It’s common to individually distill herbs and spices to produce natural extracts and essential oils. These are then blended with water, sweeteners, and other flavorings to achieve the complexities of whiskey, including smokiness, fruitiness, vanilla, caramel, and spiciness. Ritual Zero Proof– Ritual Zero Proof makes a few non-alcoholic spirit options, which have proven to make lots of delicious alternative beverages. Another method involves distilling a neutral grain spirit, then distilling again to remove the alcohol. The mixture is then blended with flavorings and essences to create the final product. Seedlip is at the forefront of this movement; when I spoke to stallholders at the festival about taking the alcohol out of spirits, a couple of them mentioned Seedlip with a sense of awe at its scope and size. For Branson, there is a clear demand, and what he’s doing is only the beginning. “It needs the trade industry and restaurants and bars and hotels to fully embrace it. It needs, as we’re seeing, the public to embrace it and demand it,” he says. “And it needs people willing to start businesses, break new ground and challenge perceptions of what’s possible with a drink that just doesn’t have any alcohol in.” Flavor. This is obviously the most important. Do you want it to mimic a familiar alcoholic gin, or do you just want something that tastes good?

The next time you want to indulge in whiskey but don’t want to deal with alcohol, try the best alcohol-free whiskeys! And when you do, make sure to have an open mind so you can assess the flavors better and enjoy them more. Before we dive into the comparison, let’s take a look at the real deal. There are many different types of whiskey, but it is essentially this, as described by Wikipedia: “a distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash….typically aged in wooden casks, generally made of charred white oak.” No two whiskeys are alike, because each distillery has their own unique spin on the craft.

nCreated by Industrias Espadafor in Andalucia, Spain, WHISSIN is designed as an alternative to whisky. WHISSIN has never been fermented, making this 1998 winner of the SIAL D’OR award, the perfect addition to your alcohol-free collection. nAs for taste, to be frank, imitating the taste and sensation of a whisky, which contains 40% alcohol, is difficult. WHISSIN does, however, promise to offer a unique bouquet of flavors that is reminiscent of whisky. Drink this slightly sweet, Whisky alternative neat or with ice and mixers. For those craving the burning sensation associated with whisky, add a splash or two of Rochester Ginger. Whisky and rum substitutes from Spain, Whissin and Ronsin, are well established favourites that satisfy the thirst for the taste sensations of tradition dark spirits without booze.

There are many styles of whiskey around the world. For the purposes of this comparison of non-alcoholic whiskey, I will only focus on a few. nWHISSIN is a non-alcoholic alternative to whisky created with a mixture of barley, maize, and wheat. Its sweetness is caused by the combination of ingredients with natural sugars that are normally processed during fermentation. A continuance of the heightened health awareness among consumers has shone a light on low- and no-alcohol drinks. Rye Whiskey: Made in the U.S. this style of whiskey must contain 51% rye grain, and can be blended with other grains like corn or malted barley. It’s characteristically spicy, with flavors like anise or clove. After reviewing these four non-alcoholic spirits, each is made differently, but none go through the exact same extensive process that one would take to craft whiskey. However, Spiritless 74 is the closest, as they distill a neutral grain spirit then reverse distill to remove the alcohol, then follow that with a blending. More detail is included under each product below for how it is made. COMMON STYLES OF WHISKEYLyre’s is an Australian beverage company offering “crafted homages to the intensity, balance, and beauty of the time-tested classics.” The name was inspired by the Australian Lyrebird, the world’s greatest mimic. I have found their White Cane Spirit to be an excellent rum substitute, so hopes are high for Lyre’s American Malt. Whissin old fashioned, honey spiced “lemonaide” and summer strawberry sour. Photograph: Alicia Canter/The Guardian

A recent explosion in the availability of spirit alternatives was largely led by the success of the non-alcoholic distilled botanical drink Seedlip. Thanks to a well-resourced marketing campaign, this seems to carved a niche all of its own. Not to everyone’s taste – it’s been likened to weedkiller – this drink made from peas and it tastes of peas. But it’s unquestionably been a success.

Brian Miller founded Seir Hill in a barn in Wilton, Connecticut, and his passion for non-alcoholic spirits is rooted in his decision to stop drinking for a healthier lifestyle. He opted for NA options, but they were never close to the real thing. So he decided to make one himself. If you decide to abstain from alcohol for good, your well-being will be in better status. You may lose weight, sleep better, have better mental health, reduce risks of various diseases, have glowing skin, and be more hydrated and active. Why Trust Advanced Mixology? A lot goes into crafting a bottle of whiskey: malting, mashing, fermentation, distillation, and aging. Depending on the grain used, country of origin, or type of whiskey being made, the process might slightly differ. Whiskey Advocate has a great explanation if you want to dive deeper on the subject. New contenders in this field of drinks spring up almost weekly as the bandwagon rolls on creaking under the weight of those jumping onboard.