Review: The Pathfinder Non-Alcoholic Spirits Lineup (Updated 2026)
Review: The Pathfinder Non-Alcoholic Spirits Lineup (Updated 2026)
The Pathfinder is an up-and-coming non-alcoholic brand with a unique production method. The core product, Hemp and Root, is fermented from hemp and then distilled. The non-alcoholic spirit is then infused with a variety of botanicals, including wormwood, angelica root, ginger, sage, juniper, saffron, orange peel, and Douglas fir. Note that though it’s made from hemp, there’s no THC in the product.
In this review we look at the original, bottled N/A amaro, plus a new ready-to-drink canned Negroni, released in 2025.
The Pathfinder Hemp and Root Review
The Pathfinder presents itself closely to an amaro, bittersweet with the wormwood notes at the forefront of the experience on the clove- and cinnamon-laden nose. Notes of tea leaf emerge with some air time. Woodsy and a bit fruity, the palate continues the amaro theme, offering a rhubarb-and-raisin note that pairs well with some citrus, a gingerbread punch, and a finishing touch of piney juniper. Complex but balanced, the spirit culminates with a bit of licorice and some brown sugar. I never found any hemp-like terpenes in the experience, but as far as cocktailing goes, that’s fine with me. Were I served this blind, I would have assumed this was a new amaro, complete with alcohol that was effectively masked by some sweetness. That it’s a zero abv offering is a huge shock. In a world of no-alcohol spirits that are largely duds, The Pathfinder greatly impresses.
A- / $40 (700ml) [BUY IT NOW FROM AMAZON]
The Pathfinder Negroni Review
Ruddy brown/brick red in color, this canned negroni doesn’t quite look the part, but we won’t hold that against it. Very bitter, the product leans heavily on cloves and cinnamon, with a Fernet-like character that’s hard to shake. It’s quite a bit less sweet than the straight Pathfinder, showcasing rhubarb and bitter orange prominently. The cocktail, served over ice, at least hints at the original negroni, though I think this version is best enjoyed as its own incarnation, with a lasting bitterness that recalls a Fernet-heavy cocktail rather than a Campari-based one.
B / $20 per four-pack of 200ml cans [BUY IT NOW FROM AMAZON]
The Pathfinder Espresso Tonic Review
The suddenly hip espresso tonic isn’t an inherently alcoholic drink, but it can certainly be made such through the addition of the spirit of your choice, espresso martini style. Here, the company uses its herbal Pathfinder Hemp and Root to supplement Caffe Vita Cold Shot espresso along with gentle carbonation to approximate a boozy (but not) espresso tonic. The results are effective, the coffee — boldly chocolate-driven — dominating the nose, while the racy gentian and cloves of The Pathfinder pick up on the palate, quite impressively, actually, complementing the coffee with a sharp fruitiness and a bracing bitterness, lingering on the finish much like a shot of Ferbet. I’m sure this is loaded with caffiene so tread carefully.
A- / $20 per four-pack of 200ml cans
The Pathfinder Hemp and Root
USD40
After drinking probably too much single malt, I tried Pathfinder. To me, it’s an acquired taste. Once I acquired the taste, it became quite pleasant while reading or watching something on the tube. I drink it on a puck or neat. It sure beats the heck out of all the 0 Alcohol fakes .
I, if I’m going out to dinner or meeting a friend for a drink, I’ll still enjoy something made in Scotland.