Seedlip

So here's the thing about Seedlip-it's basically the company that made non-alcoholic drinks cool before anyone knew they wanted them to be cool. And honestly? That's kind of genius.

Ben Branson started this whole thing in 2015 because he was tired of ordering mocktails that tasted like liquid candy. You know the ones-those pink, sugary disasters that make you feel like you're at a kid's birthday party when you're trying to have a sophisticated dinner. Seedlip is the world's first distilled non-alcoholic spirits solving the dilemma of "what to drink when you're Not Drinking®.' Founded by Ben Branson, Seedlip was born from a passion to change the world drinks. Ben was tired of drinking softs & sickly mocktails that didn't compliment the food he was eating or suit the occasion he was celebrating.

The backstory is pretty fascinating too. Inspired by 17th herbal recipes in a book called The Art of Distillation, published in 1651, Ben bought a small copper still & began to experiment w/ distillation in his kitchen in the woods using home-grown herbs from his garden. Picture this: a guy in his kitchen, basically playing mad scientist with herbs and a copper still, trying to solve what he calls the "what to drink when you're not drinking" problem.

What makes Seedlip different is that they actually distill their botanicals-they're not just mixing fruit juices and calling it a day. Seedlip takes six weeks to make & involves bespoke maceration, copper pot distillation, blending & filtration for each individual ingredient. They've got four main varieties now: Garden 108 (think English countryside herbs), Spice 94 (warm spices with citrus), Grove 42 (citrus-forward), and their newest, Notas de Agave (prickly pear and lime).

But here's what's really smart about their approach-they never tried to make fake alcohol. We have chosen a unique & complex set of plants for a different flavour profile rather than trying to mimic alcohol. Instead, they created something entirely new that happens to work brilliantly in cocktails.

The timing was perfect too. Seedlip was acquired by global giant Diageo (its first ever investment in the non-alcoholic space) just five years after launch, in 2019, resulting in extraordinary value growth as a marquee brand within the Diageo portfolio. That's like getting picked up by the Yankees of the drinks world.

And the design? Absolutely gorgeous. Each bottle features these intricate botanical illustrations that look like they belong in an art gallery. The whole brand feels premium in a way that most non-alcoholic options just... don't.

What's interesting is how they've positioned themselves in the market. Distribution in over 300+ Michelin Star restaurants globally means you're not just buying a drink-you're buying into a movement that top chefs and bartenders actually respect.

The only real downside? At around $30-35 a bottle, it's definitely positioned as a premium product. But considering the complexity of production and the fact that they basically created an entire category, it makes sense.