Curious Elixirs Review: Are These Nonalcoholic Cocktails Worth It?

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To drink or not to drink? That question gets a little more slippery as we get older. What was once an easy “drink!” starts to become a deliberation. Maybe due to worsening hangovers, or hearing the World Health Organization announce that, yes, really any amount of alcohol is bad for us. Or just noticing how good it feels to sleep well and wake up clear-headed. No matter the path, it leads to the same idea: it’s time to shake things up in the drink department.

Which brings us to Curious Elixirs — a widely celebrated and buzzy brand in the booze-free alcohol space. I discovered Curious this past dry January while looking for something to fill the space of an IPA or hard kombucha in the evenings. It had quickly become clear that the joy of drinking goes beyond the mood effects; it’s also the end-of-day ritual, and getting to look forward to something highly sippable. Which is what Curious Elixirs promises, sans alcohol. So… do they deliver?

Note: This post is not sponsored. After I published it I shared it with Curious Elixirs, and their team offered to send me the two flavors I hadn’t tried yet, plus some No. 7 (my favorite flavor). This post has been updated to include a review of the two additional flavors. Nothing else has been changed, and all opinions are my own.

Quick background on Curious Elixirs

Curious Elixirs was founded in 2015 by JW Wiseman, who talks about his awakening after having 20 drinks in one night in 2012. He moved away from alcohol but grew tired of mixing club soda with bitters in lieu of a boozy beverage, so he set out to create a more sophisticated nonalcoholic experience.

‘Sophisticated’ is a good word for Curious Elixirs. Crafted from thoughtfully-selected and organic plants, their booze-free cocktails come in elevated flavors and offer functional benefits. They feature adaptogens, which are herbs and plants believed to help us manage stress and restore balance post-stress. (The more you know: adaptogens have been used for centuries in other parts of the world, and are quickly gaining popularity in the US.)

Our flavors are bold and crafted for the adventurous. Each flavor is a collaboration between our team of world-class bartenders, herbalists, and food scientists, and we proudly use only organic juices, herbs, spices, roots, barks, and botanicals to make your mouth dance.

Curious Elixirs

I chose to try Curious Elixirs out of the sea of nonalcoholic cocktail options because I loved the caliber of their ingredients, the promised health perks, and the exciting-sounding, not-too-sweet flavors. The majority of the Elixirs have 4-7 grams of sugar (with 0g added sugar) across the 2.3 servings per bottle. Elixirs #5 and #6 have a bit more. They’re also free of gluten, caffeine, refined sugar, preservatives, sulfates, and fillers.

My Curious Elixirs review

I went into this taste test with high hopes, swayed by the fact that Curious made the New York Times Best Nonalcoholic Drinks list three years in a row. Because if the NYT editors deem something worthy of excitement, you can usually count me excited. I ordered two months of the variety pack of 4, and ended up trying Elixirs #1, #2, #3, #4, #6, and #7 (sometimes you get repeats in the variety pack). I also later got to try #5 and #9, courtesy of Curious.

The verdict? I thoroughly enjoyed my experience with Curious and felt that it largely lived up to the hype. I found the flavors as complex and interesting as promised, and I would readily reorder 5 of the 8 I tried. (Details by flavor in the next section.)

The prices are steep, so these feel more like a treat to me than a daily indulgence. But the benefits are clear: high-grade ingredients with health perks + deep flavors without the alcohol. It made the whole affair feel like a glorious, grown-up self-care moment that encouraged me to be my best self both in the evenings and the next morning.

Curious Elixir line up & reviews by flavor

Curious No. 1: Pomegranate Negroni Sbagliato
ft. nutrient-rich pomegranate to fight inflammation, rhodiola to reduce stress/fatigue, gentian to ease digestion

I found No. 1 to be herbal, fruity, bitter, and delicious. It felt like it confirmed the many reviews I’ve read that Curious is complex and multi-layered. Would I re-order? Yes. Especially to serve at a cocktail party.

Curious No. 2: Spicy Pineapple Ginger Margarita
ft. pineapple to boost immunity and suppress inflammation, ginger to aid digestion and immunity, damiana to relax muscles and suppress appetite

I thought No. 2 was interesting, but I’m not a spicy nor ginger-y drink person and you taste the jalapeño, red chili extract, and ginger in this. Would I re-order? No, but I’d recommend it to spice & ginger lovers.

Curious No. 3: Juniper Cucumber Collins
ft. angelica root to balance hormones and reduce inflammation, ashwagandha to improve energy and reduce stress, lemon verbena to aid digestion and for antioxidants

No. 3 one was among my favorites. The lemon, cucumber, and alpine flowers – mmm, highly refreshing. It had an unexpected bitter smack that I loved but that my fiancé could have done without. Would I re-order? For myself, for sure. Especially for something cool and calming in summer.

Curious No. 4: Sicilian Blood Orange Spritz
ft. blood orange to regulate cholesterol, American ginseng to boost energy and mental clarity, turmeric for so many good things, holy basil to reduce stress

I loved No. 4. It’s citrus-y and bitter and seems to create a sort of moody vibe. I want to drink it in front of a crackling fire! Though it feels equally well-suited to any season. Would I re-order? Most definitely.

Curious No. 5: Smoked Chocolate Cherry Old Fashioned
ft. smoked cherry to fight inflammation, elderberry to boost immunity and reduce stress, and ginger to aid digestion

No. 5 hit me like a brick when I first tasted it; I found it very smoky and sliiightly reminiscent of barbecue sauce. With each sip I liked it considerably more, as it seemed to develop into something more refined and multi-dimensional. Nonetheless, I still didn’t find it to be as easily sippable as the others. Would I re-order? No, but would recommend to mezcal lovers.

Curious No. 6: Coconut Pineapple Painkiller
ft. aloe (believed to boost collagen production), lemon balm to reduce stress and anxiety, nutmeg for a mood-booster

I love coconut cream so I liked No. 6, but I found its flavor a bit thin. It also leans sweet for my liking. It’s only got 9g of sugar (none added) across 2 servings so it’s hardly sweet sweet, but still higher than I prefer. Would I re-order? No, but would recommend to those seeking something dessert-ish and tropical.

Curious No. 7: Sparkling Champagne Cocktail
ft. chardonnay grapes, elderflower for immunity, lavender for mood boosting and relaxation, jasmine green tea for antioxidants and a pick-me-up

No. 7 was probably my favorite. Fizzy, floral, a little fruity, and just so fun to drink. It made a regular week night feel like a special little occasion. Would I re-order? Yes indeed.

Curious No. 8: ‘Black and Blue’ Amaro
ft. organic blackberry for antioxidants, organic blueberry for vitamins and antioxidants

Curious No. 9: Sparkling Rosé Cocktail
ft. rose to fight inflammation and aid digestion, chardonnay grapes, South African kanna for mood boosting, California poppy to relax body and mind

I thought No. 9 was exceedingly delicious. I would never put my finger on the flavor if I hadn’t read the label, but the rose extract comes through in a wonderful way. The flavor is deep and interesting – fruity, floral, woody – and all around a winner in my book. Would I re-order? Oh yes.

Do you “feel” these nonalcoholic drinks?

Since you’re seeking out Curious Elixir reviews (I assume, since you’re here), one of your biggest questions may be: do you actually feel the promised effects? Honestly, the jury is out on this one. The sense I get from my own experience and from reading many other reviews is that if you’re looking for obvious mood altering effects from these bevs, you’re likely to be a bit disappointed. It’s more likely that you’ll feel subtly relaxed.

I do think there can be a placebo effect, or “life is what you make it,” or the various other sayings that get at the same thing: if you use Curious Elixirs or other nonalcoholic beverages as a self-care moment and commit to being present for the experience, you’ll likely feel happier and calmer. So whether it’s the drinks themselves or just the intention behind them, there are definitely good feelings to be had.

What do other reviewers say?

Ratings from the Curious Elixirs site skew high, as is often the case with reviews on brands’ own sites. Reviewers who love them tend to cite the complexity of flavors and how satisfying they are in place of alcohol. The minority who don’t like them mention disliking the flavor, frustrations with the variety pack (not being able to choose your own mix), not feeling the effects, and price.

Ratings from Thingtesting (a cite built for honest reviews) skew quite a bit lower. Most negative reviews speak to flavor, and many complain that Curious won’t accept returns based on flavor preference. Curious says in their Return Policy: “Unfortunately we are not able to offer refunds or returns on the basis of flavor preferences alone, but if there is ever an issue with breakage please reach out to us at…”

The main takeaway from the many reviews I’ve read, and my own, is: like with any bold, new product, some people are going to love it and others are not. So it goes with tastebuds. Although some people will love all flavors and some will dislike all flavors, it seems that a majority (myself included) will have a couple that stand out as clear favorites they would return to. And these faves are likely to be completely different than those of the person next to them.

Should you try Curious Elixirs?

My experience with Curious Elixirs was very positive. I found it rewarding to enjoy something delicious and upscale in the evenings while avoiding alcohol. So if it were up to me I’d say: yes, you should try them! But because they’re relatively polarizing, and people have very different reactions to each Elixir, there’s not a cut and dried answer. Instead, here are pointers to help guide your decision-making:

Order Curious Elixirs if:

• you tend to enjoy bold, herbaceous, floral, well-rounded flavors that are (mostly) not too sweet.
• you love trying new products. Curious offers (a) 4-12 Elixirs of a single flavor, which amounts to 8 to 24 servings, or (b) a rotating monthly variety pack of 4-12 Elixirs. Assuming you haven’t tried Curious before, you’ll likely want the variety pack, so it’s nice if you like a little surprise and to try new things without total control over which you’ll receive.
• you’re having a party! Based on a smattering of reviews, including my own, it’s likely that everyone will find at least a couple flavors to love and be excited to try something new like this.

Don’t order Curious Elixirs if:

• you’ll be dismayed that you can’t return them if they’re not to your liking. Curious doesn’t accept returns on taste/preference basis.
• you’re likely to forget to cancel your auto-renewing variety pack subscription and be salty about it (looking at you, salty reviewers).
• you’re counting on feeling significantly altered from these drinks. You can expect some lovely but more subtle feelings of relaxation.
• it’s important to you to be able to customize your variety pack, which isn’t an option at present.

Let me know in the comments below if you end up trying Curious Elixirs and what you think.

All images by Florah