RITUAL ZERO PROOF Tequila Alternative | Award-Winning Non-Alcoholic Spirit | 25.4 Fl Oz (750ml) | Zero Calories | Sustainably Made in USA | Make Delicious Alcohol Free Cocktails

I really rely on reviews when choosing non alcoholic beverages!! I gave Up alcohol 3 months ago but still love to feel like I'm indulging at times with a cocktail or glass of wine. I've drank responsibly for 30 years but have been sober curious for the last few years. When I was drinking the "real" stuff I always purchased high quality items. So I feel I'm a very good connoisseur of the taste of cocktails and wine. I have to say this is perfect for anyone wanting to stay alcohol free but wanting a margarita. I made a spicy margarita and it was so good! It definitely tastes lighter than the real thing but that can be a good thing for many. I was super impressed and shocked to be honest! I am so happy to know I can still have my margaritas but stay away from the negative effects of alcohol!! My recipe was really good!! 2 oz ritual tequila, .5 oz NA Lyre's triple sec, half a lime, muddled jalapeño, a small squirt of agave, and Topo Chico. You can adjust any of those amounts. (Sometimes I'd add a tad more Ritual or Lyre's and a little more lime)

So, Ritual Zero Proof Tequila Alternative... no. Just no. This isn’t simply an insult to tequila or alcohol; it’s an all-out assault on the senses. It’s just wrong. Don’t do it. If you want a tequila alternative, drink ginseng tea or concentrate.The only saving grace is there are zero calories, sweeteners, or any of that.Tried doing a straight shot, and felt worse than any of my early attempts at drinking at a younger age. Tried over ice, and it tasted like the same regret, with a hit of cold. Tried it in the recommended Paloma recipe, and felt like I wasted an off-brand grapefruit soda.The label claims there are ten different flavors, and this is big part of the problem. You can taste each individual flavor separately, none of which made me remotely think “this kinda tastes like tequila” for a second, and for half of them, that’s definitely a very bad thing. The reason peaty flavors like charred or smoked woods work in good liquors is because it mellows into it, where it becomes pronounced without fighting to stand out. This tastes like they added half a bottle of liquid smoke.Granted, when the fruits and floral notes kick in, it’s nice. But they get overpowered so quickly by this blast of black pepper with a charcoal chaser.It tastes nothing like tequila. It doesn’t even come close to watered-down Mezcal. Imagine what Sunny D is to fresh-squeezed orange juice, add liquid smoke and a few peppercorns, and you’ll have a close approximation to how disappointing this is compared to real tequila.I cannot stress this enough: just don’t do it. You would be better off paying someone $25 to slap the tastebuds out of your mouth.And to the folks at Ritual: let me know if/when you come up with formula 2.0. There are serious improvements needed here and I would love to give it a second chance. But in its current state, I can’t even recommend this to anyone I want to see suffer.

I was initially skeptical of of non-alcoholic spirits, but Ritual's Tequila Alternative convinced me there may be something to this new trend. This was the first zero proof spirit I have tried and it has certainly wetted my appetite for more. True fans of Tequila (such as myself) may be mixed on this because - this is not going to be entirely identical to a reposado tequila - but rather a mimic or as close as possible using natural flavoring. However, I strongly encourage everyone to give it a try, especially in a cocktail!Bottle / Packaging - 5/5First of all, major props to their boxed packages which quite narrowly fit with the bottle to prevent movement from transport to cause damage. The bottle design itself is quite nice and stylish in a minimalist sense. I could easily picture this along side tequilas at a liquor store. The package also came with a booklet and suggested cocktail recipes. Also, very pleased they actually made use of corks. I don't think it was necessary but going the extra mile shows a real dedication to providing a zero proof alternatives for those who enjoyed traditional spirits.Nose - 6/5Yeah, I am cheating and giving a bonus point but in truth this product deserves it because the nose by far exceed my expectations. It smells close to a tequila with lightly roasted agave and floral notes dominant with freshly squeezed lime. Aromatic peppery notes are present but pleasantly tame. The nose is light and delicate, yet the aromas are quite pleasing.Taste (Neat) - 4/5The peppery note which was light on the nose plays a more prominent role and forward role on the taste. This was initially overwhelming, but upon additional sips my palate acclimated and the more floral and fruity notes came into play. It reminded me a bit more of a mezcal than a standard blanco or reposado tequila - as there is a far bit of smoke to the taste (which is fine by me!). A touch of sweetness to this product. The flavor of this product is actually fairly decent, although it is clearly designed more for standing up to other ingredients in a cocktail that consumed on it own. If consumed neat, I would recommend lime wedges and salt to balance the flavors.Taste (Cocktails) - 5/5Here is where this product really shines. I began with three cocktails - Tommy's Margarita, Paloma, and Espresso Martini mocktail with tequila (inspired by Steve the Bartender on YouTube). All three of these drinks were excellent! The "spirit", if properly balanced shines through the drink and plays with all of the ingredients in a manner similar to a traditional tequila. A good tell of quality is that I did not need to alter any ratios to bring out the tequila flavor from the drink, so we have a product that brings about a balanced drink. In fact, for the Tommy's Margarita, my wife initially was unaware that I used the zero proof.For the reasonable price, Ritual have a good quality product that will help people in recovery, or wanting to drink casually without the buzz. For those skeptical, I will say this product, again, exceeded my initially low expectations and I was quite pleasantly surprised. I would highly recommend giving it a try!Good job Ritual! I look forward to trying out your Gin and Whiskey as well!