Lyre’s Dry London Spirit was thoroughly tested in brand recommended drinks and a creative mocktail, and this article documents the entire process. With all the non-alcoholic gins out there, it is hard to know which ones work in which mocktails. Hopefully this review will shed some light on how best to use Dry London Spirit and whether or not it is right for your favorite non-alcoholic cocktail substitutes.
Lyre’s claims to deliver “crafted homages to the intensity, balance and beauty of time-tested classics.” They craft their spirits by blending natural essences and extracts, with the help of a reputable sommelier. Each bottle design is creative and fun to explore, and they are great conversation starters as well.
Bottom line: Lyre’s has crafted some impressive spirits, but their version of non alcoholic gin was a bit lackluster. While it made some tasty drinks, it is not a flavor substitute for gin in non alcoholic cocktails.
While a flavor substitute is not everyone’s goal with alcohol free cocktails, there still this point: its delicate nature was almost undetectable in some drinks tested.
For a deeper dive into tasting this product with mocktail recipes tested, keep reading below.
Best enjoyed in: Clover Club
Ingredients, Nutrition, and Storage
How it’s made: Lyre’s non alcoholic gin is a blend of natural essences and extracts, with a focus on mimicking the flavor of gin.
In order to thoughtfully review a product, it must be tested. Here’s the method taken for taste testing all non-alcoholic drinks.
What does Lyre’s Dry London Spirit taste like…
- Neat
- On ice
- On ice with tonic or appropriate single mixer
- Brand recommended mocktails
- Get creative
#1: Neat
Tasted neat, Lyre’s non-alcoholic gin smells and tastes like a delicate orange essence water. There is a hint of dryness, but again, it’s very delicate.
#2 On Ice
The cold ice is a bit much for Dry London Spirit. The orange is still the prevalent smell, but not overpowering.
#3 On Ice with Tonic
I might sound like a broken record here, but add some orange essence to tonic water and that is how Dry London Spirit tastes in tonic water. It’s nice, but not really worth it. With more flavorful non alcoholic gins on the market, this would not be my first choice for a non alcoholic gin and tonic.
#4 Brand Recommended Mocktails featuring Lyre’s Dry London Spirit
Lyre’s has a pretty extensive recipe list. The following are a few I chose for taste testing. The reason I try brand recommended mocktails as a part of the testing is because that is how the brand thinks the spirit is best represented. Below are the results and how they actually tasted.
Clover Club
Ingredients:
- 2oz Lyre’s Dry London Spirit
- .25oz raspberry syrup
- 1oz lemon juice
- .25oz egg whites
- 5ml white sugar syrup
- 4 fresh raspberries
Directions:
Dry shake. Fill shaker with ice. Shake hard briefly, fine strain. Coupe glass. Raspberry garnish
Verdict: Quite tart and tasty. Lyre’s Clover Club is a refreshing gin mocktail. I had fun making the raspberry syrup, and saved some to put on vanilla ice cream. I definitely recommend that!
Lyre’s London Dry Collins
Ingredients:
- 2 Lyre’s Dry London Spirit
- .5 sugar syrup
- 1 lemon juice
- 2 soda
Directions:
Add ingredients in glass. Fill with ice. Stir. Highball lemon wheel
Verdict: A refreshing lemonade. However, Dry London Spirit doesn’t really stand out. It’s faintly in the background, but the lemon flavor overpowers it. It tastes like a Tom Collins where someone forgot the gin. In other words, lemonade.
Lyre’s Spritz #2 Pitcher
Ingredients:
120ml Lyre’s Dry London Spirit
120ml Lyre’s Italian orange
300ml yuzu soda
3 grapefruit slices
4 lemon slices
Directions:
1 liter carafe. Add ingredients in carafe, fill with ice, stir. Top with yuzu soda. Fresh thyme and plump mint sprig.
Note: This was tested as a single beverage, not as the pitcher.
Verdict: This is a fresh, non-alcoholic punch. For those looking for a flavor match as a non alcoholic Aperol spritz or Campari spritz, this is not going to satisfy that need. The orange blossom in the spirit along with the yuzu are the predominant flavors. It’s definitely something nice to sip on outside on a warm day.
#5 Get Creative with Lyre’s Dry London Spirit
Below are two non-alcoholic gin cocktails that were attempted with Lyre’s Dry London Spirit.
Watermelon Basil Cooler
Ingredients:
2oz London Dry Spirit
1 cup cubed watermelon
2 large basil sprigs
Fever Tree Indian tonic water
Directions:
Muddle watermelon and basil in a cocktail shaker. Add spirit and ice. Shake and double strain into a collins glass filled with ice. Top with indian tonic water. Garnish with a basil sprig.
Verdict: This is tasty, but London Dry Spirit is so delicate it’s hard to detect in this drink. You could definitely make this without the spirit. A good drink, nonetheless.
Also, in this article comparing non-alcoholic gins, I made a non-alcoholic gimlet with Dry London Spirit. It really worked well in that mocktail. Here is the full recipe for Liar’s Gimlet.
LYRE’S DRY LONDON SPIRIT VS GIN
How it’s made: Alcoholic gin is made very differently from Lyre’s non alcoholic gin. Gin goes through a very lengthy process that turns a neutral grain spirit into a botanically packed alcoholic beverage. In contrast, Lyre’s blends natural extracts and essences in order to achieve a desired flavor. This is a fairly common method of making non-alcoholic gin.
Flavor: When it comes to flavor, Dry London Spirit did not taste like any gin I have ever had (and I’ve tried a few). There wasn’t any bite to it, so it didn’t stand up to strong flavors in mocktails.
Nutrition: Alcoholic gin usually has around 100 calories per 1.5oz pour. Dry London Spirit only has about 5.2 calories. That’s a significant difference. So your mocktails using Dry London Spirit will be quite a bit lower in calories than your average cocktail.
Where to Buy Lyre’s Dry London Spirit
Click here for the best available price for Lyre’s Dry London Spirit on Amazon.
Conclusion
Due to it’s delicate orange blossom flavor, Lyre’s Dry London Spirit should be classified as an alternative spirit and not a non alcoholic gin. It makes some delicious mocktails, but none of them taste like gin cocktails.
However, this is not a priority for everyone looking to mix up non alcoholic drinks.
It’s my goal to help you navigate these new spirits and figure out the best way to use them. If you’re looking to add a fresh dash of orange blossom flavor to your non alcoholic cocktails, Lyre’s Dry London Spirit definitely fits the bill.
Note: All successful mocktails made in this review have been added to the mocktail recipes library for reference, along with lots of other taste tested and approved drinks. I highly recommend you browse the collection!
Lyre’s Dry London Spirit Nutrition Facts
Ingredients: Water, Glucose Syrup, Sugar, Natural Flavouring, Acid: Citric Acid; Preservative: Potassium Sorbate; Barley Malt Extract, Stabiliser: Cellulose Gum (E466), VEGAN, DAIRY FREE, NUT FREE, EGG FREE;
Nutrition: Sugar <1g/30ml and <1g/100ml. Carbohydrates .57g/30ml and 1.9g/100ml
Storage: Refrigeration is not necessary. Consume within 12 weeks after opening.
