Mezcal’s defining characteristic is smoke — agave roasted in underground pits, infused with the char from the firewood. That makes it harder to replicate without alcohol than tequila (which is steamed, not roasted), but the homemade route is actually well-suited to mezcal because liquid smoke and lapsang souchong tea are real, accessible flavor sources.
The commercial NA mezcal market is tiny. Monday is currently the only brand making a credible NA mezcal at scale. FLUÈRE’s Smoked Agave product (listed on our tequila page) leans mezcal-style and works as a backup option.
When you’ll actually need a non-alcoholic mezcal substitute
For Mezcal Palomas, Mezcal Mules, Oaxaca Old Fashioneds, and any cocktail where smoke is the headline. Mezcal also crosses into tequila cocktails when you want a smokier variant — a smoky margarita or a smoky tequila sunrise both benefit from mezcal substitutes.
The DIY route
Our homemade mezcal substitutes guide covers five methods including liquid smoke + agave, charred pineapple syrup, lapsang souchong tea blend, and grilled jalapeño + agave. The lapsang souchong method gets you the closest to real mezcal because the tea itself is dried over pine fires — real smoke, no shortcuts.
How we ranked these
There’s effectively one commercial pick. We’ve kept this page honest rather than padding it with mezcal-adjacent products. The DIY guide is where the variety lives — and where you’ll get the closest match to real mezcal flavor at home.
The full ranking
Monday Zero Alcohol Mezcal
Why it's #1: The only commercial NA mezcal currently in distribution. Smoky, earthy, agave-forward — a credible Oaxaca Old Fashioned base.
- 750ml bottle
- Zero carbs, no sugar, 0 calories
- Award-winning
- Smoky, earthy, agave
- Made by Monday brand
