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In Mexico, Almave’s lineup also includes Almave Blanco

UK spirits distributor Mangrove Global has launched Lewis Hamilton’s Almave brand in the UK.

The alcohol-free agave-based ‘spirit’, created by the Formula 1 driver in partnership with Mexican spirits group Casa Lumbre, is now available from Amazon and House of Malt.

Initially, just Almave’s Ambar Distilled Non-Alcoholic Blue Agave Spirit (rsp: £36/70cl) would be sold, Mangrove said.

In Mexico, where the brand made its debut at the end of 2023, Almave’s lineup also includes Almave Blanco.

Almave Ambar offered “notes of roasted blue agave, sweet caramel and toasted wood”, according to Mangrove.

The ‘spirit’ was created through a new distillation process that captured “the complexity and delicate flavours of freshly milled agave without producing alcohol”, it said.

Nick Gillett, Mangrove Global’s managing director, said the tipple would appeal to non-drinkers and tequila fans alike.

“Tequila is a growing market, as are non-alcoholic drinks so this new SKU meets the demands of conscious drinkers and satisfies a glaring gap in the market,” he said. “They have long looked for a non-alcoholic drink that captures the essence of agave without the alcohol and we have it here with Almave.”

Last September, the founders of non-alcoholic spirits brand Ceders launched Soldadera, a booze-free tequila alternative.

Soldadera claimed to be the first non-alcoholic tequila to launch in the UK. It debuted with two SKUs (rsp: £18.99/500ml) – a Blanco made with “premium agave” and a Café variant made with coffee.