Beverage boasts buzz but isn't booze -- does it work?

Where Seedlip led, Three Spirit follows, taking things a step further by not attempting to ape any spirit. Instead, it’s marketed as ‘botanical alchemy’ and a ‘social elixir’.

Tatiana Mercer, one of Three Spirit’s founders, tells me: ‘We wanted to create something that allowed you to feel good without alcohol, something that fills the gap between drinking and non-drinking and that’s why it’s called a “social elixir.” ’

Three Spirit is a blend of water, distilled botanicals and extracts: coconut vinegar, green tea, caraway seed, cacao and passion flower are the ingredients I have heard of. I had to Google Lion’s Mane (a fungus), Damiana (a yellow flowering shrub), Tulsi (a herb also known as ‘Holy Basil’) and Yerba Mate (a south American super herb).

I can’t pretend drinking cold tea and fungus lights my fire, but what have I got to lose? Certainly not my glasses on a train like the last time I drank too much.

Three Spirit is available online and in Harvey Nichols. My £24.99 heavy, dark green bottle arrived beautifully packaged.

The first test came when I removed the screw lid and inhaled the liquid. It smelt exactly like HP sauce, which was probably not the aroma they were going for. Luckily, I love HP sauce and poured myself a measure.

eddie wrote:Ooh!

“Plant juice that gives you a boost!”

“Leaf the buzz in my head!”

Stop me...I have more!!
And they’re all crap.