If you’ve made it this far without breaking your Dry Jan promise to yourself, then congratulations! I didn’t even start. One must support hospitality after all. Ahem. What I will be doing however, is opting for more delicious non-alcoholic drinks; ones not packed full of sugar and preferably with some kind of health function. Here’s what I’ve been tasting recently that I would heartily recommend:
POSH SOFTIE / MIXER
The Green One, Toby & Co. From £24.99 (gift box of 4) Tobyandco.uk
New to the market is this stunning-looking can, which houses a sophisticated mixer or non-alcoholic cocktail - whichever you prefer it to be! Blended with a smart mix of vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, mushrooms and botanicals chosen for hydration and mental clarity, this is a feel-good drink that tastes fabulous. Think sparkling apple with a pleasing, full mouthfeel and lots of subtle, savoury complex notes. It’s a guilt-free, alcohol-free upgrade and you’ll want the retro artwork as posters on your wall (check outther website to see what I mean).The cans come in beautifully presented, highly giftable boxes too.
SPARKLING WINE
Casillero del Diablo ZERO Sparkling (0.5% abv), £6 Sainsbury’s
To be completely honest, I wasn’t expecting much from this relatively inexpensive, big brand name but I was very pleasantly surprised with this sparkling fizz. Made with 100% dealcoholized Chardonnay, this manages to keep some of the grape’s peachy fruitiness without having that heavy, cooked flavour you can so often get with booze-free fizz. It’s crisp and refreshing and certainly looks like the real deal in the glass. An absolute winner, especially for parties.
STILL WINE
Future Château Sauvignon Vermentino 2025, 5% abv, £19.99 futurechateau.com
In my opinion, having tasted pretty widely, most no/ low alc STILL wines really struggle in the flavour department, often tasting unfresh or out of balance, with a ton of sugar added to make up for the lack of alcohol. I genuinely enjoyed this white. The tangy, apple pie notes from the Vermentino really sing and it’s crisp and refreshing without being tart or sugary. At 5% it feels like a real wine too - just a lighter styled one. The disco label won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, nor will the price tag, which is a tad on the punchy side, but for those wanting to real wine experience, this has a lot going for it.
COCKTAIL
Free AF Margarita with Afterglow™, £15 for 6 can tasting pack af-drinks.com
If you’re intrigued by the ™, you should be! What we have here are some well-mixed, decent tasting cocktails in a can that hail from New Zealand, but what makes them different is that they use something called Afterglow™. This is apparently an all-natural ingredient that gives these drinks a real, booze-like, tingly kick with a subtle sense of warmth on the finish. I’ve now tried three flavours and can say this is certainly true - Not quite like the real deal but near as dammit! The Margarita is my favourite and they’re perfect for zebra striping. They’re excellent value as well. I’ll be taking a box out with me next time.
CIDER
Chance Clean Cider, 0.5% abv, 33cl, £2.25, The Wine Society, chancecider.com
I always thought that non-alcoholic cider was basically apple juice, but thankfully, there’s a lot more going on in this drop than simple fruit. With its crisp, apple-skin tang balanced by ripe orchard fruit notes and a gentle sweetness, there’s complexity and mouthfeel here. You can tell it’s been expertly blended and the slight sparkle makes it a great fit for aperitifs, a base for non-alcoholic cocktails or even for a bit of food pairing. It’s making me want some salty cheese right now, that’s for sure. Lovely stuff.
APERITIF or DIGESTIF
The Pathfinder Hemp & Root, £26.67, Master of Malt, drinkthepathfinder.co.uk
Fans of sweeter Amaro like Averna will love this quirky, alcohol-free tipple, which still has pretty much all the flavour and bitter kick of a boozier version, with a gentle touch of sweetness rounding it all out. This is made to a secret recipe featuring fermented hemp and I love how their website describes it as ‘inspired by the apothecarial mysteries of Old West snake oil salesmen, alternative medicine and the supernatural marvels that go hand-in-hand with them.’ Intriguing? Very. It’s a fab pre or postprandial sipper too - and who isn’t a sucker for the old medicine bottle packaging vibe?
Cin Cin! Helena x
Liked this? Check out these other articles on the best non-alcoholic drinks of 2025, or What are ‘functional’ drinks and let me know which you’ve enjoyed in the comments below!
Good one you but not my style. I do dry February 29th unless I'm ill 😀
The Afterglow ingredient sounds wild actualy – didn't know they'd cracked the "tingly" sensation in NA drinks yet. Been noticing more functional ingredients showing up in these products lately which feels like a smart direction. I've tried a few no-alc wines that tasted like sad grape juice so good to hear there's decent ones out now. That Pathfinder packaging is chefs kiss tho lol