Abstinence

The brand is owned by Curated Spirits Co. and uses a proprietary hydro-distillation process to build its range. Hydro-distillation uses water rather than alcohol as the solvent to draw aromatic compounds out of plant material, extracting botanical character without introducing or generating any alcohol in the process. The range is built from scratch as alcohol-free, rather than beginning with a finished spirit and removing the alcohol afterwards.

The Cape Floral Kingdom, one of the world's most biodiverse botanical regions, supplies the raw material for much of what the brand produces. Indigenous South African plants including Buchu and Honeybush feature prominently alongside citrus, spice, and floral profiles. The portfolio spans alcohol-free spirits, aperitifs, and ready-to-drink spritzes, covering both sipping and longer drink formats.

Abstinence launched in 2020 and has since expanded to over fifteen international markets, including Australia and the United States. Distribution is multi-channel, with products available direct from the brand's own store and through specialist online retailers. The range sits in the premium tier of the AF botanical spirits category, reflecting both the sourcing of indigenous South African botanicals and the proprietary production method.

The brand is a member of 1% for the Planet, committing a portion of sales to preservation and restoration of the Cape Floral Kingdom, the same ecosystem that supplies its ingredients. The connection between ingredient source and conservation is one of the more coherent environmental commitments in the AF spirits space, given that the brand's commercial identity depends directly on that botanical heritage remaining intact.

Abstinence appeals to sober-curious drinkers who want provenance-led botanical complexity rather than a simplified substitute, and its distribution across more than fifteen markets points to demand that extends well beyond its Cape Town origins.