The Best Alcohol-Free Gins (Non-Alcoholic), Ranked Honestly

Short answer: the best alcohol-free gin (also sold as non-alcoholic gin) is Seedlip Spice 94, with Lyre’s Dry Gin as the best value runner-up. Below is the full ranking, tested and compared.

Let’s be real: most non-alcoholic gin (or alcohol-free gin, if that’s the term you search for) tastes like someone threw a handful of botanicals into a blender with regret and called it a day. But a few actually nail it. Here’s what’s genuinely good, what’s overpriced nonsense, and what tastes like you’re drinking a sad squash.

Seedlip Spice 94 — The Winner

I’ll say it plainly: Seedlip Spice is the best non-alcoholic gin I’ve tried. It costs £28 for 70cl at Waitrose, which isn’t cheap, but it actually tastes like gin. There’s real depth here. You get cardamom and allspice hitting first, then something peppery and warm underneath. In a G&T with a proper tonic (Fever-Tree, not supermarket own-brand), it’s genuinely indistinguishable from the alcoholic version. Not “for a non-alcoholic gin” — actually indistinguishable.

The botanicals are listed on the bottle: allspice, cardamom, coriander, juniper. They didn’t overthink it. The texture feels right too. There’s a weight to it that mimics the mouthfeel of real gin. I’ve served it to people who drink alcohol and they’ve had to ask if it’s the real thing. That’s the test that matters.

Seedlip’s regular gin (their 0% version) is fine but flatter. Stick with Spice. You can get it at Ocado, Tesco, and most decent supermarkets now.

Lyre’s Dry Gin — Solid Second

Lyre’s is Australian and they’ve clearly put thought into this. At around £22 for 70cl (available at Ocado and some Waitroses), it’s cheaper than Seedlip and genuinely tasty. It’s got a classic gin profile: juniper-forward, with citrus and a bit of spice. It’s less complex than Seedlip Spice, but it works brilliantly in a G&T.

The thing about Lyre’s is consistency. They make a whole range — their Dry Gin, their Gin Barrel Pour, their Aperitif Dry — and they’re all competent. Not revolutionary, but they know what they’re doing. Lyre’s tastes like gin made by people who understand gin, which sounds obvious but you’d be surprised how many brands skip that step.

My only criticism: it’s slightly less interesting than Seedlip Spice on its own. But in a drink, with tonic and ice and a lime? It’s excellent. If you’re making a pitcher of G&Ts for people, Lyre’s is the safer choice because nobody will complain.

Tanqueray 0.0 — Surprisingly Good

Read our full Tanqueray 0.0 review.

Tanqueray actually made a non-alcoholic version of their own gin, and it works. It’s about £20 for 70cl at Tesco and Sainsbury’s. You get that classic Tanqueray profile: juniper, citrus, a bit of an herbal edge. It tastes like Tanqueray because it is Tanqueray, just without the alcohol.

The obvious advantage: if you normally drink Tanqueray, you know exactly what you’re getting. It’s not a surprise. It’s not trying to be something else. Some people find this boring. I find it honest. There’s something refreshing about a brand that doesn’t pretend their non-alcoholic version is going to blow your mind — it’s just going to taste like their gin.

Works brilliantly in a G&T. Less interesting on its own than Seedlip, but that’s not really the point of gin anyway.

Borrago Non-Alcoholic Gin — The Interesting One

This is a smaller brand, made in Sussex, and you’ll find it at Ocado for about £25. It’s got borage in it (hence the name), plus juniper, coriander, and a bunch of other stuff. The taste is unusual: floral, slightly sweet, with a weird mineral quality that shouldn’t work but does.

It’s not a traditional gin. It’s what gin would taste like if someone who loved botanicals but had never tasted gin before tried to make it. Which sounds like criticism but it’s not. If you’re bored of standard gin flavours, Borrago is interesting. It makes a different kind of G&T — lighter, more floral, less juniper-heavy.

The problem: it’s polarising. Some people think it’s brilliant. Others think it tastes like perfume. Have a sniff before you buy it. If you like floral gins (Hendrick’s, that sort of thing), you’ll probably like this. If you want a classic gin taste, skip it.

Atopia Non-Alcoholic Gin — The Disappointment

This is where I’ll be honest about something that doesn’t work. Atopia costs about £24 at Ocado and it tastes like sad squash. There’s a lot of hype around it, probably because it’s newer and has nice branding, but the actual liquid is thin and one-dimensional. You get a vague botanicals flavour that could be anything. In a G&T it’s worse because the tonic overwhelms it completely.

I’ve tried it three times because I wanted to like it. The first time I thought maybe I’d got a bad bottle. The second time I thought maybe I was being unfair. The third time I accepted that it’s just not good. There are better options at the same price point. Save your money.

Ghia — Not Gin, But Worth Knowing About

This isn’t technically a gin, so I’m putting it in its own category. It’s an Italian aperitif, non-alcoholic, about £20 at Ocado. It tastes like herbs and citrus and something slightly bitter. It’s genuinely lovely, but it’s not a gin replacement. It’s its own thing.

If you want a proper G&T, Ghia won’t do it. But if you want a sophisticated drink that feels special without alcohol, Ghia is worth the money. Serve it with soda and ice and a lemon slice. It’s better than most non-alcoholic spirits at what it actually is.

The Budget Option: Tesco Finest Non-Alcoholic Gin

At about £10 for 70cl, Tesco’s own-brand attempt is… fine. It’s not bad, which is surprising. It tastes like a basic gin — juniper, some citrus, not much personality. In a G&T with a good tonic, it’s perfectly drinkable. You won’t think it’s amazing, but you also won’t be disappointed. If you’re just starting out with non-alcoholic gin or you’re buying for a party where people might not care, this does the job.

It’s not as good as Seedlip or Lyre’s, but it’s genuinely better than Atopia and costs half the price. That matters.

What Actually Matters

Buy good tonic. This is crucial. Fever-Tree Tonic Water, Schweppes, Tonic Lab — something that tastes like actual tonic, not sugar with quinine in it. A mediocre non-alcoholic gin in a proper G&T will taste better than a good non-alcoholic gin in supermarket own-brand tonic.

Use proper ice. Not those sad little cubes from the ice maker. Get a block or decent cubes from somewhere. The drink gets better as it chills.

Fresh citrus. A squeeze of lime or lemon matters more than you’d think.

If you’re going to drink non-alcoholic gin regularly, spend the money on Seedlip Spice or Lyre’s. You’ll actually enjoy it. If you’re just trying it out, start with Tesco’s or Tanqueray 0.0 and see if you like the category before you commit.

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