Free Spirits Zero Proof Bourbon Alternative, Award-Winning Whiskey Style Non-Alcoholic Spirit for Mocktails, Made In The USA, Packaging May Vary, 750 mL

I think the problem is it's still early in the non-alcohol alternative trend for those of us that like the flavors we are drinking and want to continue to enjoy without the alcohol. For those that have never drank or don't like the flavors this might be great since there are no preconceived notions. For me it's just not good. It's so odd I can't describe it accurately. What I can tell you is the use of capsaicin is interesting and bad choice. It is spicy on the finish not too hot but if you are sensitive to spicy hot then don't try it. The bourbon burn is not the same as capsaicin, and this one lingers for a long time after drinking it and is not a tasty burn. I had the equivalent of three shots, one to straight and two as an old fashion, I woke with heartburn and fowl taste in my mouth a few hours after sleeping. It could be a good mixer with actual bourbon. I'm sure someone will come up with a way to make this taste better.

Very good for a liquor substitute, whether to reduce real alcohol consumption or save on calories. Tastes just like an okay-bourbon. The capsaicin simulates the alcohol burn well, but lingers in your throat longer than real bourbon. Has a slight smokey/charred taste like a real bourbon. I recommend drinking it neat with a non-water frozen cube (to prevent dilution). I also added a little bit of real bitters to mine and that helped too. I’d be lying if I said 1:1 but the only thing that can taste like alcohol is real alcohol, which this is not. I hope they continue to improve their non-alc spirits and I will buy more someday!

I gave it 1 star just to acknowledge the effort that went into creating this product. Look I’m not a guy who turns my nose up to non-alcoholic beverages. I can enjoy a Budweiser Zero or other non-alcoholic beer. So when I saw this product advertised, out of curiosity I bought a bottle. After all why not? Lemme tell you all about this. First off, as soon as you pull the cork out, the aroma is a slap in the face to all bourbons everywhere. It smells like the aftertaste of vomit in your mouth. So right out the gate things weren’t looking good. But I was committed to trying it out so I dug in and prepared myself. I put a large ball in my glass and poured this over it. I let it settle for a few minutes before taking a sip. Oh my god it was bad. I can’t put it any other way. It begins with a familiar oak taste but a second after hitting my tongue, there was that vomit taste again with a prune finish. I had to force it down because I didn’t want to be wasteful. A week later I thought I would give it another try. But after a few sips I gave up. I poured out the glass and poured the rest of the bottle down the sink. The whole kitchen smelled like vomit and prunes for about a half hour afterward. I wouldn’t recommend this for anyone. If you’re looking for a non-alcoholic bourbon, this ain’t it. In fact you may just have to face reality. Because I have zero faith in these products now. I’ll be sticking with the real thing and only the real thing from now on. I had hoped to dabble with creating a non-alcoholic Old Fashioned with this, but I think I’ll go back to experimenting with iced tea to find that proper fix. And I’ll stick with my Woodford, Buffalo Trace, and Bulleitt for myself. I normally don’t leave reviews for products on here. I just buy my stuff and mind my own business. But I can’t in good conscience stay silent. If you’re reading this, trust me. It’s not worth it. Find something else.

The whiskey isn'tgreat. I can see what they were going for but it tastes like all of the ingredients separately instead of a nice blend of notes -- sort of a spicy apple cider vinegar watered down and stuck in a barrel for a minute. The gin is way better. I might try some others but we'll see. Might try this is a cocktail that's heavy on other ingredients but it's unpleasant on its own.

I tried Lyres first, and ir had a watery sensation to it. Overall, I thought this product smelled and tasted more like bourbon. However, they need to tone down the "smoky" flavor just a little. It's too much of a punch to my senses- reminiscent of cigarettes. That flavor also builds up and lingers. Yuk. If they fixed that, I'd give them 5 stars and be their #1 fan lol

I have only tried Free Spirits and Lyre’s NA Bourbon. I like the flavor of Lyre’s a little better. But I like the strength of flavor and mouth sensation of the Free Spirits. Lyre’s is way too watery. As for the Free Spirits. I might be able to learn to love it. I had to stop drinking alcohol for health reasons and I miss it especially as a part of socializing. Free Spirits is SPICY. I guess they add that sensation to mimic the alcohol burn. This one caught me off guard. But the bourbon notes are there. A burn substitute is there. But there’s something in there that isn’t quite right. Almost like a plastic chemical taste that I don’t like. It’s not bad on ice. And I’m going to try it in a NA Old Fashioned next. I think it might work out. Overall, this is not bourbon. But this is an ok substitute. I can’t wait until these companies perfect the flavor and the mouth feel of actual bourbon. I feel like they are getting close.

Update: after drinking this a few times over the past couple weeks, I just went back to bourbon. Liver damage sounds better than this stuff tastes. Bourbon, this is not. The best way I can describe it is that someone described fireball to a distillery and they tried to copy it. It is all cinnamon burn, really bad taste on its on and do not smell it, since smell influences taste. That being said, if you mix it in an old fashioned and serve over a lot of ice, it’s tolerable. If like me, you are trying to do a sober streak, this is a great way to stave off some cravings on a Friday night. The taste makes you sip it slow like you’re a sophisticated whiskey lover, and not a drunk that slams Jack Daniels (might be projecting myself there) so you can not have too much of it. All that to say, if you’re trying to cut back, give it a try.

I gave it 5 stars because for being what it is, (a non-alcoholic bourbon) it’s the best by far in its category! Don’t buy this expecting to get the exact taste of a great bourbon. It’s not there, and frankly I believe no one will ever perfectly get there. But, if you’re looking for an alternative to alcohol, this is the clear best choice! I love it to be honest and it can definitely grow on you. It has a beautiful hint of bourbon that gets you close to the real deal and it even has a burn to it as it goes down which reminds me of bourbon. I honestly love it neat because I always enjoyed alcohol neat, but it definitely works as an old fashioned and other drinks. Plus the B-vitamins that it has, which I have not seen in any other non alcoholic product is great because it lifts your mood and gets you feeling good without losing control of yourself and definitely no hangover. I would however suggest not to drink it right before bed because the B-vitamins might keep you up at night. So I like it in the evening around dinner time and then I’m fine for bedtime. I’m a recovering alcoholic so I am very grateful for products like these! I hope this review helps!

Estoy en abstinencia forzada por tres meses. Pensé que este producto sabría, aunque fuera remotamente, como un verdadero whiskey. Horrible! No sabe nada parecido a un whiskey de ningúna procedencia. Al contrario parece que lo condimentaron con salsa Tabasco. No lo recomiendo.