Ritual's Agave Alternative is built without distillation, using natural flavour extracts to replicate the earthy, vegetal character of blue agave spirits. It pours clear with a faint straw tint. The aroma is immediately in the right territory: cooked agave, a squeeze of Mexican lime, and green pepper. On the palate the agave character comes through cleanly, with tropical guava and a pinch of rock salt adding depth. There's a genuine peppery heat that builds and lingers, and a faint mesquite smokiness that helps distinguish it from tequila blanco-style profiles toward something a little more complex. The finish is dry and brisk. It performs reasonably in a Margarita or a Paloma, where lime, citrus soda, and salt bridge the gap between the spirit alternative and the finished drink. On its own or in minimalist serves, the absence of fermented agave character is more apparent.