“I could have easily guzzled a six pack, and the best part is that my guilt level would’ve been minimal.”

You get a subtle sense of the botanicals in every sip. The blackberry, lemon, and rosemary were hitting on every cylinder, but they never came across as overwhelming. And the touch of pure honey gives it just the right amount of sweetness. To drink this on a hot summer’s day, or in my case, a hot spring day, is nothing short of a treat. Put it in a glass of ice cubes, or even mix it with your favorite mocktail, and you’re bound to enhance it even further. I could have easily guzzled a six pack, and the best part is that my guilt level would’ve been minimal. The Cloud Water Blackberry, Lemon, and Rosemary drink is made with all natural ingredients, and thankfully isn’t packed with sugar like other fizzy drinks.

The packaging is milk-man level wholesome meets space-age nanotechnology. At least that’s the vibe it gave off for me. In reality, this was not an easy bottle cap to unscrew, and you’re looking at a guy who defeated a much feared junior high school bully during an arm wrestling match that still reverberates around the hallways of Franklin Middle School. In layman's terms, these forearms have been around the block, and I had to whip out the kitchen towel to help me unsheathe the sparkling goodness of this Cloud Water.

Good things do come to those who put a little elbow grease into it, however, and I enjoyed this drink in a white wine glass—and it was sipped in conjunction with a sensible Cobb Salad. I felt like a real cosmopolitan having a salad and sparkling drink all in one. It made me wish I was at a Parisian cafe, and I was lifting my glass as if to say hello to Jean-Luc (the baker’s son), who was delivering baguettes on his unicycle. The point is, once this drink got ahold of me, it really brought forth a sense of peace and calm. And then, almost without noticing, I started to slow myself down and become increasingly more content as a result. It was a multi-layered experience of positivity that all begins with a truly unique flavor profile.

“You can almost feel the tension in your muscles start to release in real time.”

The effect CBD has on me is normally all too fleeting, but with this Cloud Water drink, the effects were more prolonged. This drink gives you time to really sink your teeth into it, and if you drink it like I did, fresh from an intense workout session, you’ll realize it becomes almost bliss-like in its ability to sooth your body, and initiate recovery. This is something I could easily see myself throwing in the ol’ gym bag to crack open on my way home from whatever dojo, fitness center, or yoga studio I may be coming from.

You can almost feel the tension in your muscles start to release in real time. There was a moment where I could feel my face start to settle into its default factory mode, and I let out a little, “huh, how about that,” after I’d found I’d been holding an artificial scowl for far too long. With this in mind, it also makes a remarkably delicious way to unwind for the night. Perhaps one could put their preferred goblet of Pinot on pause, and opt for this sparkling CBD drink instead. It’s subtle in every way, except when it comes to unscrewing it. For that you will need a vice grip and a mechanical claw. Though that aside, this is an ethereal drink that resembles that of an elevated Fresca. Its balance of botanicals and its clean crispness are surely its saving grace.