A New Nonalcoholic Distilled Spirit

Designated drivers, moms-to-be and teetotalers, rejoice: The next time you go out, you don't have to settle for a sticky-sweet cranberry soda.

Here to fill a long-vacant niche is Seedlip, a new copper pot-distilled beverage that's free of calories, sugar and, most notably, alcohol. Think of it like nonalcoholic gin, since it's made with similar ingredients, but whereas you can actually make gin yourself in a few hours' work, Seedlip takes six weeks to craft.

Seedlip and Tonic

Though the drink was just released in the States, it's been making waves throughout the UK for nearly a year. Its first 1,000 bottles sold out in three weeks, and its third batch sold out online in just 30 minutes. Seedlip has also made its way into Michelin-starred restaurants like Heston Blumenthal's Fat Duck and famous bars like The Blind Pig.

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There are two varieties of the spirit, both highly aromatic and pleasurable to drink. The more floral of the two, Garden 108, is made with fresh peas from founder Ben Branson's family farm, along with hay, rosemary, thyme, spearmint and hop. Spice 94 is an allspice-forward blend with cascarilla bark and citrus peel that gives off a warm, root beer-like scent.

Unlike its boozy brethren, you don't sip Seedlip straight. It's much thinner than alcohol, which is more viscous in part due to the presence of sugar. The best way to drink Seedlip is with a high-quality tonic, as the carbonation helps the spirit's flavors blossom.

For the non-teetotalers, a natural question might be, But can I add alcohol to this? Yes, of course, and it's especially great for making a refreshing low-alcohol drink. But we think you might be just fine without it.