The Christmas party season is upon us. If you are a non drinker, a driver, at a work do, pregnant etc etc it can be a difficult time to fit in.
Step forward the new breed of non alcoholic gins. Ive written plenty of articles on them, 11 reasons to try, health benefits, the massive calorie savings, but perhaps the most relevant for xmas is the fact they cant get you drunk.
There is no need to worry about driving home, going to work or even if you are over the limit the next day. They are the perfect xmas party tipple and some are absolutely delicious! Here are 6 of the best I’ve tried…
1. Seedlip Spice 94
Seedlip have burst onto the non alcoholic gin and spirit market. If you are being pedantic, its main flavour isn’t juniper so not technically a gin but it is very gin like on the palate.
Spice 94 is absolutely perfect for the Christmas market. Its ingredients include…
- All spice
- Oak
- Green Cardamon
- Cascarilla
- Grapefruit
- Lemon
I think it is a perfect combination of Christmas spice flavours from the all spice, coupled with the acidic, mouth drying grapefruit with layers of oak and cardamon. This is the best non alcoholic spirit i have drank, and i have drank a lot! If you are only going to buy 1 non alcoholic gin/spirit for the party season, i would buy this.
Seedlip does come with a premium price tho, even for an alcoholic drink it would be pricey. I do believe it is worth it. Im still taking it 20mins after i drank it. Its a proper adult drink, not a glorified cordial.
Serving Suggestion
To make the signature Seedlip & Tonic, pour 50ml over ice, top w/ tonic & garnish w/ a twist of Grapefruit peel.
Where to buy
You can check out the latest prices now at Amazon. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
For UK readers, Light Drinks has this and others, if you use code OPENINGTHEBOTTLE you get an additional 5% off
For Australian readers, Craft Zero has a range of products, if you use code OPENINGTHEBOTTLE you get an additional 10% off
2. Tanqueray 0.0%
If you are after a straight gin replacement then look no further than the brilliant Tanqueray 0.0%. Ive a full review to read here.
In a blind tasting, my wife and sister in law both preferred this to the alcoholic version and its the drink my wife choses above the others. The flavour of Tanqueray hasn’t changed in 200 years and this is the perfect essence of it.
Without the alcohol hitting the back of your throat you get the full gin flavour and in Tanqueray 0.0%, it is sublime.
This is the best alcoholic gin replacement and delicious.
Suggested serving
Enjoy with your favourite tonic and garnish over ice.
Where to buy
The cheapest price is on Amazon at around £15-16 per bottle. That is great value.
For UK readers, Light Drinks has this and others, if you use code OPENINGTHEBOTTLE you get an additional 5% off
For Australian readers, Craft Zero has a range of products, if you use code OPENINGTHEBOTTLE you get an additional 10% off
3. Clean Co – Clean G
You may well have heard about Clean Co. It was founded by reality TV star Spencer Matthews and it’s made him even richer. Ordinarily you’d be very jealous but when you try the range you think, “fair enough”.
I have bought both this and the straight Clean G gin, i have to say i prefer this one. It’s just that bit different but with still only 12cal per serving.
At 0.5%, its not alcohol free but it is non alcoholic. For an overview of these confusing labels, read my article on it.
It is bursting with botanicals, rhubarb and red berries. If you are looking to sample the Clean Co range id suggest this one as an entry.
Suggested Serving
50ml over ice, topped with 150ml tonic and garnished with a lime wedge and fresh raspberry.
Where to buy
You can buy this at Light Drinks and if you use the code OPENINGTHEBOTTLE you get 5% off
You can also see if you can get a better price via Amazon with this link
4. Seedlip Grove 42
Ok, back to Seedlip again. They are top end premium for a reason. Grove 42 is no exception
This time, citrus is the theme and however they have distilled it, citrus is what you get. You get it in spades.
The official flavours are…
- Bitter orange
- Blood orange
- Lemongrass
- Lemon
- Mandarin
- Ginger
Lots of the other gin 0.0 versions are juniper with hints of citrus. They never really go whole hog on the citrus because you’ve came for juniper. Not here tho. You want citrus and you get citrus. It coats your mouth and lingers for ages. If citrus is your flavour then this is the drink for you.
The fact it has 0 calories is quite simply mind-blowing.
Suggested serving
Simply serve 50ml over ice, top w/ a premium tonic & garnish w/ a twist of Orange peel.
Where to buy
As always, if you find a better price than Amazon is offering, you have done well.
For UK readers, Light Drinks has this and others, if you use code OPENINGTHEBOTTLE you get an additional 5% off
5. Sipsmith FreeGlider
Sipsmith is an absolutely top london dry gin, i’ve been drinking it for years. They are one of the many gin houses to create a non alcoholic version.
It tastes exactly as you would want and expect. It has all the flavours of Sipsmith but without that alcohol hit at the back of your throat.
Truth be told i think the Tanqueray 0.0 is just slightly better but i make nearly every visitor to the house try a myriad of gins and this comes in the top few so many times that i had to include it on the list.
Maybe this is your perfect non alcoholic gin?
Suggested serving
Elevate any moment of moderation by crafting a FreeGlider & Tonic; simply top 50ml of FreeGlider with 100ml chilled premium tonic water and garnish with a grapefruit twist for a simple yet sensational serve.
Where to buy
You can find it on Amazon. Prices are always changing, especially coming up to xmas so click to see latest price.
For UK readers, Light Drinks has this and others, if you use code OPENINGTHEBOTTLE you get an additional 5% off
For Australian readers, Craft Zero has a range of products, if you use code OPENINGTHEBOTTLE you get an additional 10% off
6. Seedlip Garden 108
Ok, ok, another Seedlip i know but i’m telling you, this brand have nailed the non alcoholic spirit market dead to rights.
I had to include this Seedlip as its just so unusual. You have to keep drinking it as its just not what you expect in a gin or spirit. The flavours are different and powerful. They include…
- Peas
- Hay
- Spearmint
- Rosemary
- Hops
- Thyme
It’s nearly impossible to describe the flavour. Can you imagine a really sweet minty pea distillation with the hoppy bitterness from an IPA beer? No? Well the only thing for you to do is buy this and find out.
Suggested serving
To make a delicious non-alcoholic drink, pour 50ml of Seedlip Garden 108 over ice, top w/ tonic & garnish w/ a Sugar Snap Pea or Mint sprig.
Where to buy
Amazon is rarely beaten on price so check the current price today here
For UK readers, Light Drinks has this and others, if you use code OPENINGTHEBOTTLE you get an additional 5% off
For Australian readers, Craft Zero has a range of products, if you use code OPENINGTHEBOTTLE you get an additional 10% off
