Justine Sterling
Tequila has come a long way in the U.S. It’s gone from being a shots-only spirit that people swore off after college to being something so appreciated and beloved that there’s a demand for non-alcoholic tequila. People like it so much that they want to drink it even if it isn’t out of someone’s belly button and won’t lead to them dancing on a table with a lampshade on their head.
I love tequila. I love its complexity. I love its savory, vegetal notes mixed with the flavors of citrus zest. I love that it’s good aged or unaged. I love it in a glass, neat. I love it over ice with a spritz of lime. I love it in a Margarita, obviously. It’s a great spirit. And it’s hard to replace if you’re going booze-free. You can just shake up some lime juice and simple syrup and call it a non-alcoholic Margarita (although I’ve certainly been served such a thing and charged over $10 for it). You need a non-alcoholic tequila substitute. Luckily, there’s not just one or two brands of N/A tequila. There are many.
But what’s the best non-alcoholic tequila? It really depends on what you’re looking for. Do you want a non-alcoholic substitute for tequila in a Margarita? How about a non-alcoholic tequila sunrise? How about a non-alcoholic mezcal-style spirit? There’s a bottle for you.
Here are the six best bottles of non-alcoholic tequila you can buy, whether you’re just craving an N/A Marg because pregnancy put a damper on your partying or because you’re living that N/A lifestyle and building out your N/A bar.
- Free Spirits the Spirit of Tequila
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The producer of our second best non-alcoholic gin the best non-alcoholic whiskey also makes a darn fine non-alcoholic tequila. It smells a bit like pear Jelly Belly jelly beans, but the flavor is much more akin to roasted bananas with a hint of spice on the finish. I’d use this as a non-alcoholic substitute for reposado tequila (tequila that’s been aged for at least two months in oak). Sip it on its own or shake it into a flavored Margarita, like a Mango Marg.
Credit: Merc / Total Wine
- Lyre’s Agave Blanco Spirit
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Lyre’s non-alcoholic tequila substitute packs a punch. It has a looooooong spicy finish. The flavor leans citrusy and a little floral. The faux-booze spice makes it perfect for mixing into cocktails with powerful flavors. It’d be great for a non-alcoholic Tequila Sunrise. Or N/A Tequila Sunrise Jell-O shots—a personal favorite.
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- Ritual Tequila Alternative
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You can always count on Ritual to make a non-alcoholic spirit with heft. This non-alcoholic tequila is the spiciest of the bunch, giving it the most perceived booziness—and just straight up heat. If you like a spicy Margarita, here’s your N/A tequila solution. It tastes a bit more like a reposado, too—it has that aged edge to it. Go ahead and throw a few roasted jalapeños into the mix to accentuate the roasted fruit flavors.
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- Spiritless Jalisco 55
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Created to mimic a reposado tequila, this one tastes like a premade N/A tequila Old Fashioned to me. It has a spiced aroma—like cinnamon and nutmeg. And it’s sweet—like apples—with a touch of heat at the end. Pour this over a big ol’ ice cube with an orange twist for an end-of-the-evening non-alcoholic nightcap.
Credit: Merc / Total Wine
- Fluere Smoked Agave
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How beautiful is this bottle? The pale blue glass, the textured lines that curve around—gorgeous. It would look great on any bar. It has a definite roasted green pepper aroma and a touch of salinity to it. It’s almost briny. It finishes with some citrusy tang and smoke. It’s complex like a real tequila or mezcal. Stir this with some grapefruit soda for an N/A Mezcal Paloma.
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Clean Co Tequila Alternative
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I love this hexagonal bottle. I love the smoky gray glass. I love that it’s made with actual tequila. There’s a tangerine zest aroma and flavor—it’s a touch sweet with some green pepper bitterness, which really puts it over the top. It’s the best non-alcoholic tequila because it has some real agave flavor to it. I would shake this into a Margarita but it would also be great in a non-alcoholic Tequila & Tonic, one of the more underrated cocktails out there. Heck, you could even drink this out of someone’s belly button and I bet it would taste good. But don’t. Please don’t do that. Stick to the N/A Margs.
Credit: Merc / Amazon
Best Fruity N/A Margarita
Best N/A Tequila Sunrise
Best Spicy N/A Margarita
Best Straight
Best Non-Alcoholic Mezcal
Best of the Best
Matt Crowley
Gwynedd Stuart
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!