George Botanicals are a UK CBD company with everything in place to produce excellent products. Unfortunately, so far, they’ve fallen short of the quality I expected.
They produce an extensive range of broad-spectrum (THC-free) hemp products, including oils, capsules, balms and jellies. George Botanicals are also a subsidiary of the Sativa Group, which includes Phytovista Laboratories, the well-known provider of third-party lab tests.
This 5% CBD oil provides low-strength drops for anyone wanting to get started with CBD. Each bottle holds 500mg of CBD in an olive oil carrier and should last you for between 20 to 50 days based on the recommended serving.
I received one bottle and chose to take the maximum recommended amount of five drops, twice a day.
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Contents
Who are George Botanicals?
Founded in 2017, George Botanicals refer to themselves as ‘the UK’s leading CBD manufacturer and supplier.’ They claim to use extensive research and detailed scientific testing, to get their products to the best standards. Their products are shipped to customers throughout the UK and beyond.
All their products are made with hemp that’s been extracted with supercritical CO2 and then decarboxylated to convert the CBDa into its active CBD form. They also label them as suitable for vegans and gluten-free.
George Botanicals’ close relationship to UK lab PhytoVista, gives them access to the latest industry techniques and equipment. However, despite this, the information on their website creates confusion with conflicting phrases like ‘THC free’ and ‘low levels of THC’.
3rd Party Lab Tests
Currently, there are only lab tests available for two of George Botanicals’ products, this one included. Although they aren’t published on the page with the link ‘view our certificates‘, one can be found on the product page.
The published certificate is there as an example, so there is no way to check the one that refers directly to the batch you’ve purchased. They are also disappointingly simple and only show a profile of the cannabinoids. It’s always preferable to have as much detail as possible, including a terpene profile and screening for any contaminants.
The example certificate displays 5.49% CBD which is a positive and is significantly more than shown on the label. No THC has been detected, but this only proves that it contains less than the detection limit of 0.1% and doesn’t provide enough evidence to prove the ‘THC free’ claim.
The analysis detected:
- CBDV 1.11%
- CBG 0.24%
- CBD 5.49%
- THCV 0.4%
While this isn’t a large number of cannabinoids, it’s likely that others are still present in tiny undetectable traces.
Ease of Use
The usage instructions state “Take 2-5 drops under the tongue daily”. There is no mention of how long it should be held there. Those used to taking CBD would have no issue with these instructions, but as this is sold as a starter product, critical details like this help the consumer.
The dropper is simple and has a bulb tip which works quite well but has no markings to help you gauge how much you’re using. Counting out drops can be tricky and having a measure on the side of the dropper is a great way to establish regular, accurate consumption.
I used the bottle according to the recommended serving, so I was expecting to take it for 20 days based on the 200 drops stated on the website. In reality, I only managed about 15 days because the dropper made it tricky to get the last few daily servings out of the bottle.
The bottle itself worked well and although there was no child-safe lid, it did seal correctly. I never experienced any leaks despite carrying it in my pocket on a few occasions.
George Botanicals 5% CBD Oil Taste
I was pleasantly surprised by the flavour; it was mild with no bitterness. It reminded me most of freshly cut grass with some spicier notes. Even when I placed it directly on my tongue, I still found it palatable, so it’s well-suited to those who don’t like the usual bitter hemp taste.
Potency/ Effectiveness
Although 5% oils are low strength, I have tried some in the past that have been impressively potent. This, however, is not one of them. I have been taking CBD for a couple of years now and see most results from the stronger products, but I would still expect to notice some impact from this oil.
There was no noticeable effect for me when taking five drops twice daily (25mg of CBD daily). I started the period by holding them under my tongue for 60 seconds, but after the first week, I tried 2 minutes to see if it would enhance the effect. I still didn’t notice any results.
George Botanicals Value for Money
One bottle of 500mg CBD oil will set you back £34.99. This is an excessively high price for such a basic oil. It’s not as much as the high-quality oils from Bud & Tender, but it’s significantly more expensive than the incredible 500mg Blue edition from the Original Alternative.
Mild, low-strength oils definitely have a place as a great way for beginners to get started. But this one would need to be significantly more affordable to get my recommendation.
Would I Buy Again?
No, I would avoid George Botanicals CBD oil at all costs. They do not include lab reports, the price is a little high and it wasn’t very effective.
As I’m sure you can see there is no way we can include George Botanicals in our best UK CBD oils article. As George Botanicals only uses organic hemp, it cannot be included in our best organic CBD oil reviews either.
If what you seek is a high-strength oil, at 5% it is some way off the threshold of 25% to be included in our list of the strongest CBD oils available in the UK.
George Botanicals 5% Oil Final Scores
