Artet Cannabis Aperitif Review: A Fun Way To Make (Weak) Cannabis Cocktails With A Premium Flair

Posted 03/30/2024

At first glance, you might mistake this cannabis beverage bottle for a high-end gin or vodka. The matte blue, 750ml bottle features what looks like a modern abstract painting prominently on the front. Artet is clearly going for a premium feel in their design. It feels solid and heavy in your hands, reminiscent of something one might gift a professional colleague in a congratulatory manner. In spite of its looks, there is not a drop of alcohol in this bottle. Instead, this beverage is slightly dosed with a hybrid strain of cannabis. I had a lot of fun creating cocktails and mocktails using this gin-like cannabis beverage, however, it left me wishing it could pack more of a cannabis punch for seasoned users. I can see this as an approachable introductory cannabis product, especially for those that drink.

Premium Feel… and Price

Artet describes this drink only as an “aperitif”, a term broadly used to describe an alcoholic beverage taken before a meal in order to stimulate the appetite. While it does not fit the definition of alcoholic beverage, I'm sure it will stimulate an appetite. The front of the bottle further describes itself as a “balanced blend of botanicals, terpenes, and precisely dosed THC”. The back goes on, “like any good aperitif, Artet is best with a splash of soda and a twist. Please sip responsibly and expect to enjoy the effects within 30 minutes”. The word “twist” is a little ambiguous but we can guess that it might mean the addition of alcohol. To be thorough, I decided to make 2 cocktails using the Artet, one alcoholic, and one non alcoholic. The feel and presentation of this cannabis product is premium from start to finish. You would start some conversations bringing this to a party because you don't see cannabis products that look like this often. The silver bottle cap is childproof and resealable. Artet even includes a stainless steel blue shotglass. Don't expect to show this pretty bottle off on your liquor shelf. The bottle recommends refrigeration after opening. One feature of the bottle I feel is missing is more information of the strain of cannabis used in making the drink. The premium look and feel, of course, comes with a premium price tag. Officially priced at $40. With taxes, I ended up paying $54.50. This is about on par with a premium bottle of liquor around the same size. It is clear Artet is looking to compete with premium liquor brands, as well as cannabis brands.

Complex Gin-Like Flavor

The product itself is a clear fragrant liquid with the slightest viscosity. Drinking it straight out of the bottle and on the rocks is actually a pleasant experience. It smells and tastes of botanicals, reminding me of Bombay Gin. For this reason, I decided to make 2 gin cocktails, and substitute the Artet for the gin. For the non-alcoholic cocktail, I chose a Bee’s Knees, a classic and simple cocktail consisting of only gin, simple honey syrup, and lemon juice. For the alcoholic cocktail, I went with a negroni, or Campari, sweet vermouth, and gin. I was impressed with how close both tasted to the real thing. The Artet is an almost perfect alternative to Gin in any cocktail.

Weak but Relaxing

The 750ml bottle consists of a very specific 37.5 milligrams of THC. This is very weak for edible standards and is over 60 milligrams less than the state limit on edibles. Artet clearly felt that 2.5mg per serving was in some sort of sweet spot for this product. I would disagree, and would go so far as to say that that 2.5mg of THC would not even register on the scale for me or any seasoned cannabis user. Knowing this, I added 2 servings, around 2 shots, in each cocktail. The effects of the double-dosed drinks were still extremely mild. After around a half hour, I felt relaxed, but only subtly. The effects of the alcoholic Negroni came on slightly stronger than the non-alcoholic bees knees. Even with the double doses, I found myself coming back for a few more rounds in order to get a proper high that I couldn't quite reach. After this experiment, I'm positive that I could more than comfortably drink the whole bottle with its 37.5 milligrams of THC and only gain a decent high.

Who is this for?

I can see the biggest demographic for this product being people looking for a gift/party favor that'll impress a casual or social cannabis user. I can also see this product as a great beginner’s gate-way product into the world of cannabis, especially for those who are already drinkers. Want your parents or that one stubborn friend to try weed? Hey, this might be the product that they can approach. I would not recommend this product for seasoned stoners. It is simply too weak to be effective in the suggested dosage for anyone with a tolerance. I would love to see Artet come out with a 100 Milligram THC bottle to sell alongside the 37.5 Milligram THC bottle. This product is definitely designed for special occasions and not to be your daily driver. I would recommend a more casual cannabis beverage category for most occasions, if that is the category you are interested in. An easy, home-made cannabis tincture can also be added to cocktails for those looking for a stronger cannabis drink.

Points for being unique

While I don't see myself ever buying this product again, I love that it exists. It is a vision of what premium bottled cannabis infused drinks can look, feel, and taste like. Overall, I am impressed with Artet for their effort. There is nothing else in the dispensary like it, for now. I'd love to see more brands come out with similar products. Perhaps weed whiskey, or rastafarian rum, or a bud brandy?