Fewer and fewer people are drinking these days.
That's not just an observation; the numbers prove it. According to 2021 research by Statista, some 35 per cent of men and 42 per cent of women in the 16 - 24 age group said they don't drink. The figures dip in the middle-age categories before rising again amongst those aged 75 and over.
For a nation that sees their local as an extension of their living room, it feels surprising. Yet Mintel's UK Pub Visiting Market Report 2023 indicates that we still love going to the pub - almost 9 in 10 adults visit pubs; everyone, basically - so it's not so much the venue as it is what we're ordering when we get to the bar.
The nation's drinking habits have shifted dramatically over the last few decades as a new generation sees the health and economic havoc wrought by alcohol, and decides to journey down a different fork on the path to being social. One marked 'mindful drinking', and the other, increasingly travelled, signposted as 'teetotal'.
Not drinking at the pub used to be a trailblazing (read: sad) act, one that would trigger an avalanche of concerned looks, and, if you were a woman, instant speculation that you were expecting. Either that, or you'd drawn the short straw and were the designated driver for the evening. Now, Gen Z has shown that you can have a good night out without punishing your liver along the way. This shift in mindset has been helped by the flood of new low-and-no alcohol and non-alcoholic alternatives in the UK’s drinks market.
From beer to bubbles and spirits, booze-free versions of the nation's favourite tipples are ready and waiting to be poured behind an increasing number of pubs, bars and restaurants. A trend that started amongst small producers has now been adopted by some of the biggest drinks brands in the world as the thirst for alcohol-free alternatives grows. They act as saintly doppelgangers for the stronger stuff and mean those abstaining for health or faith-based reasons no longer have to sit at the edges of the party. Alcohol-free options are inclusive options.
There are alcohol-free options across almost all the popular drink categories, including whisky. Scotland’s hallowed drink has been made healthier by stripping out the alcohol while leaving the coveted flavour profile - peaty, oaky, smoky - intact. Not all of them manage it, mind, but if you’re looking for decent non-alcoholic whisky alternatives, we’ve found the drams worth splashing out on.
Whether you want to practice mindful drinking by alternating your drinks with booze-free, or you’re after bottles to reach for without feeling guilty after a long day, we’ve rounded up the best alcohol-free whiskies below.
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Talonmore Drinks Company Limited Non-Alcoholic Spirit 70cl
This vegan whisky substitute is full of the warmth and fire you would expect from whisky - but then, that’s no surprise as it is produced in Scotland by the people who understand the spirit best. It's full of flavour so will fare perfectly well neat with nothing more than a few ice cubes for company, but works equally as well in a whisky mocktail.
Buy now £25.00, Amazon
Glen Dochus West Coast Blend Alcohol-Free Whisky Alternative 70cl
Aside from the telling 0.0 per cent ABV on the label on the bottom quarter of the bottle, you'd be hard-pressed to distinguish this non-alcoholic whisky from its full-strength brothers. It looks just like the real thing, and the smooth, mellow flavours inside do nothing to detract from that.
There's less fire here - more of a light smoke - offset with candied fruit and toasted pepper.
Buy now £19.00, Threshers
CleanCo Clean W Non-Alcoholic Whiskey Replacement 70cl
From former Made in Chelsea star Spencer Matthews comes CleanCo, a line of non-alcoholic drinks designed to mimic the real thing.
Along with rum and gin, the brand has this booze-free whisky alternative, housed in a beautiful faceted glass bottle that you'll have no trouble showing off on your drinks shelf.
Designed to taste like bourbon, this shines best when paired with a mixer, like Coke or ginger ale, rather than slung back neat. In cocktails with plenty of ice and garnishes, it's a pretty convincing substitute.
Buy now £13.50, Waitrose
IL GUSTO Sober whiskey 500ml
With a dapper label and deep amber hue, this bottle offers plenty of cool points without even cracking the top. It's worth it though, the Lyon-made spirit substitute is brimming with candied fruit, vanilla and delicious toffee flavours, ready to wash over your waiting tastebuds.
Buy now £26.99, Amazon
Abstinence Epilogue X Alcohol Free Whiskey
Produced in South Africa's Cape Fynbos, this boozeless whiskey manages to capture peaty, malty flavours with spice, chocolate and wood for a serve unlike any other. There is a faint trace of residual alcohol in each bottle (0.5 per cent, practically undetectable and certainly not enough to get sloshed on) but something to bear in mind if you're looking for completely booze-free.
Buy now £19.99, Amazon
Three Spirit Non-Alcoholic Alternative Spirit - The Nightcap, 50cl
A whisky alternative made with lemon balm, Three Spirits's Nightcap is made to be muddled with mixers. Ginger, pepper and herbal flavours wait inside the bottle and while it's not a dead ringer for Scotch firewater, the refreshing taste is enough to have us coming back for more.
Buy now £22.94, Amazon
Lyre's American Malt
Cheekily named, and expertly crafted, Lyre's range of non-alcoholic aperitifs are so popular you'll find them being poured in London's smartest watering holes, from The Goring to The Ivy, as well as established brunch spots like Sunday in Brooklyn and Balans.
Its whisky alternative comes in the form of this bottle, fronted by a double-rifle toting bear natch, modelled on American bourbon. Best tried in cocktails, you should be able to detect notes of hazelnut and vanilla mixed in with woody, grassy notes.
Buy now £23.75, Master of Malt
Dochus Highland Bothy Alcohol-Free Whisky Alternative 70cl
This Highland-hailing bottle from Dochus promises to be 100 per cent hangover-free while treating you to a smooth, sweet and surprisingly floral flavour. The beautiful bottle is perfect for gifting, ready to surprise the whisky aficionado in your life.
Buy now £20.00, Threshers
