Dram

Citrus & Blossoms

Do you ever wonder what life you could have led had the dial just been switched just even a mere notch to the right or the left? One decision here or there, and suddenly you’re making organic skincare at a cottage in the vineyards Santa Ynez, instead of slogging away with a bullsh*it sounding title in influencer marketing, watching your life force be slowly drained away

That’s how we feel when we think about Dram Apothecary. The fierce husband and wife team who renovated a small farm in the charming shire of Salida, Colorado, while making tinctures and transcendent herbal waters with soothing aesthetics and adaptogenic ingredients. I mean, they kind of stole our dream, but whatever.

(Also, for our CO friends: have you ever been to Bread Bar? They used to own it! Also, do go if you haven’t been!)

And have you even seen their farmhouse rental? Everything about that tasteful vibe is exactly how we envision what our lives could have been. Not to sound creepy, but we’re watching them and taking notes for life hacks.

Let’s taste what our lives could have been, shall we?

The nose on this comes in strong with the citrus, citrus being an alpha scent and flavor, while the blossoms are the nurturing soil below, allowing the fruits to shine in the sun, while they calmly sway in the background in the glow of a subtle breeze. It’s incredibly well-balanced, like the landscape painting we no doubt just painted an incredible picture of for you. You’re welcome.

Tasting Notes

There’s simultaneously a lot going on here, and not much of anything going on here. The ingredients include an entire citrus smorgasbord: rind of grapefruit, lemon, lime and orange. Like some citroid ark, no one was left behind as the Dram waters poured forth.

We won’t lie. We can’t get enough of their CBD waters, like Beauty Bubbles, but when it comes to the Citrus & Blossoms we’re a little underwhelmed. There’s something delicate in all of the flavors working together in concert, but they also kind of jumble together, giving the overall impression of…ginger, of all things.

Ginger isn’t listed in their cryptic “herbs” and “spices” section of the ingredients label, but we wouldn’t be surprised if there was some in there. Or whatever herbs and spices are in there (cardamom? clove?) combine with the earthy rinds to fuse into some kind of frankesteined ginger flavor.

We don’t dislike this at all: our palates are hard-wired to respond positively to anything bright and herbaceous, of which this is both.  But it’s not entirely working for us as either a citrus sparkling water or a “blossom” sparkling water. We wish we got some of that Rozu flower power or Aura Bora Cactus Rose levels of bloom.

And we wish that the citrus played out more specifically instead of just being an overarching sour note. We should also mention that (after purified carbonated water) their second ingredient is non-gmo glycerin. Glycerin gives this a mild sweetness that almost makes you feel like you’re drinking sugar. These are calorie-free, but it does leave a lingering glycerin moment in your mouth, and might also get a certain Bush song stuck in your head if you think about the word too much. 😫

As with all Dram’s offerings, there’s a general feeling of loveliness and the herbal notes work to impart an upscale vibe, like if their gorgeous and tastefully renovated farmhouse had a taste, this would probably be it.  On the can, they list the “Herbal Benefits” as Radiant Skin, Gentle Detox, and Digestive Support. We would like to add Aspirational Living to that list. Seriously, this tastes like our Pinterest Board looks.

Ultimately, though, we think this one is best utilized as an effervescent mixer in a cocktail.  In yet another alternate reality where we have more free time to devote to expanding the Bubbleverse, we also have time to pair sparkling waters with cocktails. Until then, just know that this is one of our top selects.

In the meantime, we’ll be watching Dram closely for our next life inspo.