Aromatic bitters · Bold · Botanical spirit · Dark · Kentucky 74 · low calorie · non-alcoholic whiskey · Original · Pathfinder · Spirit forward · Tenneyson ·

The Bard

Name: The Bard (Non-Alcoholic)
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 3 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: 1 ¼ oz Tenneyson Black Ginger; 1 oz Kentucky 74 (or other NA whiskey); ¾ oz The Pathfinder (or other amaro); 3 dashes All The Bitter Old Fashioned Aromatic

Named for Alfred, Lord Tennyson, The Bard is an original ATB cocktail that’s spirit-forward, deeply herbal, and built on three of the most expressive non-alcoholic spirits on the market.

Tenneyson Black Ginger leads with bold ginger heat and botanical depth; Spiritless Kentucky 74 adds an oak-forward backbone; and The Pathfinder contributes resinous, bittersweet complexity. A few dashes of our Aromatic bitters amplify the flavors, creating a slow-sipping alcohol-free drink that’s elegant, brooding, and unmistakably grown-up.

This is the perfect non-alcoholic cocktail for those who enjoy a unique, while not entirely unfamiliar, flavor. It's reminiscent of a Rye Manhattan or Toronto, while maintaining a flavor all its own, with the ginger and botanical quality of Tenneyson shining through.

This recipe was perfected using Spiritless Kentucky 74 and The Pathfinder. Tenneyson is essential to the drink’s character, but you can use your favorite whiskey and amaro—either non-alcoholic or full strength.

The Bard (Non-Alcoholic)

Rated 4.1 stars by 10 users

Servings

Cook Time

3 minutes

Calories

A bold, botanical cocktail built on Tenneyson’s peppery bite and ginger warmth.

Ingredients

1 ¼ oz Tenneyson Black Ginger
1 oz Kentucky 74 (or other NA whiskey)
¾ oz The Pathfinder (or other amaro)
3 dashes All The Bitter Old Fashioned Aromatic

Directions

Keep spirits refrigerated to avoid dilution.
Combine pre-chilled spirits with bitters in a mixing glass (without ice), stir to blend, and pour into a chilled coupe glass.
Garnish with a lemon twist, expressing the oils over the drink.

Recipe Note

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Non-alcoholic spirit-forward cocktails are notoriously difficult to pull off; without alcohol, they often lack structure, weight, and a long finish. This one succeeds because Tenneyson Black Ginger provides botanical intensity, spice, and a zippy texture, Kentucky 74 contributes the familiar oak note of whiskey, and The Pathfinder adds the weight of amaro with lingering bitterness and a touch of balancing sweetness. With structure, weight, and depth of flavor all accounted for, this is a non-alcoholic cocktail meant to be sipped slowly—leagues away from your typical virgin mocktails.

ABOUT TENNEYSON BLACK GINGER
Unlike non-alcoholic spirits designed to mimic gin, whiskey, or tequila, Tenneyson is entirely unique—herbal, earthy, and intensely spiced with notes of black pepper, ginger, and citrus. It brings the kind of bite and body most standard mocktails can’t deliver, making it a standout building block for zero-proof, spirit-forward cocktails like this one.

A NOTE ON DILUTION
Because non-alcoholic spirits are often lighter in texture than their boozy counterparts, too much melted ice can make a drink taste weak or watery. For cocktails that are traditionally stirred with ice, keep your bottles refrigerated so the spirits start cold, eliminating the need for ice during mixing. When serving up, combine the chilled spirits in a mixing glass without ice, stir to blend, and strain into a frozen coupe for a crisp, concentrated result. If serving on the rocks instead, build the drink directly in the serving glass, add one large ice cube, and stir just enough to chill without watering it down.

COCKTAIL BITTERS IN NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINKS
Cocktail bitters provide depth and balance, rounding out sweet and sour flavors while adding bite. Since All The Bitter is completely 0% ABV (unlike traditional bitters, which are around 45% alcohol), you can use as much as you like to dial in flavor and complexity without affecting the ABV of your drink.