A review of the best nonalcoholic tequilas on the US market (and a few to skip)
Nonalcoholic drinks and spirits are one of the fastest growing categories in the US, with the global market of alcohol-free drinks, spirits and wines valued at over $11 billion (as of 01/2024). More people (especially of the younger generations) are turning to alcohol-free products for a variety of reasons, whether related to health and wellness, or a growing emphasis on social responsibility. No matter your reason for not drinking, whether just for the night or for a lifetime, I believe you still deserve a delicious drink in your hand, and nothing quite screams summer to me like an ice cold margarita with a salt rim and fresh lime.
Nonalcoholic tequilas might be my favorite spirit category because there are some killer replacements. The wines… they struggle a bit (though I’ve found a few I love). I was never really a beer drinker, though that category is also excellent. There’s just something about that sweet agave and spicy burn combo from tequila that I’ve loved for decades, so let’s dive into the ones I’d pick without the raging headache the next day.
Let me be honest... are these the perfect dupes to "real" tequila? No, you're not going to have a shot of any of these and think it's the real deal. When you remove the alcohol content it inevitably changes the body and flavor. So when you try nonalcoholic spirits know that you really can't compare apples to apples, but these are some delicious ones that actual scratch the itch for me.
What is nonalcoholic tequila?
A couple years ago I didn’t even know nonalcoholic tequila existed. Now, I’ve tried about a dozen different ones. If you’re curious how they’re made, it’s often through distillation processes or a blending of natural flavors to produce a “spirit” that mimics the taste, aroma, and mouthfeel of its alcoholic counterpart, with (almost) all the flavor and none of the alcohol. Ingredients like capsicum can reproduce the peppery notes, while certain herbs and spices can evoke the more vegetal and earthy tones. Some producers start with a base spirit similar to traditional tequila, then use specialized techniques to remove the alcohol (which is one of the most common ways to de-alcoholize wines as well).
Besides the obvious health benefits of removing alcohol, all of these non-alcoholic tequilas have little to no sugar (0-2g per shot), and average about 10 calories an ounce. A nonalcoholic tequila will help you build a more layered, complex mocktail with a fraction of the calories.
Why is nonalcoholic tequila so damn expensive?
The first time I went to pick out a bottle of nonalcoholic tequila I was outraged at the price tag. $35 for a bottle of natural flavors? My lord, Dwayne Johnson made a real tequila more affordable than the nonalcoholic ones being peddled around. I thought to myself, “Is this really worth it?” I put the bottle down and walked out of the store.
A few months later I asked myself a very important question… why was I placing so much value on alcohol? It is, after all, a poison that damages literally every organ it passes through in the body. Why wouldn’t I pay the same or more for the opposite - for something that would give me a clear head, all of my memories, and help my health instead of harm it? What did I really value about having a margarita… was it just the buzz, or was it the complex flavors and even the people I was enjoying it with on a summer night? Eventually I got to a point where I’d pay anything to keep me on track drinking less, and a few bucks didn’t bother me anymore. I’ll admit it took me some time to get there, and I hear you if you’re struggling with the price tag, but just ask yourself: will this help me drink less, and if so, what is the value I place on that?
Who is this chick?
Some of you may be wondering, “who the hell is this chick?” I get it. It’s hard to trust “influencers” and everyone seems to have an opinion nowadays on what you should and shouldn’t put in your body. I’m not a professional taster or sommelier, though I have sat through my share of wine and spirits classes from my days of working in high end restaurants. I spent the majority of my career in hospitality, and even used to organize city-wide tasting events in the beer, wine and liquor category, though I never took the plunge of formal training. These are just my unbiased opinions based on months of trying, tasting, dumping, and trying again.
One of the main reasons I started Soberish Mom was because I couldn’t find the information I was eager for: which nonalcoholic wines are worth it? I would read a review of the “Best Non-Alcoholic Wines” in a magazine, just to end up with a terrible bottle of Fre because they were an advertiser. I wanted to share my honest, unsponsored opinions in the hopes that it helps someone find something they love. And yes, sometimes I make an affiliate sale of $3-5 if you purchase something I recommend with one of my links, but it's certainly not enough to sway my opinions. You will likely (certainly) not agree with all of my recommendations, and there’s a reason there are 300 wines in the grocery store: everyone likes something different. So I definitely encourage you to try these at your own pace and make your own decisions about what you love, and I hope this helps get you started.
For those seeking the best nonalcoholic tequilas on the market, here’s a concise guide to the ones I’ve tried and loved (and not loved).
Best Overall Nonalcoholic Tequila
Free Spirits, "The Spirit of Tequila"
Price: $37 Found at Free Spirits (Use code "Soberishmom" for a discount and free shipping on anything*)
Free Spirits’s take on tequila is oaky and smoky, with a smooth agave undertone. It’s got a peppery finish, but not so overwhelming it burns your throat off. It’s smooth enough to drink on the rocks (something I rarely say about non-alcoholic spirits), and stands out enough to shine in a non-alcoholic margarita or paloma. Free Spirits also fortifies their spirits with B vitamins and amino acids for a boost of energy without caffeine. There’s nothing negative to say about this one, my top choice of the year.
Review of Nonalcoholic Blanco-Style Tequilas
Almave Blanco
Price: $35
Found at Almave.com
Almave is the first non-alcoholic tequila brand that utilizes the traditional Blue Weber Agave product, and is made in Jalisco Mexico, the birthplace of tequila. Brought to us by F1 driver Lewis Hamilton, among others, it is a delicious blanco-style tequila alternative. The nose is fruity and vegetal, and at first sip the taste of agave and a hint of caramel comes through, with a subtle, spicy burn on the finish and a touch of bitterness. It’s got more body and richness than the others, though the mouthfeel is still a little light. Lovely mixed in a scratch margarita.
Trejo Spirits
Price: $35
Found at Total Wine & More
Endorsed by the man himself, Danny Trejo’s 50+ years of sobriety have led him to craft a tasty tequila replacement. It has sweet, grassy notes up front with a citrusy kick of lime, followed by a peppery finish. Though it has a slightly watery mouthfeel, it stands up well in tequila-based cocktail recipes.
CleanCo’s Clean T
Price: $35
Found at Total Wine & More
On the nose are nice notes of agave and oak, but not much burn on the palate and the mouthfeel is a little watery. It’s best added to a mixer with a bite, like a cranberry margarita or my paloma mocktail recipe with fresh grapefruit juice, which compliments the agave and oak essence.
Cut Above Agave Blanco
Price: $34
Found on Amazon
At first sniff and sip I liked this spirit, until the finish hit. Then I felt like I was left with a mouthful of dandelions and an overpowering bitterness. I tried to work with it in recipes, but felt like I was trying so hard to cover up the actual flavor, that I started wondering why I would pay for it in the first place. While I don’t recommend their tequila, I will say their non-alcoholic Mezcal is not bad with just the right amount of smoke and agave for a delicious paloma.
Review of Nonalcoholic Reposado-Style Tequilas
Bare Zero Proof Tequila Price: $40
Found at The Zero Proof
This was my favorite tequila from last year, and still a top choice. They modified the formula slightly and it’s still quite good, with a lovely nose of agave and salt and a smooth flavor with a spicy kick. It's just slightly more watery and sweet than the Free Spirits. When you find a real tequila you love, you know exactly what it’s going to taste like each time you buy it. However, that’s not always the case with nonalcoholic spirits. They often change the recipe and natural flavors in different production runs. It's also one of the most expensive tequila replacements on the market.
Ritual Tequila
Price: $30
Found at The Zero Proof
This is definitely the most widely-distributed nonalcoholic spirit on the US market, and you can often find it in Kroger and Walmart. I’ve tried their entire lineup, from aperitif to rum, and the tequila is one of my favorites from Ritual. It’s got a nice smokey aroma and flavor, with a subtle sweetness and burn on the finish. On the rocks it has a hint of that chemical/plastic taste that some of the larger producers have. It’s fairly easy to cover up in a mixed recipe, and if I was in a pinch at the grocery store I would definitely be happy drinking this.
“Ish” Mexican Agave
Price: $30
Found at: The Zero Proof
The Mexican Agave is made in the classic, Reposado tequila style with warm notes of agave and oak. There’s the familiar burn on the finish that you’d expect with tequila, though the bitterness was quite overpowering for me, even when combined with a fruity margarita mix.
Spiritless Jalisco 55
Price: $38
Found at: The Zero Proof
This is the most vegetal of the nonalcoholic tequilas I’ve tried, with a strong flavor of bell peppers and a grassy, slightly bitter, peppery finish. It works well in counterbalancing some sweeter recipes (like a dragonfruit margarita), though isn’t my top choice.
Happy clean drinking! You can use code SoberishMom for 10% off anything at The Zero Proof, my favorite online shop for ordering. *Please note that this is an affiliate code, which means at zero cost to you I will make a couple bucks if you use my code at checkout, which helps me keep the account running. Affiliate programs do not impact my reviews and recommendations.
Watch me review products on my Instagram and as always, leave me a comment with your favorite alcohol-free drinks, I'd love to hear from you. Cheers!
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