Sentia Spirits

Sentia is a functional, 0% ABV botanical spirit and the first consumer brand to emerge from GABA Labs, a London-based drinks-science company. It was conceived by Professor David Nutt — a neuroscientist and psychopharmacologist at Imperial College London — whose decades of research into how alcohol affects the brain pointed to the neurotransmitter GABA as central to alcohol's relaxed, prosocial effects. Nutt co-founded GABA Labs (established 2016, formerly Alcarelle) with David Orren, and the company launched Sentia through its subsidiary The Social Drinks Company in January 2021.

Rather than dealcoholizing a drink, Sentia is built from the ground up around a proprietary GABAergic botanical blend — plant compounds chosen to support the brain's natural GABA system and encourage feelings of calm and connection without alcohol. The botanicals draw on ingredients such as ashwagandha, passionflower, magnolia bark, lemon balm, schisandra and hops, and the drinks are alcohol-free, caffeine-free, gluten-free, vegan and low-calorie.

The range comprises three 500ml spirits meant to be mixed: GABA Red (herbal and berry, served with tonic), GABA Black (earthy and spicy, served with soda, ginger ale or cola) and GABA Gold (warm and citrus-forward, served with elderflower tonic or kombucha). Sentia has won industry recognition including Double Gold at the SIP Awards and Platinum at the 2025 LA Spirits Awards, and ships across the UK, Europe and the US.