Bacardi launches new non-alcoholic ‘spirit’

By James Lawrence

Published: 07 January, 2022

The world’s largest privately held spirits company is expanding the no and low category with the introduction of Palette, a non-alcoholic spirit which promises “not to compromise on flavour, quality or mixability”.

According to a representative from Barcardi, the venture involved a collaboration with bartenders in Amsterdam, who set out to make a non-alcoholic spirit that would inspire creativity among bartenders and excite the palates of mindful drinkers with out-of-the-ordinary cocktails.

There are two versions of the new brand: Palette Roots and Palette Bold. Bacardi’s master of botanicals, Alessandro Garneri, reportedly used cutting-edge technology and three different methods to extract intense, all-natural flavors from botanicals that included American oakwood, gentian root, juniper berries, nutmeg, cinnamon, and ginger.

Palette Roots is described as having “a deep, complex and fragrant flavour”, made using juniper berries, ginger and the essential oils of nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon. Palette Bold has been aged in wood, “delivering an upfront and punchy experience, before moving to woody, oak and smoky notes.”

Marine Rozenfeld, innovation development lead for Bacardi Europe, Australia & New Zealand, commented: “With the launch of Palette coming hot on the heels of our new Martini Non-Alcoholic Aperitivo with its groundbreaking quality and taste, we are definitely taking mindful drinking to new heights.”

“Palette is the perfect choice for creative bartenders looking to mix things up behind the bar. I can’t wait to see how they use Palette to flex their creative muscles with non-alcoholic cocktails in a way that’s never been possible before.”

Launching in leading bars and restaurants across London – including Lyaness, L’Escargot and Christopher’s –Palette taps into the accelerating wellness trend.

Seedlip pioneered the alcohol-free ‘spirit’ category, when it launched in Selfridges in 2015. More recently, other major brands have taken advantage of the widening trend, including Pernod Ricard and William Grant & Sons, launching a 0.5% abv ‘spirit’ Atopia in 2019.

In 2020, Diageo-owned Distill Ventures purchased a stake in US firm Ritual Zero Proof, which claims to be the first company to produce a spirit alternative that is indistinguishable from the real thing.

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