Words by Colin Hampden-White
There are quite a few no and low drinks on the market at the moment, so many in fact that it is beginning to get hard to find the good and interesting ones. We are becoming more discerning and are wanting not just no and low, but healthy ingredients too and so organic products are being sought after more and more.
I have recently found two such products. One a no alcohol product which is great by itself and the second a lower alcohol product that goes incredibly well with the first.
Let me introduce you to Archibald Tonic and Folle Envie Aperitif. Both hail from France and both can be drunk very well by themselves, but where they really come to life is together.
Folle Envie is made from organic grapes and is only 11.2% so when the two are mixed together, they create a delicious long low alcohol drink.
Archibald tonic is made not from Quinine but from Gentian root and is produced like a gin using a century-old copper still in the south west of France. It makes a great non-alcoholic drink in its own right. Gentian is a flowering plant found globally and has a natural bitterness which helps with digestion. The Gentian is macerated while the juniper is distilled separately. The two are combined with water from a local spring in Cognac and then finally distilled. This process produces a complex tonic with aromas of orange citrus and a smoky herbaceous note with a subtle bitter touch. Should you want to make a classic G&T, these flavours enhance rather than obscure the flavour of any gin used. As well as being organic, this tonic has even more to prevent it from harming the planet. The labels are made from recycled sugar cane fibre and printed using vegetable ink. It is being used by some great chefs including Alain Ducasse and Anne-Sophie Pic, and you can find them in the Trinity and Portland UK Michelin restaurants. Why not try a distilled tonic water to go with your distilled gin!
Folle Envie, as well as going very well with Archibald Tonic, can also be drunk by itself (I’d suggest on the rocks), and it makes a very good wet martini. Created by Estelle Sauvage using an old recipe from her great grandmother Zelda, this aperitif is very versatile.
Organic grape must from the Charentine wine region is used as a base, and dried lemon rind is then distilled and macerated to give fresh zesty flavours as well as sweetness. This is then combined with macerated cardamom pods before a final distillation. This gives a fresh and fruity drink with plenty of complexity. All the ingredients are organic and like Archibald tonic the labels are made from recycled sugar cane fibre and printed with vegetable ink.
These are two of the best new no and low alcohol products being brought into the UK at the moment. They are not just tasty but can both be used in multiple styles of drinks to give pleasure at many percentage points. I’d suggest starting at zero and working your way up!
Check out our other no-low drink discoveries here and one of our favourite low-alcohol beers here