Mocktails might not sound like the most exciting beverages, but hear us out: We’re way beyond the time when making a booze-free beverage meant adding a splash of juice to a glass of seltzer. Now, thanks to the best non-alcoholic spirits, which either mimic your favorite liquors or add something entirely new to the mix, you don’t have to drink alcohol to enjoy a world-class cocktail.
Beyond flavor, there are a whole host of reasons you might want to give up drinking, at least for a little bit. Although a pour of wine can be healthy here and there, the long-term effects of alcohol can take a toll as the years go by.
Of course, alcohol isn’t inherently bad, but it’s linked to some pretty scary stuff. It can suppress the deepest stage of sleep, keeping you from feeling fully rested; hinder your immune system, leaving you with fewer defenses against viruses; and increase your risk of stroke, among other drawbacks. Drinking can even heighten your breast cancer risk. On the other end of the spectrum, giving up alcohol can improve your mental health, particularly for women, per a 2019 study. People who stop drinking for a month are also likely to lose weight.
That’s where alcohol-free spirits come in: By replacing the booze you’d normally add to a cocktail, they allow you to make your favorite drinks (and experiment with new ones) without any of the drawbacks of drinking. Many brands are so good that you might find yourself craving them instead of the real thing. (Waking up feeling sharper is just the cherry on top.)
Whether you’re taking Dry January for a spin or giving booze the boot for good, read on to find the best non-alcoholic spirits to add to your home bar.
This spirit isn’t for everyone, but that’s part of what makes it so irresistible. A heady mix of botanicals like yuzu, elderflower, fig, rosemary, and ginger, it contains absolutely zero alcohol, but all of the confidence of an aperitif. Plus, reviewers call Ghia a “game changer.”
Branded not as a gin but as a unique spirit in its own right, Amass’ Riverine is a crowd-pleaser distilled with juniper and coriander. “As someone who has been alcohol-free for six years, I often found myself missing the complexity of spirits in beverages,” writes one reviewer who calls Riverine “bomb”—especially muddled with fruit and herbs or mixed with ginger paste.
What if we told you that it’s possible to enjoy endless margaritas without waking up with a hangover? Ritual’s take on tequila has all the earthiness and smoke of the real thing, but without the booze—and hundreds of reviewers swear up and down that it’s as close to an alcohol-free replacement as you’ll find.
Dark liquors are particularly hard to dupe, but Lyre’s cracked the code with its bestselling American Malt, a bourbon alternative that reviewers enjoy neat, in an old fashioned, or with cola. “I couldn’t get past how the smell is identical to the real thing,” one writes.
If you’re craving an Aperol spritz without, well, the Aperol, meet Wilfred’s flagship aperitif. Its bitter orange, rosemary, and rhubarb taste just like a lazy summer afternoon, especially served with tonic and orange peel. “This is a perfect replacement for my Negronis,” one reviewer raves. “I actually like the taste better! It’s more herbal.”
This non-alcoholic favorite is somewhere between a red wine and a shrub—and since it’s vinegar-forward, it’s ideal for mixing with soda and citrus for a moody, refreshing cocktail. “I cannot gush enough about how good this is,” a reviewer explains. “Not too sweet, a little tart, earthy, spicy, and, unlike so many non-alcoholic drinks, actually has some body. Complex and balanced.”
Seedlip is one of the most popular non-alcoholic spirits brands, and it’s easy to taste why when you sip Garden 108. Floral, grassy hints of peas and traditional garden herbs will whisk you away to some spring morning—and a slice of cucumber and a pour of tonic will add a whole new dimension to your drink.
With an herbal profile and hints of salt and citrus, drinking Adrift is almost like enjoying a chilly, carefree day at the beach. Splash it with some tonic and garnish it with rosemary and lemon for a deeply refreshing cocktail that can hold its own against anything you might order at a bar.
Whether sipped neat or mixed with tonic, this spice-rich, bittersweet cocktail has a bite that’ll keep you and your guests sipping. Social Elixir “not only tastes amazing, but also enhances my evenings,” a reviewer writes. “I am recommending it to everyone!”
Aged in bourbon barrels, this bold, non-alcoholic aperitif gets its signature flavor from maple syrup and shade-grown coffee. Whether enjoyed straight-up or in a martini, Woodnose’s Sacré is bound to remind you of the deeply complex, sippable notes in your favorite late-night cocktails.
Like a great tequila or mezcal, Optimist’s Smokey offers the same bittersweet campfire profile—with none of the alcohol. Serve it over ice with sparkling water, pink peppercorns, and jalapeño. “You won't miss the alcohol,” a reviewer reports.
Something like an alcohol-free Champagne, Töst can be sipped solo or added to cocktails, like, say, a French 75. Hints of white tea, ginger, and white cranberry, it’s uniquely refreshing—and won’t leave you nursing a hangover after a particularly rowdy celebration.
Thanks to its calming (if unexpected) blend of mushrooms, spices, and melatonin, Dream Light is especially great for people who like to nod off with a drink in hand. The brand recommends mixing its non-alcoholic drink with oat milk, a combo that’s “a lovely way to end the day,” one reviewer says.
Hemp-infused Aplós won’t get you high, but it’ll help you mellow out with a dose of broad-spectrum hemp and a refreshing flavor profile with notes of yuzu, basil, and cucumber. “Closest I’ve come to a cocktail experience without the booze,” one reviewer says. “The bitter profile slows me down so I sip and enjoy the experience.”
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