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Optimist - Smokey - Non-Alcoholic Distilled Spirit
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Optimist Botanicals are brought to you from California, its portfolio of spirits inspired by the state's natural treasures. SMOKEY was inspired by trips out of LA to the High Desert, reminiscent of crackling fires after the sun sets across the vast desert sky—a spiced blend with charred wood, and floral and bitter notes. We also love the solid feeling of these glass bottles and tops.
How To Enjoy
We love the complexity of Optimist Smokey and prefer to drink it slowly over a very large ice cube with a splash of lime juice and perhaps a little soda. It makes for an interesting nightcap after a long day. It reminds us of a mezcal. The folks at Optimist suggest mixing one part Smokey with two parts tonic or sparkling water over ice, and a garnish of pink peppercorns, jalapeno slice, or orange peel.
Alcohol by Volume:
Kosher:
Product Size:
500ml | 16.9oz
- WTWalker T.Rated 5 out of 5 stars1 year agoSmokey is phenomenal!
Now my go to in a great NA cocktail, especially in a Mule or Marg
- JJJessy J.Rated 5 out of 5 stars1 year agoSmokey and packs a punch
I’m a long time mezcal enjoyer, but have been trying to cut back on my alcohol consumption. On its own, this just tastes like lightly Smokey water, but when used in a well balanced cocktail — wow!!! So nuanced. I now like it better than actual mezcal, because I find the flavor to be more complex. I really like that it both is herby/botanical and Smokey. I would recommend this to anyone who likes both gin and mezcal.
- AAprilRated 5 out of 5 stars1 year agoWonderful, sippable NA experience
I love this stuff. I don't like sweet drinks and tend towards smoky, spicy, bitter, or sour profiles. When I drank, my fave drinks were neat bourbon (Woodford) or scotch (smokey, peaty Laphroaig), a crisp citrusy IPA, or a full-bodied dark red wine. I hate most cocktails because they are too sweet. If I was in the mood for a cocktail, it was either an old fashioned (with a single sugar cube & not a deluge of simple syrup) or a Carter Beats the Devil (light on the agave, extra on the chili). I enjoyed the herbal profile of gin but always found tonic water too sweet and never found gin sippable on its own. I hope that background is helpful in regards to my review of Optimist's Smokey:
I love it either on the rocks, or with some Light (lightly sweetened) tonic (cucumber-infused is even better). It's a satisfying drink that I enjoy sipping like a "real" cocktail. It's not very smokey to me at all, just a touch. To me, this is a great gin replacer - a delicious blend of herbal-forward flavors without being too "earthy" (I wanted to love Pathfinder but it tasted like literal roots in dirt to me - too "earthy" even mixed in cocktails).
Honestly, it' so hard to figure out what you'll like by the ingredients alone. For instance, I hate jasmine (too floral), often find turmeric too earthy, and I love cinnamon in baking but find it too sweet in other things - but I would never guess that any of these things are in this drink. The ingredients are very well balanced - no single one is…
- BBetsyRated 2 out of 5 stars2 years agoLike drinking a perfume.
It's potent, so a little goes a long way which is good given the hefty price. No calorie is great but the flavor is too flowery: the Geranium and Jasmin dominate and, overpower the smokeyness. I won't buy again.
- LVLisa V.Rated 5 out of 5 stars3 years agoSmokey is great for Sierra Madre Sunset
Perfect for our desert camping trip, and we used it with ginger ale as suggested, then in an NA Sierra Madre Sunset with some Wilfreds.