as you can get because they maintain all the terpenes, waxes, flavonoids, and minor cannabinoids that make their CBD extracts so potent.
These CBD extracts are thicker than their CBD oils, as they contain higher quantities of beneficial plant waxes.
We do not recommend Holistic Hemp’s CBD extracts for beginners or milder symptoms, but this is the perfect product for those who suffer from acute muscle or joint pain and is excellent for people with conditions such as arthritis.
Because extracts are quite strong since they haven’t gone through the heating extraction process, just a tiny amount of CBD extract is needed — about the size of a grain of rice.
However, at £55 for 5g of product, a single syringe would be gone in 10 days (at ½ gram per day), costing over £5 per day which isn’t cheap at all. It is however a great product when used in combination with traditional CBD oil.
Holistic Hemp CBD Topicals
If your aim is to improve muscle recovery post workout, treat an inflamed muscle or tendon or simply to look after your skin, then we would recommend looking at Holistic Hemp’s range of CBD cooling gels, massage gels and balms.
Holistic Hemp offers three main products:
- 250mg CBD Cooling Muscle Gel: which provides a full-spectrum of phyto-cannabinoids, terpenes and eucalyptus extracts in a gel. This cooling gel provides relief to overworked muscles and joints, ideal as a post workout ritual. This gel is natural, 100% vegan and manufactured in Scotland.
- 250mg CBD/CBDA Massage Oil: a 100% natural citrus scented massage oil made from organic ingredients and blended with full-spectrum CBD+CBDa extract. The perfect product for topical use.
- 500-1000mg CBD Broad Spectrum Balms: This CBD balm is the perfect blend of phyto-cannabinoids, terpenes, MCT oil, bee wax, lavender and eucalyptus essential oils. It comes in two strengths: 1000mg of broad-spectrum CBD and a lower concentration containing 500mg CBD (no THC since these are broad-spectrum products).
Their range of CBD gels and balms is quickly absorbed and is rich in full and broad spectrum phyto-cannabinoids, terpenes, waxes and eucalyptus extracts to help calm and soothe stressed out skin and muscles.
However, whilst CBD gels and balms are great, they are only for topical use and are often used in conjunction with other CBD products such as CBD oils, pastes or capsules.
Holistic Hemp Tea, Coffee & Honey
If you are the type of person who is always searching for new ways to get your daily dose of CBD, then you may want to check out Holistic Hemp range of CBD infused coffees, teas and honey.
- CBG Infused Coffee: Their CBG coffee – which also comes in a decaf version – is a 100% natural blend of premium caffeinated Arabica and Robusta coffee beans, roasted and ground by true expects in Italy. It is then enriched with CBD (Cannabigerol) from legal and EU certified hemp growers to provide all the benefits of CBD with your morning cup of coffee. The decaf version is also a great way to get the same beneficial effects of CBD, without the caffeine kick that would otherwise keep you awake! Each bag contains 90% blend of roasted and ground coffee beans (90% Arabica, 10% Robusta) along with 4% Hemp glowers (with 4%-800mg CBG) from EU certified hemp farmers (THC <0.01%). Each bag weighs 250g and will give you on average 25-30 cups of coffee, with each cup containing between 11-22mg of full-spectrum Cannabigerol.
- CBD Infused Coffee: In parallel, they have also developed two other coffee blends – a Honduras CBD-infused coffee (caffeinated) as well as a Colombian CBD-infused coffee (decaf version) – that offer 250mg of full-spectrum CBD that is derived from cold pressed industrial hemp from EU farms. Each bag contains 250g of coffee which will give you on average 25 – 30 cups of coffee, with each cup containing on average 8-10 mg of CBD.
- Hemp Tea: If coffee isn’t your beverage of choice in the morning or evening, then Holistic Hemp’s herbal tea may be for you. This caffeine-free tea is made with 100% organic Cannabis Sativa L that has been hand-harvested, cured, chopped, and portioned into biodegradable pyramid tea bag, rich in antioxidants and naturally occurring essential oils.
- CBD Infused Honey: Holistic Hemp’s raw full spectrum CBD infused honey uses CBDa and has been carefully crafted by artisanal beekeepers on a family-run bee farm in Lithuania. A great organic product that can be used as an alternative to sugar. Each 212g pot contains 577mg of CBD/CBDA for a total of 630mg cannabinoids in total.
(10/10)
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Free UK ShippingOrders over 60 |
Fast Delivery48-72 Hours |
14-Day ReturnUnopened Products |
Lab Testing (10/10)
As a CBD company, Holistic Hemp Scotland plays the transparency card with their customers. They guarantee that the product you are purchasing contains the exact amount of CBD advertised on their site, without any THC (the intoxicating compound in cannabis).
Since many CBD products contain pesticides, herbicides, mould, fungi, dangerous mycotoxins and not the amount of CBD or THC advertised on their site, Holistic Hemp CBD are working closely with PhytoVista Laboratories, the UK’s premier testing facility for CBD and hemp based products..
In addition to being sourced and extracted from the highest-grade certified organic European hemp, they guarantee that their products are 100% organic and free of synthetic ingredients.
They allow customers to see their Certificates of Analysis online by going to the certificates of analysis page, which breaks down the potency of cannabinoids. The tests available to customers highlight not only the cannabinoids content, but also the presence of terpenes and flavonoids. To our knowledge, Holistic Hemp Scotland is one of the only CBD companies to share the terpenes and flavonoids profile of their CBD oil with their customers and we really comment them for being so transparent.
The certificate of analysis for their Full-Spectrum 10% CBD+CBDa raw tincture can be found here.
Farming (EU & US Hemp)
Like most CBD companies, Holistic Hemp Scotland does not grow its own hemp and relies on hemp farmers who are specialised in CBD and THC producing plants, which unlike fiber hemp plants that are used for the textile industry, need to be planted at wider intervals and harvested by hand, which requires specific farming methods.
When diving a little deeper, it would appear as though their CBD isn’t sourced from a single country, but spread across 3-4 countries instead. From the information available to us, we know that:
- CBD oils, pastes and topicals: EU hemp
- CBD capsules: US hemp
- CBD infused Honey: Lithuania hemp
Regardless of the country of origin, all their CBD is cultivated without herbicides, pesticides and is GMO free.
Why EU & US hemp?
Hemp requires around 20-30 inches of rainfall during it’s growing season, either from rainfalls or via modern irrigation methods, and whilst the plant is largely unaffected by low temperatures and can even withstand frost down to -5°C, the ideal growing temperatures for good quality hemp are between 19-25°C.
The US is a large producer of hemp with Montana, Colorado, Kentucky, North Carolina and Oregon being the 5 largest producers in the country. These five states are important location for hemp farming as they have the right regulations to grow hemp and the perfect climate.
Outside of the US, Europe is a big producer of hemp with France leading the charge, followed by Italy and the Netherlands.
For all these reasons, it makes Europe and the US great locations for Holistic Hemp Scotland to source their hemp from.
Hemp Preparation & Extraction
Once the plants have been harvested they are stored in a warehouse and left to dry. The dry hemp is then turned into a coarse powder – similar to coffee grounds – through a milling process which follows the strict standards of the hemp farming industry.
At that point, the hemp powder is transferred to the manufacturing and processing facility where it is needs to go through an extraction and purification process in order to remove all unwanted compounds and which produce a high-quality hemp extract which can then be used in oils, capsules, gummies and other CBD products.
Unlike many CBD products available on the market that use hemp produced at an industrial rate under very high temperatures to speed up the extraction process, but which ultimately degrades the quality of the CBD extract, Holistic Hemp Scotland CBD’s production method are clean and efficient as they use supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO2) as an extraction method. This is similar to most of the brands in our top 10.
CO2 extraction (known as supercritical CO2 extraction) seems to be the gold-standard method of extraction in the industry. It uses carbon dioxide (CO2) and a series of pressurized chambers to expose the CO2 to high pressure and low temperatures. By holding the CO2 at a specific temperature and pressure which is above its standard critical state, it becomes liquid and acts as a solvent.
This method presents many advantages:
- Safe for human consumption
- CBD molecules are preserved
- Environmentally friendly
- CO2 extraction is sustainable
The final product that comes from the distillation process comprises of 99%+ CBD, is then used by Holistic Hemp Scotland and incorporated into their various CBD oils.
Testing
Many products on the market contain pesticides, herbicides, mould, fungi and dangerous mycotoxins and for these reasons, Holistic Hemp Scotland products go through a rigorous process to ensure they are tested for quality and potency. To do so, they use cutting-edge testing equipment and work with PhytoVista Laboratories, a UK based company offering analytical testing for CBD products, to test all their products. The tests carried out focus on various dimensions to guarantee the quality and safety of each batch.
- Over 200 different pesticides
- Heavy Metals like Arsenic, Lead, or Mercury
- Aflatoxins and Mycotoxins
- Terpenes
- Microbes
Cannabinoids Test: The Cannabinoid test allows Holistic Hemp Scotland to accurately determinate the concentration of each cannabinoid in their product. This not only helps them ensure that the correct level of CBD is present within the oil (e.g. 3% concentration vs 10%), but it also gives customers full-transparency regarding what other cannabinoids – including CBG, CBC and CBDV – are present. This is critical as these additional cannabinoids can boost the effectiveness of a CBD oil when compared to just CBD alone. This is what is known as the ‘entourage effect’.
On top of looking for the presence of other cannabinoids, Holistic Hemp Scotland check that there aren’t any illegal cannabinoids present such as THC, CBN or THCV.
Terpenes Test: Terpenes are produced by the cannabis flower in the same way cannabinoids are, and they are responsible for giving CBD oil its individual flavour profile. You are already familiar with them as terpenes are what give a lemon its citrusy smell.
When it comes to CBD oil, not only do terpenes determine the flavour and smell of the oil, but they also work together with cannabinoids to enhance the effectiveness of the CBD oil. So terpenes are also part of the ‘entourage effect’.
The key terpenes found in CBD oil are Myrcene (known to have relaxing and anti-inflammatory properties), Limonene (anti-fungal and antibacterial properties), Pinene (anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties), Linalool (stress-relieving and anti-depressant properties), Caryophyllene (known to reduce anxiety and inflammation) or Humulene (anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties).
Flavonoids Test: Flavonoids are phytonutrients found in the leaves, flowers and trichomes of the cannabis plant. They play a role in the plant pigmentation, taste and smell and along with cannabinoids and terpenes, they bind with cannabinoid receptors to contribute to the ‘entourage effect’.
Heavy Metals Test: Hemp, like every other plant, tends to absorb heavy metals from the soil, water and air. These heavy metals – which include arsenic, mercury, lead or cadmium – can be passed into the cannabis extract if present in the hemp, resulting in the consumer absorbing some of it into their own system. Due to the high toxicity of these heavy metals, human consumption could lead to serious health consequences and this is why Holistic Hemp Scotland CBD extracts are screened for these heavy metals to ensure their products are safe for human consumption.
Pesticides Test: Whilst pesticides are used in many forms of commercial farming, they are known to cause serious harm to the health of consumers, including cancer and mutation of their DNA, resulting in certain diseases. Whilst Holistic Hemp Scotland’s hemp is grown organically without the use of pesticides, they test their CBD extracts for 67 different pesticides to ensure their products are clean and safe to consume.
Microbiological Test: To avoid any risk of microbes such as Shiga toxin E. coli, salmonella, or Listeria being present in their CBD extracts, which could lead to serious illnesses and health complications, Holistic Hemp Scotland CBD products got through microbiological tests to ensure they are microbe free.
Residual Solvents Test: Solvents such as butane and ethanol can be used to extract cannabinoids, terpenoids and flavonoids from the cannabis plant as well as during the filtration process, so it is key for CBD manufacturers to ensure that there are no residual traces of these solvents in their CBD extracts. Although Holistic Hemp Scotland use supercritical CO2 during their extraction and filtration process, it is vital for them to test their CBD extracts for solvents such as ethanol, benzene, propane or methanol which could come from a contaminated soil from nearby farms.
Mycotoxins Test: Mycotoxins are naturally occurring toxins produced by certain moulds and fungi which can cause cancer and mutation of your DNA. Seeing as mould can grow on a variety of different crops, including hemp, it is vital for CBD manufacturers to run mycotoxins test on their CBD extracts. Holistic Hemp Scotland CBD currently tests for the 5 main mycotoxins including Aflatoxin B1, Aflatoxin B2, Aflatoxin G1, Aflatoxin G2 and Ochratoxin A, to ensure their products are clean and safe to consume.
They do allow customers to see the Certificates of Analysis online, which break down these tests. See their certificates of analysis page.
Customer Reviews
Whilst Holistic Hemp Scotland remains a small UK based CBD company, it has over 300 verified customer reviews on Trustpilot, with an average rating of 4.8 out of 5, making it one of the best scores from a UK CBD brand. Below are some of their latest verified customer reviews.
It arrived in good time. Although the bottle could have been wrapped with bubble wrap within the padded envelope. Lucky it arrived whole and well. Taste is strong. But perhaps as I chose hemp oil as carrier. I take it at night. It seems to work!
Very impressed with the service and will definitely be reordering the honey to help with my fibromyalgia. Pleasant enough to eat straight from the jar and helps almost instantly. Really glad a took a chance with this company!
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- 10ml per bottle (1000mg of CBD)
- 10% concentration
- Approx 5mg of CBD per drop
- Full-spectrum raw CBD+CBDa
- Less than 0.02% THC
- Hemp or MCT oil carrier
- Entourage effect
- 10ml per bottle (2000mg of CBD)
- 20% concentration
- Approx 10mg of CBD per drop
- Full-spectrum raw CBD+CBDa
- Less than 0.02% THC
- Hemp or MCT oil carrier
- Entourage effect
- 10ml per bottle (1000mg of CBD)
- 10% concentration
- Approx 5mg of CBD per drop
- Full-spectrum CBD
- Less than 0.02% THC
- Hemp or MCT oil carrier
- Entourage effect
- 10ml per bottle (1500mg of CBD)
- 15% concentration
- Approx 7mg of CBD per drop
- Full-spectrum CBD
- Less than 0.02% THC
- Hemp or MCT oil carrier
- Entourage effect
- 30 capsules per bottle (450mg of CBD)
- 15mg of CBD per capsule
- Full-spectrum CBD
- Less than 0.02% THC
- Entourage effect
- 5ml of CBG paste per tube
- 530mg of Cannabinoids
- 12% CBG, 4.5% CBD, 1% CBC
- 0.1g of paste contains 17mg of CBG+
Holistic Hemp Scotland
Holistic Hemp Scotland CBD+CBDa Raw Oil 1000mg (10%)
£40.00
Holistic Hemp Scotland
Holistic Hemp Scotland CBD+CBDa Raw Oil 2000mg (20%)
£60.00
Holistic Hemp Scotland
Holistic Hemp Scotland Alpine CBD Oil 1000mg (10%)
£40.00
Holistic Hemp Scotland
Holistic Hemp Scotland Alpine CBD Oil 1500mg (15%)
£50.00
Holistic Hemp Scotland
Holistic Hemp Scotland CBD Capsules 15mg
£50.00
Holistic Hemp Scotland
Holistic Hemp Scotland CBG Paste 5ml
£55.00
Holistic Hemp CBD Review: The Verdict
In terms of how it compares to other brands in our Top 10 CBDs oils, we think that Holistic Hemp Scotland Alpine CBD oil is a good quality product, that is more palatable than other CBDs and also very good value for money. So if you are on a budget and looking for a robust CBD oil, then give these guys a try.
However, if budget isn’t an issue, we would also recommend looking at other brands in our Top 10 including Bud & Tender, Endoca, Love Hemp, Blessed CBD, Honest Hemp, Medterra or Love CBD which may be good alternatives.
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