Gnista Barreled Oak - Non-Alcoholic Spirit

I use this mainly in one of my go to evening cocktails, a non alcoholic Kentucky Mule. It's the best 'spirit' I have had for it. I think its the smokiness that makes it so good. It beats for example the Kentucky 74 handily. 2 shots of this, a tablespoon of fresh lime, 6 ice cubes and topped off with bundaberg diet ginger beer. Add a lime twist garnish and voila!

I’ve tried the Gnista spirits Barreled Oak and it has a complexity and mouth-feel you rarely find in alcohol free spirits. This is also what I’ve missed so since I stopped drinking. Barreled Oak is my favorite! Highly recommended!

We had a large family gathering filled with teens to young adults and it was great to have a beverage that we could all enjoy together - we served it with ginger beer. Delicious!

This was an unexpected delight. Full of complex aroma and spices that are hard to describe fully. Really great mouthfeel, perfect for sipping. I can see this with the smokey notes fitting into so many areas.

This drink is a juice starter for the no and low game. Smooth and full of flavor. I prefer it on the rocks but is a good mix.

Really goes out to do what it says, with the Smokey and distinct character of oak barrel in combination with the chocolate, and warm spices makes this product from Gnista shine. It is as good by itself on the rocks or in a drink, my preferable choice was making a whisky sour alternative. Really a great product that i can warmly recommend.

An acquired taste im sure, this is very wood forward with a distinct chemical taste, it will remain undrank in our house.

I think my expectations were off, as I had read in a few places that this was "close" to whiskey, or even as listed on this site as an alternative to bourbon. In a word, it is not, or at least certainly not for a bourbon-forward drink. I picked up a watery thinness, a nice bitterness and root flavors (the raisins and wort definitely come through as well), and the smokiness is nice. That said, this is something that must be mixed, and in a mocktail I found it couldn't really be the predominant flavor like I wanted. I did find it was good when used as follows:
1/2 oz shrub
1 oz gnista
2 oz Wilfred's
Shaken over ice, then strained and topped with 1 oz sparkling water, garnished with a twist of lemon peel.

So, it works as a layer with other bitter/acidic/sweet elements, but doesn't work to stand alone; that's my white whale in the NA world!