We tried star mocktails – Katy Perry’s smelled ‘awful’ but a spritz tasted so close we almost believed we were buzzed
IF you've successfully navigated Dry January and still want to maintain a sober lifestyle, then these celebrity fave mocktails might be for you.
On a casual afternoon in The U.S. Sun office, I tried several alcohol-free beverages endorsed or founded by several A-list names, like Zayn Malik, Katy Perry, and Bella Hadid.
Nothing brings people together like a fun night out, with or without alcohol.
According to , 36% of U.S. adults 18 and older described themselves as “total abstainers” from alcohol.
And there are even higher rates of young people going booze-free at least some of the time.
Seventy-one percent of Gen Z and 73% of Millennials said they were interested in trying a sober curious lifestyle in a 2023 Mintel Reports US survey.
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I am currently doing Dry January and plan on extending it, so I'm on the search for tasty drinks that are zero-proof but still make me feel like I'm sipping something special.
And who better to influence my tastebuds than the ultimate influencers: celebrities.
This week, a few co-workers joined me to try several popular mocktail brands that have the seal of approval from top stars.
The aftertastes were shocking, some of the results were surprising, and a slight buzz left a few of us wondering if there was some alcohol tossed in after all.
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MIXOLOSHE BY ZAYN MALIK
In 2023, One Direction alum Zayn Malik entered the mocktail market as chief creative officer and co-owner of Mixoloshe with his signature — sans the alcohol.
Before trying it, my colleagues and I assumed that it would be similar to a regular lychee martini.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the case when all of the participants sniffed the freshly-opened can.
A 12-floor ounce can is only 45 calories, and didn't actually contain any lychee.
I like this but it’s probably because I haven’t drunk alcohol in a while
Mollie Mansfield
"Didn’t taste exactly like a lychee martini, but it tasted nice,” said The U.S. Sun's Head of Live Coverage Mollie Mansfield, 27, who has been sober for 17 months.
"I like this but it’s probably because I haven’t drunk alcohol in a while,” she admitted, rating it an 8.5/10.
Lifestyle Reporter Roisin Chapman, 26, said there was only one word to describe it and that was "underwhelming," which earned it a 4/10.
She added that she would use Zayn's drink as a mixer for a cocktail because it felt like it was missing something, which does defeat the purpose.
Live Blogs Reporter Sophie Gable, 23, rated it a 6–7/10 because it reminded her of a healthy probiotic soda, like Poppi.
I also rated it a 7/10 because it was too smooth and needed more of a kick for me to be sold on it.
KIN EUPHORICS BY BELLA HADID
Next up was Bella Hadid's in the flavor Kin Spritz, which gave us exactly what we were looking for.
In a July 2023 , the model announced the launch of a new flavor, Action Potion, and celebrated ten months of sobriety.
We were all pretty unimpressed by the strong ginger smell and there was agreement that it was a bit sour.
It reminded me of kombucha, and I honestly felt like I had a slight buzz because my tongue was tingly after a few sips.
I knew it was probably a placebo effect — can it be a placebo effect if you know there's no alcohol? — but I was really feeling light on my feet after drinking it.
Some of my coworkers weren't convinced at first, but after a few minutes, it was an obvious sensation, coupled with a lingering aftertaste.
"I feel like if you drank a whole one of this, you would have a placebo effect of being drunk,” Mollie said.
Bella's mocktail had the highest concentration of Ashwagandha and L-theanine, which are great for anxiety and stress relief when combined.
Roisin bluntly said that it reminded her of a “sh**y draft beer.”
Mollie and I rated it a 3/10 but praised the "euphoric benefits," while Sophie gave it a 2/10.
Roisin joked that if it was mixed with alcohol she would give it a 4/10, but it deserved a 1/10 on its own.
DE SOI BY KATY PERRY
We rounded out the mocktail tasting with Katy Perry's in the potent flavor Purple Lune.
She launched her alcohol-free aperitif in 2022 with natural botanicals and adaptogens.
Roisin had a rash reaction and said that it smelled "awful" and would rate it "less than a 1/10," if given the option.
From the first sip, I wasn't a fan and thought it tasted like prune juice, but after reading the ingredients, I realized that it probably was due to the tart cherry juice.
It's like Katy Perry's music to me. I'm not seeking it out, but it's there.
Roisin Chapman
It had a striking flavor that was stronger than the others, so it took a while to adjust to it.
"The first time I had it, I thought it was the worst, but then it grows on you," Roisin said.
"It's like Katy Perry's music to me. I'm not seeking it out, but it's there."
After sipping on Katy’s for too long, I felt like I had a slight headache — maybe it was the ashwagandha and l-theanine.
We were all in agreement that it was a perfect "sleepy mocktail" for someone who enjoys having a glass of wine before bed.
"It has a tart aftertaste, which is reminiscent of alcohol to an extent," Mollie chimed in, rating it 8/10.
Sophie gave it a 4/10 and I gave it a 7/10.
In the end, Mollie admitted that Katy Perry's De Soi and Zayn Malik's Lychee Martini were "neck and neck" for her top choice, but the Directioner's bevy won out in the end.
CELEB MOCKTAIL RANKING
FIRST PLACE: Zayn Malik's Mixoloshe Lychee Martini
SECOND PLACE: Katy Perry's De Soi
THIRD PLACE: Bella Hadid's Kin Euphorics
RITUAL ZERO PROOF TEQUILA ALTERNATIVE
To end the product review, we concluded by taking "shots" of .
The Vampire Diaries actress Kat Graham gushed about the drink in an as part of her Dry January plan.
From the initial smell, we agreed that there was a nice agave scent to it.
There was a smoky flavor that we thought would go perfectly in a margarita mix.
What was the most surprising was the burn down our throats that reminded us of our worst nights with tequila.
It also made us wonder if someone would be able to tell whether or not there was alcohol in it if they weren't told.
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In the end, we all realized how important the ingredients are in any cocktail or mocktail.
"It's not just the alcohol that makes tequila taste bad. It's everything else," Roisin said.
