Three Spirit Social Elixir

Three Spirit was one of the first brands to explore the idea of offering alternatives to  recreate the pleasure-inducing properties of alcohol, rather than simply mimicking its taste.  It acknowledges that many people drink alcohol not only for the flavour but for the effect, something often overlooked in the low alcohol world.  It’s an interesting – and no doubt challenging – concept.

I like the taste of this the best of the three elixiers I have tried.  It’s got dark, jammy notes, full of pleasing complexities, something akin to port or a full-bodied red wine.  The coconut vinegar – most prominent at the front of the drink – adds an acetic charge which acts as a frame for the subtler spices and flavours.  Beyond that there’s a mouth-drying tannic quality, and a dark smoky sweetness from the cacao and molasses sitting underneath the botanicals and doing further work in giving this a rich and rounded mouthfeel.  It’s very pleasant to sip, and I could feel myself becoming expansive and relaxed.  Whether it’s a placebo effect or not, you could do a lot worse than have a glass or two of this as you prepare for an evening of spirited conviviality.

Please note, the picture shows the sample size bottle, but the figures given are for the full size 500ml bottle.