INTEL: John Wiseman of Curious Elixirs talks about a decade of N/A
Curious Elixirs—leads the way with adaptogenic cocktails to unwind
J.W. Wiseman founded Curious Elixirs in the Hudson Valley in 2015, one of the earliest ready-to-drink non-alcoholic drinks on the market. Since then, the brand has seen a sales increase of more than 450% and they continue to release one new drink each year. I wanted to find out what’s changed in a decade.
— SDP
Hi, J.W. The thriving non-alc market shows no signs of slowing. What would you say has changed in the last decade?
JW: For one, we have better booze-free options now, and those better options have transformed how we drink socially. Whether you’re cutting back or sober, people have a reason to be interested.
The Curious Elixir range is a ready-to-drink option. How do you describe it to distinguish it in a crowded market?
JW: We say that Curious Elixirs drinks have a beginning, middle and an end to the experience. It’s not trying to be a mocktail. We intend for it to highlight all the pleasure centers but also have a function for the body, so we use all the finest ingredients, all-natural flavors, and no sugar. We source products from all over the world—like kanna, a natural mood booster from South Africa—and adaptogens that are functionally good for you. Our drinks are evocative of cocktails and wine but offer something new. So it’s newness and nostalgia. Not all nonalcoholic drinks are equal. You really need to read the ingredient panels.
Where do you make Curious Elixirs and how has production changed from 2015 to 2025?
JW: Production is in Marlborough, Ulster County, N.Y. We started out shipping around 500 bottles a week. Now it’s 500,000 bottles a month! We also have a speakeasy in Williamsburg. We make one new flavor a year, and it’s always a mystery release available for members of the Curious Cocktail Club. The latest release, #9, was Curious Rosé with echinacea, poppy, rose and kanna.
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Product review: Curious Elixirs are available in nine flavors made with juices, spices, roots and adaptogens. The Curious No. 4 Sicilian Orange and Green Mandarin is made with ginseng and turmeric for mood-boosting stress relief; Curious No. 5 Smoke Cherry Chocolate Old Fashioned features elderberry, American oak and shatavari (the Ayurvedic “queen of herbs” known as a body-balancing aphrodisiac), and Curious No.7 is a Curious Champagne cocktail. Check out the full curious range here.
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