Abstinence Aperitif

The non-alcoholic distilled drinks movement started by looking at spirits, and making largely gin-based drinks.  Gin is a handy spirit to recreate in non-alc form because its botanicals sit so high up in the flavour mix and have something of the complexity of alcohol.  Now, in what you might call the second wave, makers are turning their sights on aperitifs and specifically the Italian bitters that have a similarly strong taste.  Abstinence have come from South Africa and with their bold and confident use of unusual spicing and ultra bitter flavours have played an absolute blinder.  This is a whole party going on in my mouth: a rounded sweetness, the tang of citrus, the warmth of spices and then the long, long lingering bitters that feel as if they might go on and on.  I can’t see how they could do this better.