There are two kinds of alcohol-free spirit. The first kind wants to be gin, or whisky, or rum. It's the tribute act. Sometimes it's brilliant, sometimes it's a bloke from Wakefield in a sequinned jumpsuit doing Elvis at a caravan park.
The second kind doesn't copy anything. It just picks a load of roots, flowers, barks and spices and goes "this is what I taste like, deal with it." These are the botanical spirits. They're the weird kids at school who turned out to be the most interesting people at the reunion.
This review is about that second lot. Seven bottles we stock, what's actually in them, and how to drink them without wasting your money.
The short answer
Botanical alcohol-free spirits are built from herbs, roots, spices, teas and fruit, not designed to copy one specific drink. Judge them on flavour, not on how gin-like they are. The best ones are bitter, layered and long, and most work best with a mixer, plenty of ice and a strong garnish. If you only try one, make it Pathfinder. If you like smoke, Crossip Dandy Smoke.
How I judged them
Without alcohol, a spirit needs another way to carry flavour and feel like something in your mouth. So the three tests are simple.
Does it smell of anything? If you have to sniff the bottle like a Labrador at a crime scene, it'll vanish in tonic. Does it have a backbone? Bitterness, spice, heat or tannin. Something that stops it tasting like posh squash. Does it hang around? The good ones finish long. The bad ones disappear faster than my enthusiasm for a 6am alarm.
Pathfinder: the one to start with
Pathfinder is made from fermented hemp seed, copper pot distilled, then blended with wormwood, angelica, ginger, sage, juniper, orange peel and wild Douglas fir. Herbal, bittersweet and resinous, with a long finish that keeps changing.
It's our bestselling spirit ever at Functional Drinks Club, and it's one of the few you can sip over ice without a mixer. Yes, it's hemp. No, it won't make you giggle at the telly. It's a drink, not a 1990s student flat.
Kev's verdict: the Swiss Army knife. If you only buy one bottle, buy this.
Crossip Dandy Smoke: for anyone who misses the peat
Crossip Dandy Smoke is deep and brooding: Lapsang tea, smoke and peat, opening into dark fruit and cinnamon, clove, ginger, nutmeg and black pepper, with a slow-building heat. The Independent named it the best overall non-alcoholic spirit of 2025, with a perfect 10.
In a previous life I was a big peaty whisky fan. This is the bottle I'd hand to anyone who's the same. Try it with ginger ale and an orange twist.
Kev's verdict: a bonfire in a glass. In a good way. Not the Guy Fawkes in our street way.
Crossip Pure Hibiscus: pretty, then it punches you
Crossip Pure Hibiscus starts floral, then takes a sharp turn into dry bitterness from wormwood and gentian, with cranberry, rhubarb and bergamot along the way. Long, warm and gripping.
It looks like it should be sweet. It isn't. It's like meeting someone at a wedding in a flowery dress who turns out to be a cage fighter. Lovely with tonic and a slice of pink grapefruit.
Kev's verdict: for people who order a Negroni to look interesting, then actually like it.
Crossip Fresh Citrus: the Monday morning of spirits
Crossip Fresh Citrus opens with a cool eucalyptus freshness, then mandarin, orange, lemon, grapefruit and peach, finishing with a gentle warmth from ginger and cayenne. Use 25ml with tonic, and the bottle does about 20 drinks.
Kev's verdict: bright and breezy. The sort of drink that'd say "morning!" far too cheerfully.
Talonmore: ginger with attitude
Talonmore is built around intense ginger, prickly pear, hawthorn berry and Assam tea. The ginger leads with warm spice, the fruit adds sweetness, and the tea brings a dry, tannic grip. It's sold as a whisky alternative, but honestly it's its own thing, which is why it's in this review.
It's a proper winter one. Try it with hot water as an alcohol-free hot toddy after a cold dog walk.
Kev's verdict: the Jason Statham of the shelf. Bald, spicy, gets the job done.
Three Spirit Livener: a party in a bottle (with caffeine)
Three Spirit Livener mixes watermelon, ginger and hibiscus with bitter ginseng and green herbs, finishing dry with rich tannins. It contains guayusa, which is a natural source of caffeine, so it's not one for 11pm.
The wellness industry would call this a "plant-powered social elixir to unlock your energy". I'll put a pound in the swear jar for typing that. It's a fruity, spicy drink that's great long with tonic. That'll do.
Kev's verdict: the mate who arrives first and puts the music on.
New London Light Midnight Sun: the forager's pink gin
New London Light Midnight Sun blends sea buckthorn and elderberries with kelp and pine, some of it foraged near the distillery in Salcombe. It's subtly sweet and layered, and made for the open-minded pink gin drinker. Serve with a light tonic, lots of ice and a few berries.
Kev's verdict: tastes like a holiday in Devon where it didn't rain. So, a fantasy.
How to serve botanical spirits properly
Most people drown them. Use less mixer than you would with gin, somewhere around one part spirit to two or three parts mixer. If it's very bitter or spicy, try soda water instead of tonic so the botanicals can breathe.
Use loads of ice. Two sad cubes melt in a minute and turn your drink into a puddle. And pick one garnish that matches the bottle. Orange with smoke. Grapefruit with hibiscus. Rosemary with Pathfinder. Not the whole fruit bowl.
If you want the bigger picture, our straight-talking guide to alcohol-free spirits covers how they're made and how to choose. And if you just want a ranked list, here are the 10 best non-alcoholic spirits to try.
Are they worth the money?
The good ones are. A 50cl bottle at 25ml a drink gets you about 20 serves, which works out cheaper per glass than most pubs charge for a lemonade. The bad ones aren't worth it at any price. That's why we taste everything before it goes on the shelf.
You can build a spirits box to try a few. Buy 6 bottles of wine or spirits for 10% off, or 12 for 15% off. Delivery is free on UK mainland orders over £85, and £4.95 under. Or come and have a sniff at our Otley spirits shop at 7 Manor Square. Online orders can't be collected there, but you can buy in person.
The serious bit
In the UK, drinks up to 0.5% ABV count as alcohol-free. That isn't 0.0%, so if you need zero, check the label. Some botanical spirits also contain caffeine or active botanicals, so if you're pregnant, on medication or caffeine-sensitive, check the label and with your GP first.
And if you're worried about your drinking, Drinkaware and the NHS alcohol advice pages have free, proper support.
Kombucha Kev, Functional Drinks Club
