Let's talk about what has been happening in the spirits industry a bit. We all know the different options, vodka, gin, rum, whiskey, and more than I have time to list here but, what is missing? Well, if you are a bartender or anyone who lives in this space you already know, a cocktail option for the non-alcoholic lover out there. Think about it for a moment, you are out with friends and one or two don't drink because say one of them is pregnant or the designated "get everyone home safe" person. In my mind, everyone deserves to have a good cocktail filled with yummy goodness and packed with flavor even if they can't or don't drink.
The problem, options didn’t exist until a few years back when foodies and bartenders started getting creative, enter one such creation, Ritual Zero Proof with alternatives to vodka and whiskey. Now I am skeptical about the vodka but whatever. What I was curious about was the whiskey alternative. I love, and I do mean love the flavor of whiskey, especially rich, bold ones that make you feel like your palate went along on the journey with Bilbo (if you don't know who that is google it) and the dwarves!
Anyway, I did some research before cracking it open and I am glad I did. This is not and I repeat not meant to be sipped straight. Don't do it, just don't and thank me later. What it is, is designed for cocktails, and trust me when I say you want to keep it that way. It really is genius if you think about it. You get the flavors without the side effects and it is great for friends who don't drink, cannot drink, or are taking a break from drinking (here's looking at you dry January) but still want a cocktail with flavor.
So let's talk about the flavor for a moment because this is where it gets a bit interesting. Straight out of the bottle, this one smells like a corn mash that has gone wrong. The viscosity is thick, think syrup, but the color is on point with that golden hue. Noses a bit like a bourbon mash that has been in the fermentation tank a bit long (yes, I have spent a lot of time in distilleries), but it stops there. The flavor on the tongue by itself is not pleasing but I went ahead and made a traditional whiskey sour. I regret that as I found that the acidity in the Ritual Whiskey Alternative can be overpowering, so you would need to know this going in and adjust for it. The other thought I came away with was how strong of a bourbon taste it had.
I think they may have missed the mark calling this a whiskey alternative, given the richness, and punch it brings to a cocktail it needs to be called a bourbon alternative because it is lacking certain elements of the whiskey notes that you would expect from a single malt.
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