REBELS

The pair describe their customers as free-spirited rebels who refuse to let social drinking norms dictate their evening. It's a positioning that could easily tip into earnest moralising, but REBELS mostly sidestep that in favour of letting the products do the talking.

What sets REBELS apart is their double distillation process. Rather than relying on flavouring compounds or simple botanical infusions, they run their ingredients through two separate distillation passes, combining traditional pot still methods with more modern techniques. The result, they claim, is a depth of flavour you don't typically get from alcohol-free spirits. The range is vegan, uses organic botanicals, and contains no artificial flavours.

Six expressions currently make up the core range. The Botanical Dry Gin Alternative leads with juniper and floral notes built for tonic. Dark Spice Rum Alternative has caramel and warm spice for longer drinks. Malt Blend Whiskey brings oak and vanilla, which holds up surprisingly well in an Old Fashioned-style serve. Sweet Amaretti covers the Italian liqueur territory with almond and apricot. Dolce Spritz and Rosso Aperitif round things out on the aperitivo side, clearly designed for Aperol-style occasions.

REBELS picked up a strong showing at the Bartenders Brand Awards, judged by working bartenders from UK venues, which gives the range a measure of on-trade credibility beyond the usual online AF bubble. Products are available through Wise Bartender, Dry Drinker, and Amazon UK, as well as their own website. Pricing sits at the premium end of the alcohol-free spirits market, though not out of step with comparable UK brands. A Swiss import with serious cocktail ambitions.