Best Zero-Proof Whiskey Alternatives

Still one of the hardest spirit styles to buy well, so it helps to start with an actual drink in mind.

Whiskey alternatives ask more from the glass than tequila or gin alternatives do. This is the slower drink, the after-dinner drink, the whiskey and soda, the old-fashioned. A better approach is simpler: buy for one or two real drinks, not for fantasy.

Best first pick: Ritual Whiskey Alternative

Ritual Whiskey Alternative is one of the clearest places to start because it is easy to picture in actual drinks. Whiskey and soda. Old-fashioned-style drink. Simple highball over ice. Those are fair tests, and they are the right ones.

Best drinks to make

The easiest ways to judge one of these are whiskey and soda, an old-fashioned-style drink, and a simple highball over ice. That is enough. It does not need to carry a whole fake whiskey bar on its back.

What to look for

The better ones still bring some body, some spice, a little oak or bitterness, and enough weight that the drink still feels like an evening drink.

Who should actually buy one

This style is better suited to someone who misses a slower evening drink, the glass and the pour, or the shape of an after-dinner routine. It is a less appealing first buy for someone who just wants something easy, bright, and instantly likable.

How to buy well in this category

These bottles usually work best when you buy for a specific drink, not for every possible use. Gin for G&Ts. Tequila for margaritas and palomas. Whiskey alternatives for one or two familiar serves at home.

That is usually the better way to spend here. Buy the bottle that fits the drink you already want to make, then see if you want it again.

Bottom line

Ritual is a good starting point for whiskey and soda or an old-fashioned-style drink. This is still one of the harder styles to get right, so the smartest buy starts with a specific drink in mind and expectations that stay grounded.