The Best Alcohol-Free Whiskeys: Top Picks & What to Know

Whiskey lovers who are avoiding alcohol don’t need to settle for watery whisky substitutes anymore. The alcohol-free category has exploded lately, and there are now some genuinely impressive alternatives—full of flavour, texture, and character. Alcohol Free Drinks (UK) carries a wide selection; below I highlight some of the best, how they differ, and what to look for when choosing.

What Makes a Great Alcohol-Free Whiskey

Before diving into specific products, here are some of the key things to look for:

  • Flavour complexity: Good alternatives mimic whiskey via smoke, oak, vanilla, spice, caramel, even peat.
  • Mouthfeel: Alcohol adds weight and “bite,” so ingredients like glycerine or carefully chosen botanical extracts help replicate body.
  • Versatility: Whether you sip it neat, on the rocks, or mix it in mock-tails, you want something that holds up.
  • Dietary / lifestyle considerations: Many are low or no sugar, vegan, gluten-free, 0.0% ABV, halal etc.
  • Price and value: Alcohol-free whiskeys tend not to be cheap, so flavour-to-price matters.

Alcohol Free Drinks Company's Top Picks 

Here are some of the standout non-alcoholic whiskey alternatives available from Alcohol Free Drinks, what makes each special, and best ways to enjoy them.

Sobour Doublewood Alcohol Free Bourbon

Why It's Great: A strong contender for bourbon lovers. Low sugar, gluten-free, vegan styled to replicate a double-cask matured bourbon.

Tasting Notes: Vanilla (especially Madagascan), toasted/charred oak, warm spice, caramel.

Best Way to Drink: Use it in bourbon-style serves: neat with ice, splash of water, or in mocktail takes on Old Fashioned etc.

Sobour Bourbonesque Alcohol Free Bourbon

What's Great: If you want big, bold flavours that lean hard into bourbon territory—with sweet, spicy, robust tones.

Tasting Notes: Toasty malted barley & rye, American oak, sweet honey, rich spices.

Best Way to Drink: Best with mixers (cola, ginger-beer) or in boozy-style drinks; also works on the rocks.

Glen Dochus Royale

Bottle of Glen Dochus Highland Blend Alcohol Free Whisky. Non Alcoholic Spirit.

Glen Dochus offers a full range of non-alcoholic whiskies with different flavour profiles, all made with premium ingredients (notably water from Royal Deeside, Scotland). Great for those who enjoy exploring different whisky styles. The Royale variant is particularly popular and considered the Top of the range Glen Dochus Whisky alternative.

Tasting Notes: Rich manuka honey meets sweet spice. warm spices, lavender-scented honey, roasted hazelnuts and hints of aromatic sandalwood smoke, lead to a silky velvety finish of sweetly rich orange peel, creamy scented vanilla and spicy cinder honeycomb. Hints of coffee enhance the richness further.

Sobour Rye Style

If you prefer something spicier, more rye-like rather than bourbon than oak heaviness. Offers a different twist on the whiskey profile.

Best Picks for Different Preferences

Depending on what you like, here are recommendations:

For sipping neat / savoring flavour: Try Glen Dochus Royale or Island/Smokey Isle if you like peat, or the more complex Royale if you prefer sweet & rich.

For bourbon/cocktail style: Sobour Doublewood or Bourbonesque are excellent: they give that vanilla, oak, spice core that’s essential for bourbon-style cocktails.

For exploring many styles: The Glen Dochus range is great. You can sample Highland, Island, Export, Royale etc., to see what style most appeals.

Tips & Tricks: Getting More Out of It

  • Serve with ice or splash of water: Just like with whiskey, slight dilution reveals more aroma and softens any harsh edges.
  • Use in classic mocktails: Old Fashioned, Whiskey Sour, Highball etc. These alternatives tend to work well because they already have vanilla, oak, caramel tones.
  • Pair with food: A smokey Island-style NA whiskey goes great with grilled or smoky flavours; sweeter bourbon-style ones play well with desserts, chocolate.
  • Mind your expectations: Alcohol brings warmth, bite, volatility in aroma that’s hard to replicate perfectly. But many of these alternatives come close — and the pleasure is in the flavour journey.

Verdict

If you’re trying to find the best alcohol-free whiskey, the current crop of options are strong. If I had to pick a “top choice,” Glen Dochus Export Blend offers a balanced, complex experience; Sobour Doublewood is excellent for bourbon lovers; Glen Dochus Island / Smokey Isle for those who miss peat and smoke.

There’s never been a better time for “whiskey without the alcohol”—where flavour, texture and craft are front and centre.