A NEED FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT –BUT NOT TOO DIFFERENT

First up, there’s the new range from non-alc aperitif brand Everleaf. The brand, one of the first non-alc spirits originally launched in the UK by bartender and conservation biologist Paul Mathew in January 2019. It expanded the range, adding Everleaf Mountain and Marine in late 2020, renaming the original Forest.

Aptly, they’ve chosen the trending spritz serve for their debut into canned formats. Everleaf Forest Spritz is described as bittersweet with saffron, vanilla and honeyed orange blossom. Mountain Spritz combines cherry blossom, strawberry and rosehip. And Marine Spritz uses bergamot and savoury seaweeds.

Adding A Twist

Even when keeping things simple, brands are adding a twist and following the trends. Also new to market are the non-alc expressions from St Andrews-based distiller Eden Mill, which has combined its alcohol-free ‘gin’ Eden Nil with both tonic (as expected) and lemonade.

The brand says they are intended to provide alternatives to “typical soft drinks”, so it’s interesting that they have opted to mix with one of the most widely available soft drinks and one that’s become a default choice for abstainers who struggle to find sophisticated non-alc brands behind the average bar. Perhaps the sweet and familiar will prove a tempting lure to consumers who have not yet tried its non-alcoholic distillate made using water, juniper, coriander, lemon balm and cardamom?