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<\/div>\nYou\u2019ve probably seen the recent controversy involving Diary of a CEO<\/em> host, Steven Bartlett, who went viral after claiming that two glasses of wine had effectively «ruined» the following three days of his life.<\/p>\n Bartlett described a \u201cdomino effect\u201d that disrupted his sleep, nutrition, wellbeing, and podcasting abilities, attributing it to alcohol’s impact on his dopamine and cortisol levels. The claims sparked many a conversation, with some accusing him of «killing fun» and reigniting broader questions about the limits\u00a0\u2013\u00a0and occasional excesses \u2013 of today’s optimization culture.<\/p>\n Whatever your view of that mindset, the conversation highlighted a clear trend: public awareness of alcohol’s potential health risks is growing. As more people rethink their drinking habits, interest in alternatives such as non-alcoholic spirits has risen alongside it.<\/p>\n See also: <\/em>The Secret to the Perfect Pimm\u2019s<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n For those looking to cut back, non-alcoholic alternatives are plentiful these days. But are they any good? One expert (who would rather not be named) described them as \u201call just water and herbs.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Millie Milliken<\/a>, author of Tequila: A Tasting Course<\/em>, agrees: «Non-alcoholic spirits that try to mimic their full-proof predecessors are giving themselves too tough a task. When you remove alcohol, it is almost impossible to replicate the texture, flavor and nuance that drinkers are expecting from, say, whisky, rum or gin.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n But there is hope. Milliken points to Botivo as one of the UK’s most successful examples because it doesn’t try to imitate alcohol at all (\u201cit\u2019s a herbal and zippy base for the likes of spritzes,\u201d she says). She is also a fan of Sylva, created by the founder of Seedlip, and describes it as a celebration of malted barley and British wood. She suggests drinkers keep an eye on products featuring adaptogens, particularly Three Spirits\u2019 three expressions that can enhance or relax mood, depending on what you\u2019re seeking.\u00a0<\/p>\n Kara Newman, a food, wine and spirits writer based in New York<\/a>, shares a similar sentiment: \u201cI\u2019ve tried a lot<\/em> of non-alcoholic bottlings and most of them are\u2026 okay.\u201d But she is a fan of Pathfinder. \u201cIt\u2019s made in the style of an amaro, so it\u2019s complex and bittersweet.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n If you\u2019re out at a bar, say, at London\u2019s<\/a> Connaught Bar, you might be served by Giorgio Bargiani, the director of mixology who has just been named winner of the Altos Bartenders\u2019 Bartender Award 2026 for the inaugural edition of Europe\u2019s 50 Best Bars.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"non](\"https:\/\/elitetraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2026\/06\/non-alcoholic-drink-1707x2560.jpg\")
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