Gnista SpiritsSpirits & Sapiir ReviewsGnista Floral Wormwood Review

I might be half a bottle down but, the Gnista Floral Wormwood simply continues to amaze me. I often say it is the first non-alcoholic spirit that made me swear for the right reasons!

You will likely deep and complex flavours in each glass of Gnista Floral Wormwood. It combines flavours of dark ripe raisins, hints of citrus, bright orange notes and woodiness, all brought together and finished off with a tart bitterness, from wormwood and a lingering heat crafted from ginger.

This creation from Founder, Erika and Master Blender, Fredrik is truly remarkable and worth learning more about.

Creating a fine spirit is no easy task even when you’re using an alcoholic base. So for Gnista to be able to recreate the flavours and overall profile in their unique way without the help of alcohol, is nothing short of remarkable.

The Floral Wormwood from the Gnista team is both crafted and created in Sweden, and has an intense flavour profile built around:

• Complex concentrated fruity notes – imagine sun ripened raisins soaked in oak;
• Citrus notes – picture bright and pointed orange;
• Bitterness from wormwood; and
• Lingering heat that carries through the back of your throat.

The taste profile of the Gnista is remarkably unique yet reminds me of the best bits of an aged Port, French oaked cognac and deep rich cocktail.

The flavour profile is perfect for serving neat over ice or as an alternative base for cocktails. Like the signature serve below.

If you’re the type of person who enjoys a dark, aged spirit and has time for and room on your pallet for port or cognac you’re likely to find yourself enjoying this.

If the deep complex and raisin based flavours of fine spirits are not your cup of tea, naturally this is not likely to be a spirit you’re going to find appealing.

No matter where you sit on the taste spectrum, I’d suggest getting this into your glass – for me, I’m laying down some hard-earned for another bottle after this one is done.

The team at Brunswick Aces sent me a bottle to help me out in putting together the Floral Wormwood Review.

If you like what you’ve read so far, or if you’re curious to find out for yourself how all those flavours can live in a glass (you should be). You can find yourself a bottle of this unique non-alcoholic spirit at:

• Brunswick Aces (use TIPPLE12 at checkout for 12% off!)
• Kill Joy Drinks

With the complexity and level of ingredients that go into the Floral Wormwood, it is a pretty hefty ingredients panel.

You’re going to find, amongst other things:

• Rhubarb juice – to add some brightness and acidity;
• Beet syrup – to help build the body of the drink;
• Fruit & dried spices for depth and character – think wormwood, pepper, lovage, chamomile, raisins, oak, ginger etc.;
• Distillates and infusions made from almond, orange, oregano, juniper, habanero and star anise.

The ingredients above show the care, time and effort that Erika and her team have gone to in crafting the Floral Wormwood spirit.

The full nutritional panel is tucked in below for you to look into for more detail.

Personally, I’ve been enjoying the Floral Wormwood over ice as well as with tonic.

After spending quite a few evenings with a glass of Floral Wormwood, I’ve found it is brilliant by itself as you get to experience all the little nuances and find new flavours with each sip.

The team say you can drink the Floral Wormwood:

• entirely neat over ice and enjoy the deep and complex flavours in all their glory;
• with tonic to have it bounce off the tonic; or
• put it into a cocktail as an alternate base!

The signature serve using the Floral Wormwood is called the Floral Aperitivo and gives you the option of enjoying it a few different ways.

Signature Serve: Floral Aperitivo

• 40ml Gnista Floral Wormwood
• Ice
• Lime

To change things up you can add in 20ml of tonic or soda to add some length to the drink.

If you’re after something a little fancier? How about the Alvine Sour

Alvine Sour

Get your home cocktail kits ready, throw the ingredients below in a cocktail shaker, shake, strain abd top with a dried blood orange and you’re good to go.

• 50ml Gnista Floral Wormwood
• 30ml Lemon Juice
• 30ml Syrup
• Egg white

Made by hand, in small batches and by balancing the seasonality of ingredients Gnista are able to create the intense flavours of the Floral Wormwood by:

• Macerating and infusing the ingredients and botanicals;
• Distilling ingredients with steam;
• Smoking ingredients (like the beetroot); and
• Filtering ingredients.

The master behind the Gnista creation process and the range is Fredrik, a master blender versed in food production who is responsible for overseeing the crafting, creation, eternal tweaking and maintenance of quality.

Pulling this out whilst parked up at a picnic rug and remarking ‘hey can you try this’ has been quite the market research!

The feedback has been littered with “I was NOT expecting that” and “oh wow, that’s amazing”. Sure I got an ‘I don’t like it’ from someone who isn’t a fan of dark spirits and that in itself is exactly what you would expect.

Like I touched on above if you’re a fan of Port, Cognac or whiskey-based drinks I’d nudge you to be early to the Gnista party and pick up a bottle before word gets out.

As a lover of whiskey, port and cognac, I’m giving this – keeping in mind what it has been able to achieve with NO alcohol – a 9/10.