Talonmore

Lewis Todd leads the brand as Managing Director, and the business operates as an independent, family-owned micro-producer from its Edinburgh base. The name comes from the imagery of the Scottish eagle and the rugged Edinburgh terrain, and that sense of Scottish place runs through the brand's identity.

The founding motivation was the search for an AF option that could hold its own in the social occasions where a dark spirit would normally be the drink of choice: the warmth, the depth, the sense that the drink has weight to it. The Todd family found existing options fell short of that standard, and that gap became the brief for Talonmore.

The production method is brewing-based rather than distilled, which is an unusual choice in a category dominated by botanical distillates. Root ginger and prickly pear juice are among the key ingredients. Ginger delivers the heat and bite that dark spirits provide through alcohol, and prickly pear contributes a mild tartness that adds dimension to the overall profile. The resulting character emphasises ginger, cinnamon, and malty warmth. The brand's single-product focus is deliberate: one liquid, marketed across multiple serves, suits an independent micro-producer at this stage.

Distribution is multi-channel, covering the brand's own website, online marketplaces, and specialist bars and retailers across Scotland. Talonmore sits in the mid-range price bracket for alcohol-free spirits, making it a reasonable entry point for sober-curious drinkers who want a dark spirit alternative with genuine character.