Almave

Almave arrived in 2023 with a clear point of difference: it is made from blue agave, the same plant that gives tequila its character, but the fermentation step that creates alcohol is skipped entirely. The result is a non-alcoholic spirit that carries the genuine complexity of agave rather than approximating it with flavourings. That distinction matters in a category where many alcohol-free spirits are built around added botanicals rather than a true base ingredient.

The brand was co-founded by Formula 1 seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton and master distiller Iván Saldaña, who brings deep expertise in Mexican spirits through his work with Casa Lumbre. Production takes place in Jalisco, the heartland of agave cultivation, and the process follows traditional routes up to the point of fermentation. What comes out is not tequila and Almave does not claim otherwise, but the agave DNA is unmistakeable.

Two expressions are available in the UK. Blanco is the cleaner, crisper of the two, suited to cocktails where you want the agave character to cut through without sweetness getting in the way. Ámbar has more body and depth, with natural sweetness drawn from the agave that holds up well on ice or in spirit-forward serves. Both sit at under 0.5% ABV.

The brand is distributed through specialist drinks retailers across the UK and sits in the premium end of the alcohol-free spirits market. It is one of the more credible attempts to bring a genuinely category-defining ingredient into the AF space rather than simulating it.

The Collection

Ambar

Blanc