The growing market for spirit substitutes, which manufacturers hope will enjoy a sales boost this month, is split into two camps. The first and most obvious, though inferior to my eyes (and palate) are drinks aiming to replicate existing popular spirits like gin, whisky and tequila.
The second camp are drinks not based on existing alcoholic spirits, but aim to offer something beneficial to replace alcohol’s fuzzy feelings. They might be fermented, packed with nutrients (often given new and impressive names such as nootropics and adaptogens), or even promise a different kind of high to the one alcohol offers. These are sometimes called functional drinks, as they claim to offer health benefits. The innovation in this field is intriguing, but I take all the wellness claims with a very large pinch of (Himalayan pink) salt.
One leader in the field is Sentia Spirits, a range created by Professor David Nutt. Professor Nutt has been campaigning to raise awareness about the dangers of alcohol for decades. His drinks aim to harness something called “gaba”, a neurotransmitter that promotes calmness and rest and gets a boost from alcohol, hence the reason why that first drink is typically gloriously relaxing.
Sentia promises to boost our naturally-occurring gaba via botanical ingredients such as ashwagandha, chamomile, ginseng, ginkgo and hops. Though other functional drinks brands don’t necessarily market their products as gaba-enhancing, they use similar plants and spices.
“Zero alcohol drinks are now well established but I think they will be overtaken by the third wave of functional – yet still alcohol-free – drinks,” says Professor Nutt. “We know that many people are turning away from alcohol for health reasons. Also we know doctors are recommending heavy drinkers either fully or partially (Zebra striping) replace their alcoholic drinks with these.”
A new Euromonitor report, commissioned by 0% wine Eisberg, shows that younger drinkers are moderating throughout the year instead of going cold turkey or zebra-striping only in January, with 33 per cent choosing 0% drinks in December 2025 compared with December 2024. Waitrose’s head of drinks Pierpaolo Petrassi, reports a 122 per cent uplift in sales for Mother Root and 50 per cent for Pentire Coastal Spritz.
I admit that until now I have been fairly ascetic about my alcohol-free spirits intake. There are a few I rate and might order in a bar if driving – Pentire, Botivo – but at home I find tonic with a dash of bitters does the job. I do also drink alcohol however, so I’m not looking to fill that gap and am probably more reluctant to splurge on fake gin when I could throw £30 or £40 at a real bottle. For this reason, I invited my two favourite former drinking buddies, writers Rebecca Armstrong and Daisy Buchanan, both now sober, to do this taste test with me. We tried all the drinks as recommended by the manufacturer.
I ask bartender, and founder of the bars Lyaness and Seed Library, Ryan Chetiyawardana, why some of these drinks are so expensive – those I try range from £11.41 to £70 per litre. “We need to separate them out from being seen as soft drinks,” he says. “Mixers, sodas and the like are cheaper to produce, and are able to be drunk as such, but products made with a different focus in mind have a different process and concentration – just like any great foodstuff – and they have a different price, and value, as a result.”
With that in mind, we put them to the test.
The Pathfinder, £24.99/70cl (£49.99/l)
5/5
This distinctive spirit, a fermented hemp-based distillation inspired by the healing tonics sold by apothecaries in America’s Wild West, was a hit with all our testers. An unusual blend of flavours including angelica root, wormwood, sage, juniper, ginger, saffron and orange, The Pathfinder smells heady and herbaceous with spicy, woody notes and a medicinal, Swiss clinic feel. Although the branding leans on its curative powers, it tastes much more fun than any sterile clinic. No wonder it’s used in many fashionable bars. “The loveliest thing I’ve tried tonight,” says Daisy. “It’s brilliant.”
JIN JIN, £39.99/60cl (£66.65/l)
4.5/5
A fermented cordial of more than 30 fruits, vegetables and mushrooms, packed with gut-friendly live cultures, prebiotics and digestive enzymes. JIN JIN is an unusual prospect: as thick as cough syrup with both sweet and savoury and deeply umami notes, not unlike a PX sherry, which tastes great mixed with soda water but can be added to all kinds of things, such as smoothies, over porridge, in a salad dressing or even chocolate mousse. One of those drinks that really makes you feel like you’re doing something good for yourself.
THREE SPIRIT Livener XS, from £25.99/50cl (51.98/l – but better deals on bundles)
4/5
A bijou collection of botanical blends, Three Spirit has launched an extra spicy version of its Livener drink, taking its lead from our overwhelming appetite for a spicy margarita and all things hot sauce. Rebecca is a big fan, likening it to a Bloody Mary but somewhat sweeter, and loving how it stands out from the crowd. We also try Nightcap (calming, woody, mellow) and Social (floaty, herbal, bliss), and would very happily drink all three or wear them as fragrance. All contain nootropics, which claim to enhance brain function, and adaptogens, natural substances such as ashwagandha, cacao, liquorice and ginseng said to enhance mood and regulate stress.
Everleaf Marine, £22/50cl (£44/l – but better deals on bundles)
4/5
Hands-down my favourite gin substitute, though Everleaf Marine is, very smartly, not marketed as a fake gin but as a “crisp and refreshing” blend of bergamot, kelp and sea buckthorn, bringing the enlivening joy of a briny coastal wind with juniper notes that clearly evoke its gin feel. I really enjoy the other Everleaf flavours, too: Forest is a toasty aromatic blend of orange, chamomile and sweet vanilla and cinnamon; Mountain is lighter and floral.
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Read More Pentire Coastal Spritz, £27.80/70cl (£36.24/l)
4/5
I remember when I first tried Pentire Coastal Spritz in a bar some years ago because its refreshingly bitter blend of blood orange, sea rosemary and oak really stood out from the pack. As we’re seeing, that pack has upped its game recently, but I still order Pentire. The key to replicating a bar drink at home, as far as possible, is to use a really good glass, plenty of ice and a slice that complements the drink, in this case orange or grapefruit. A sprig of rosemary or a bay leaf will fancy it up even further.
Mother Root, £27.95/50cl (£55.90/l)
4/5
We all love this ginger switchel with an apple cider vinegar base – great for gut health – and with a strong acidity that makes it an effective alcohol substitute. Founder Bethan had worked in the wine industry and knew the reasons why we enjoy drinks with friends or to help us unwind, and decided to create a really interesting drink – Mother Root stands up to this – with the added benefits of the ACV. Also works great in a hot morning drink. Available in Sainsbury’s, Ocado and Waitrose.
Feragaia, £26.35/70cl (£37.64/l)
3.5/5
I’ve been meaning to try Feragaia since it relaunched in 2022 as an early iteration didn’t work for me. This is a huge improvement and a drink I’d happily order again. It’s a Scottish distillation with distinctive but not-too-punchy botanicals of lemon verbena, blackcurrant, kelp and pink peppercorn, livened up with the serving suggestion of ginger ale, though it’s also recommended with tonic for a spritz-style drink, or pink grapefruit soda to emulate a paloma. A decent example of how to pack contrasting and complementary flavours into a subtle and sophisticated pour.
Botivo, £27.50/50cl (£55/l)
4/5
This bitter sweet British aperitivo is already a firm favourite with all testers. Botivo has cracked the supermarket and the bar market and brought out mixed cans (£3.50) earlier this year. The apple cider vinegar base is pleasingly acidic and enlivened with orange, rosemary, thyme and honey. Mix 25ml with soda or sparkling water and a slice of orange, which makes each serve cost around £1.40. No wonder Ocado reports that searches for it are up 225% this year.
Sentia Spirits Gaba Gold, £32/50cl (£64/l – but savings on bundles)
4/5
These were the drinks I was most excited about trying, given Professor Nutt’s claims about how they affect our brains. I tried Gaba Gold first, which promises ‘lifted mood, mental balance, warmth and wellness’ and loved its warmth and subtle kick. It is no doubt better tested in a proper social setting, but at home I found that I did feel relaxed in a woozy kind of way, as I have with alcohol. Unfortunately this just made me want a drink, and I ended up having a glass of wine! The following evening I tried the Red and Black flavours, and of the two preferred the complex, heady ginseng, gingko and cinnamon blend of the Black. Thankfully that time I was enjoying myself too much to reach for the wine.
Almave Blanco, £24/70cl (£34.28/l)
3.5/5
Are you even a celebrity if you don’t have your own drinks brand? F1 superstar Lewis Hamilton takes a brave foray into the world of 0% tequila with Almave, and I am unexpectedly surprised, in a good way. I am a tequila drinker, and to me it’s a spirit that tastes so irrevocably of alcohol that I couldn’t imagine a zero-booze version. Along comes Almave with its smoky swagger, delivering on both taste and aroma. Feels like a genuine party starter over ice with orange bitters, just as any tequila should.
La Borosa Blanco, £21.99/70cl (£31.41/l)
0/5
I’m afraid the same cannot be said of La Borosa, the other tequila I try, also distilled from blue agave. I’m not sure where things went so wrong, but I tried this on different occasions and on each want to spit it out. When I take another mouthful, strictly for research purposes, I get a slightly viscous, somewhat lime-flavoured, but overwhelmingly chemical-tasting and unpalatable liquid. It’s one of the worst things I have ever put in my mouth. I can’t reveal how the others described it given this is a family newspaper.
Salcombe New London First Light, £25/70cl (£35.71/l)
3.5/5
I’m a fan of Salcombe Gins and this 0 per cent bottle – one of three the company produces – is the best take on gin that I try (up there with Everleaf, though that doesn’t call itself gin). The flavour is crisp with the clear notes of juniper and bright and refreshing citrus, ginger, orange and sage. I have one at 6pm a few nights in a row and find I don’t think about having a real cocktail afterwards.
Botaniets Original 0.0%, £35/50cl (£70/l), Fortnum & Mason
3/5
A pleasantly herbaceous and fragrant drink, technically a fake gin with gentle notes of juniper, cardamon, rosemary and citrus. It claims to be the only 0 per cent spirit that is made from its own distilled alcoholic base, rather than by mixing with something else, but I can’t verify that. Though its flavour is distinct, Botaniets is gentle and unshowy compared to some of the “look at me” drinks tested, and should please a variety of tastes.
Lyre’s Dry London Spirit, £23.99/70cl (£34.27/l)
2/5
I was very curious about this one as when I tried Lyre’s take on Bourbon last year I thought my mouth would combust and it took hours to get rid of the taste. Thankfully the company’s ode to gin is far more palatable. We all agree it would pass as an acceptable G&T replacement if the need arose, but with so many other options out there, plus the much more economical “just tonic’” I doubt it will.
Aldi Greyson’s and Greyson’s Pink, £7.99/70cl (11.41/l)
1/5
I get weak Ribena notes from the pink gin while the dry version gives off more of an alcoholic scent, but tastes like chemicals. “The Baylis & Harding of fake gins,” decides Rebecca, pointing out that there’s something quite thin about most fake gins, whereas one of the beauties of the real deal is its generous viscosity. “I can imagine serving this to a teenage niece,” she says.
Cygnet, £32/70cl (£45.7/l), M&S
2/5
The 0% spirit for the Whispering Angel crowd. Following the launch of her Welsh gin brand Cygnet in 2023, opera star Katherine Jenkins has added a 0 per cent spirit to the range, though it’s not intended as a fake gin but an alcohol-free tipple in its own right. Cygnet Infinity, launched exclusively in M&S last month, contains Lion’s Mane, Siberian ginseng, schisandra berry, chrysanthemum, hibiscus and rosehip and sells itself as “a true luxury icon”. The taste is certainly subtle, and if you go for the suggested serving of 60ml plus a splash of tonic, you’ll only get 11.6 drinks out of the £32 bottle.
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Martini Vibrante, £10/75cl (£13.33/l), Sainsbury’s
3/5
My husband’s budget 0% drink of choice when he’s craving all the brightly-coloured bitter joy of a Campari or Negroni but without the complications. We tried this alongside Pavari 17 (£19.99) and NoGroni (£29 from Wise Bartender). They were all praised for the upliftingly artificial boiled sweet colour, but the cheaper Martini came out on top taste wise.
Gordon’s 0%, £20/70cl (£28.57),
1/5
There’s nothing wrong with this but, as with most of the fake gins, I could find 100 better ways to spend £20. One of the main reasons we’re seeing so much innovation and so many spin-offs of alcoholic spirits is that the big drink manufacturers are terrified of losing market share, as Gen Z turns away from binge drinking.
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