Top 10 Low- & No-Alcohol Spirits for Sober October

You don't have to miss out on your favourite cocktails during sober October, or through the festive season. We've pulled together our favourite no- and low-alcohol alternatives so you can mix a Marg or shake up a Singapore Sling for you and your guests - just without the ABV.

Three Spirit

If you're not sure where to start with alcohol-free alternatives, then the Super Collection Bundle from Three Spirit is a great option. Whether you are looking to perk up or wind down, the functional plants and ingredients in each blend will help you on your way as well as providing a complex and delicious taste experience. The collection includes three botanical elixirs - Livener, Social and Nightcap - along with two bottles of Blurred Vines non-alcoholic wine, but you can also buy bottles individually. We love the Nightcap with ice and an orange garnish - and amazingly, it really did come with a good night's sleep!

RRP: Super Collection Bundle £89.00; individual bottles £25.99

Available from Three Spirit

CleanCo Alcohol-Free Spirits

CleanCo is the world’s leading independent alcohol-free spirit brand founded by Spencer Matthews. The range includes alcohol-free alternatives to all main spirits including Clean T (Tequila), Clean G (Gin), Clean G Rhubarb (Gin), Clean R (Rum), and Clean W (Whiskey), which are all designed to deliver the same taste, aroma, and experience as full-strength spirits, just without the alcohol.

RRP: £16.00

Available from CleanCo

The Pathfinder Hemp and Root

Featured in our Summer Spritzes article, we were impressed by the grown-up complexity of The Pathfinder Hemp and Root, a cult non-alcoholic spirit which has taken the US by storm.

Crafted with a methodical three-step process including fermentation of naturally harvested hemp seed, distillation in 16th-century-style copper pot stills and skilful blending of angelica root, wormwood, ginger, sage, juniper, saffron, orange peel and wild-crafted Douglas-fir (as well as natural terpenes) the result is an aroma of sweet citrus and fresh pine followed by heavier botanical bitters.

RRP: £34.99

Available from Amazon and Pathfinder

Cotswolds Distillery Dry Gin Essence

A beautifully crafted, lower-alcohol alternative from the award-winning Cotswolds Distillery. Made with 10x the botanical concentration of their signature dry gin, this small but mighty bottle delivers all the flavour with a fraction of the alcohol.

Each 5ml serve contains just 0.23 units of alcohol and 14 calories, just enough alcohol to toast, not topple. Simply add tonic for a lighter version of a G&T or add to your other favourite classic gin cocktails. Whether gifting to a cocktail enthusiast, a health-conscious friend or someone exploring low-alcoholic options, this is refreshingly different. 

RRP: £18.50 for 100ml

Available from Cotswolds Distillery

La Borosa Alcohol-Free Tequila

Inspired by the vibrant spirit of Mexico, La Borosa is crafted using traditional methods. Starting with hand-chopped blue agave cooked in brick ovens, it is then blended with natural ingredients and gently mellowed with oak for a smooth, complex flavour.

RRP: £21.99

Available from La Borosa

Botivo

Fancy a sophisticated, bittersweet aperitivo but without the booze? Each bottle of Botivo makes 20 drinks; their signature serve is 1 part (25ml) Botivo with 7 parts (175ml) soda water, garnished with a squeezed orange wedge. 

RRP: £27.00-£32.00

Available from Botivo

Sipsmith FreeGlider

This delicious non-alcoholic spirit is an uncompromising treat, perfect to enjoy when you’re not drinking. FreeGlider offers Sipsmith London Dry’s sensational taste without the alcohol, so it works in any gin recipe, from cocktails to a classic G&T.

RRP: £18.00

Available from Sipsmith and Waitrose

Mother Root

This aperitif is fresh, fiery and big on flavour, as well as being fabulous for your gut. Made with organic apple cider vinegar, ginger and a hint of chilli, you can serve it cold over ice with tonic - we like ours with a slice of lemon and a sprig of rosemary - or even warm as a soothing toddy.

RRP: £27.95

Available from Mother Root

Pavari 17

Crafted from 17 botanicals sourced from Italy and Spain and blended with a non-alcoholic Mediterranean white wine, Pavari 17 offers all the complexity and glamour of a classic spritz, minus the hangover. It also answers the need for a sophisticated alcohol-free alternative. When choosing not to drink alcohol, it can be a struggle to avoid overly sweet drinks; Pavari 17 is a bittersweet, sophisticated spritz that’s grown-up and refreshing in equal measure.

RRP: £19.99

Available from Pavari

New London Light

New London Light's selection of non-alcoholic spirits and aperitifs are genuinely complex, balanced and grown-up alternatives to spirit-based cocktails and mixed drinks. Their website has cocktail recipes and serving suggestions; we like the Aegean Sky with tonic, an olive and a sprig of rosemary as per their recommendation - try adding a dash of olive brine to taste.

RRP: £25.00

Available from New London Light

[Items in this article may have been gifted to Chatting Food. No financial payment has been made to feature in this article, and entries to the feature are made independently by members of the Editorial Team. This page contains affiliate links and we may receive a small commission for purchases].

Deputy Editor, Chatting Food London: Amanda David

Amanda David is a freelance food and drinks writer specialising in London’s restaurants, bars and events. She is the author of EAT THIS NOW! on Substack, the Events Editor and a contributing writer for London Cheapo, a regular contributor to Palate Magazine and a Member of the Guild of Food Writers.

Follow Amanda on Substack and on Instagram: @LondonGAT