Dry January: The best non-alcoholic spirits for your home bar
Whether you're swearing off alcohol for a month or looking to cut down in the long-term, our edit of the best non-alcoholic options offers a spirited start to 2023
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As we wrap up another festive season filled with work Christmas parties, cosy dinner parties and after-work pints, the realisation dawns that December was full of excuses to indulge in a tipple or two, often getting a bit excessive. But the New Year is here and, with it, the urge to ditch the booze in the pursuit of a clearer mind and trimmer waist. If you’ve committed to Dry January this year, you’re far from alone. Nearly 20 per cent of adults in the UK are thought to have taken part last year and, accordingly, the market is now brimming with non-alcoholic alternatives to your favourite tipples. Here are some of the best…
Botivo
Made in Hertfordshire, Botivo is a small batch non-alcoholic aperitif-inspired drink. Currently on batch 16, the slow-sipping botanical takes a year to make and imbibes a unique flavour profile that layers bittersweet, herbal and citrusy flavour notes. It is also unpasteurised, making it a low calorie and antioxidant rich option that’s great for your gut. Serve over ice with soda or tonic and a wedge of orange to bring your love of negronis into Dry January.
Wednesday’s Domaine
There’s no need to replace that glass of wine at dinner with water just yet. Wednesday’s Domaine is a great non-alcoholic wine alternative. The alcohol-free wines are packed with natural flavours and pair perfectly with food. The white Piquant is made from Airen Blanco grapes for a sweet, crisp flavour profile while the Sanguine is made using Tempranillo grapes with hints of plum and blackcurrant. All the taste of a well-made wine with none of the mid-week hangover. Cheers!
Black Lines Shirley Temple
If a non-alcoholic spirit isn’t enough to help you make it through Dry January, why not look to one of the best-known non-alcoholic cocktails? Black Lines drew inspiration from the iconic virgin cocktail for its take on the Shirley Temple. Bottling up a mix of grenadine, ginger ale, raspberry soda, fresh lemon, blood orange and a dash of bitters, the Black Line Shirley Temple is an elegant option for January soirées when served over ice and topped with an orange slice and a maraschino cherry.
Atopia Spiced Citrus
One of the early arrivals on the low-alcohol scene, Atopia clocks in at just 0.5% ABV – meaning an Atopia and tonic contains 75x less alcohol than a traditional gin and tonic. Created by William Grant & Sons’ award-winning master distiller Lesley Gracie, Atopia is available in Spiced Citrus, Rhubard & Ginger and Hedgerow Berry flavours but it’s the first we’d recommend if you’re looking for something to replace your classic gin. Distilled with juniper, coriander, orange, angelica root and lemon, it’s a sophisticated pour that’s also perfect for use in low ABV cocktails.
Salcombe Gin New London Light
Having launched its first gin in 2016, Salcombe Gin has been making waves over the past few years as a standout among a new generation of boutique gin producers making the spirit cool again. At the end of 2020 it launched its first non-alcoholic spirit, New London Light, based on the same distilling principles as its signature serves and the results are as close to traditional gin as you’re likely to come in the no- and low-alcohol market. Crisp, dry and complex on the palate, it’s full of notes of orange, lemon and ginger with a distinctive floral perfume you won’t be able to distinguish from your usual Friday night aperitif. Since 2020, the line has also expanded to include Midnight Sun (flavoured with wild Nordic coastal berries, pine and kelp) and Aegean Sky (a thoroughly Mediterranean blend of bitter citrus and olive).
Maria & Craig’s CBD Botanical Spirit
Is going alcohol-free not quite enough to fulfil your dreams of January wellness? Perhaps a non-alcoholic spirit boosted with wellbeing wonder-ingredient CBD will cut it. Created by the husband-and-wife team behind Cedar’s non-alcoholic alt-gin and Celtic Soul dark spirit, Maria & Craig’s CBD Botanical Spirit is distilled using juniper, sage, chamomile and orange blossom and blended with premium broad spectrum CBD for a satisfying – and thoroughly relaxing – gin alternative. Its vibrant yellow bottle is also enough to brighten up even the darkest of January days.
Three Spirit Social Elixir
OK, so the name might make you want to gag, but the ‘Social Elixir’ from London-based herbalists Three Spirit promises to be both good for you and the environment. Concocted from coconut vinegar, green tea, caraway seeds and a South American super-herb called ‘Yerba Mate’ – sounds fun – among other ingredients, this non-alcoholic aperitif is gluten-free, cruelty-free, 100 per cent vegan and arrives in zero-plastic, recyclable packaging. Its makers claim that the plants and herbs inside have been chosen for their power to lift spirits and reduce inhibitions – providing all the advantages of alcohol without the head-pounding aftereffects. ‘After three doses, you’ll be the life and soul of the party!’ asserts the Three Spirit website. That might be a bold claim, but the Racing Green bottle will certainly make a smart addition to any Art Deco-style drinks trolley.
Sea Arch Coastal Juniper
Inspired by its founders’ hometown of Dorset and named after a natural rock formation found on the local coastline, Sea Arch is produced using traditional distilling techniques to allow the flavours of its botanicals to sink in, before the alcohol is gently removed. Wild seaside herbs of sugar kelp and samphire offer a nod to the Dorset coast, while notes of blood orange and coriander add a sweet and spicy undertone. As good for the environment as it is for your head come morning, Sea Arch is packaged in recycled cardboard boxes and its bottles are finished with solvent-free paint.
Fluère Spiced Cane Dark Roasted
Crafted from pure sugar cane molasses and made using the same distilling techniques as gin, rum and whisky, Fluère’s Spiced Cane Dark Roasted makes for an excellent substitute for rum. Rich notes of dark roasted coffee, cocoa, liquorice, tonka beans and toffee give this non-alcoholic spirit a unique after-bite reminiscent of the real deal. Swap out your favourite liquor with Fluère and whip up an Old Fashioned, Daiquiri or Cuba Libra for a Dry January-friendly tipple.
Crossip Dandy Smoke
Brought to you by former Dishoom bar development manager and Sunday Brunch regular, Carl Anthony Brown, Dandy Smoke launched in September 2020 as a non-alcoholic alternative to mezcal or whisky. Locking himself in a dark room to experiment with spices and botanicals, Brown emerged with a fiery, fruity recipe that coalesces hints of almond, clove and nutmeg. Enjoy Dandy Smoke neat, on the rocks or mixed, preferably with ginger ale, advises Brown. If whisky isn’t your thing, Crossip also does a hibiscus-based bitter and a citrus fruit punch. Five per cent of sales go to social causes – allowing you to socialise with a conscience.
Clean G
Having started life as the 1.2% ABV CleanGin, the Clean Co’s signature spirit has since evolved into Clean G. Created using a complex distillation method that involves all the classic gin aromatics – juniper, citrus, angelica, orris and coriander – the result is a crisp, lively spirit barely distinguishable from its alcoholic cousin. Plus, containing no sugar or sweeteners, it clocks in at just 14 calories per serving. Think cocktail hour can’t be part of a healthy lifestyle? Think again.
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