“For Those Times When Your Mouth Wants to Rage, but Your Liver needs to Chill”. Well, we all have those times, I guess. I was intrigued by the idea of a pre-bottled non-alcoholic cocktail. Curious Elixirs are crafted in the Hudson River Valley, and combine organic juices, spices, herbs, roots, barks, and botanicals. So, think of them as lightly carbonated, bittered juices.

Although they list three different flavors on their website, the only one currently available is Curious No. 1, an orange and herbal elixir. Curious No. 2 was a smoky and spicy mix that sold out quickly and will return later this year. Curious No. 3 is currently in development.

Because Curious is a handcrafted fresh beverage, make sure to keep them refrigerated and use them within 30 days. Curious No. 1 is designed to have an orange wedge garnish.

We tried the sample we were sent in a few different ways. Drinking it straight without dilution was way too intense. This is designed to be served with ice. So, we next filled a rocks glass with a large single cube and poured Curious No. 1 over the ice, stirred for a bit and garnished with the suggested orange wedge. This was much better, but still lacked a balance. So, lastly we filled a shaker with several cubes, poured in the elixir and shook briefly. We then strained this into a coupe and added an orange wheel. This we found gave a great presentation, along with the desired amount of dilution.

As for the flavor, it was spot on. A great citrus base with a pronounced dark aromatic bitter quality. Everything tasted natural, fresh and quite like a cocktail. You could add a shot of just about any spirit to this and it would work just as well. But, that of course, would defeat the purpose, wouldn’t it?

GSN Rating: A-

For more information go to: Curious Elixirs