The world’s first no alcohol distilled agave spirit has entered the chat: meet Almave. Cleverly self proclaimed as ‘beyond proof’ this one of a kind beverage seeks to capture the essence of the iconic distilled blue agave from Jalisco without any of the alcohol.
Almave is nothing if not trendy- embodying two of the fastest growing trends in the agave and wider spirits world: celebrities and zero alcohol. As a partnership with British Formula 1 race car driver Lewis Hamilton who is largely the face of the brand as well as the inspiration for its creation, it is another celebrity partnered project from Casa Lumbre Spirits which has created the template for these types of business ventures.
Seemingly in step with the growing involvement of celebrities with Mexican spirits, the larger trend of low and no alcohol alternatives to traditional alcoholic beverages has been steadily on the rise. We wrote earlier this year about zero alcohol companies in Mexico, including Runneght. Part of the no alcohol boom can be attributed to the slow but in motion end to prohibition of cannabis- and the ‘Cali Sober’ movement, which replaces alcohol and ‘hard drugs’ like pharmaceuticals with cannabis and psilocybin. Another factor is a changing industry with younger generations who are prioritizing health and fighting back against the widespread casual alcoholism that has gripped the hospitality industry for decades or longer.
What may have been considered niche over the past decade has transitioned into mainstream, with many lifestyle influencers and celebrities promoting a non alcoholic lifestyle, including Hamilton, who has a reputation for so-called clean living. As a tequila lover, Hamilton wanted to keep the focus on agave and the traditions of agave spirits that make tequila so special compared to other spirits. And while there are other iterations of non alcoholic spirits that seek to substitute craft agave, they mostly fall short, and definitely don’t capture the essence of distilled agave.
Hamilton joined forces with agave spirit powerhouse Ivan Saldaña of Casa Lumbre Spirits, to create a product that combines the tradition of tequila with the innovation of a non alcoholic spirit. The name, Almave, honors the soul, or alma, of agave spirits.
The process is straightforward, and begins with agaves from the highlands of Jalisco. After harvesting, the pinas are cooked and crushed, but skip over the fermentation process and go straight to distillation. In skipping fermentation, no alcohol is generated, while still allowing the flavor of the agave and traditional cooking methods to be front and center.
While there are a handful of self-identifying Tequila-like zero proof spirits, this is the first one that has a process similar to traditional agave spirits. The goal of sticking to authentic flavors and processes from the inception of this product, rather than a singular focus of the final flavor, has set it apart from the competition, at least in philosophy.
But what does it taste like???
The current release is Almave Ambar, their answer to an aged tequila that could be used for sipping and mixing. The color is spot on- with a golden amber hue that is not too dark and still plenty shiny and bright. This is achieved by the distilled agave resting in bagaso for a period of time. It pours like tequila too, with a bit of weight and oiliness to it. The aroma is good enough to fool most- ripe with sweet spices, vanilla, musky oak, a hint of cola, and a clear agave character. Highly experienced or sensitive noses may notice a sweeter profile- not because there is an overabundance of sweet aromas, but rather, the spice and heat of the alcohol is absent, highlighting the other notes. In the mouth the flavor starts off tart with a light body, making it immediately obvious that there is no alcohol. The flavor is spot on, giving sweet ripe agave supported by warm spices and a hint of spicy pepper on the finish.
Would we think it’s tequila in a blind tasting? Absolutely not. But would we know this is an agave product? Yes. Compared to other ‘zero proof tequilas’ Almave is by far the most agave-centric, with clean and classic flavors that are well balanced. Mixed into a highball it would make a very enjoyable zero proof agave drink, even for us hardcore artisanal spirits lovers.
With the rise in popularity of low and no alcohol drinks, the celebrity backed brand had an overwhelming response from the market and is currently sold out. With restocks estimated to land in the coming months, it seems Almave may have pioneered a new niche in the ever evolving world of agave spirits.
Updated on December 20th, 2023 to include link to story on the zero alcohol movement in Mexico.
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