At the heart of Sensori are three longtime friends—Shanna Watkins, Ashlyn Knox, and Darean Rhodes—whose relationship with drinking evolved right alongside their relationship with one another. What started as high school besties sharing their first alcoholic drinks eventually moved into a phase of overindulgence, followed by a collective pause and a bigger question: Why does unwinding always have to come with a tradeoff?

That curiosity turned into a shared mission to change the drinking game altogether. Together, they set out to create something that would allow people to cut back without giving up that relaxed, unwinding feeling—an option that has intention, sensory awareness, and leaves you feeling genuinely good in the moment.

There’s a very prominent shift happening in how come together. More hosts are thinking beyond what’s expected and paying closer attention to how they want people to feel in their spaces—comfortable, present, connected. Sensori fits neatly into that shift, not as a replacement for alcohol, but as something that stands confidently on its own.

It belongs at the table, on the bar cart, and in the rhythm of a night spent talking, laughing, and lingering. Its two current flavors, Connect and Play, aren’t so much about abstaining, so much as choosing the mood you want to be in.

As health and wellness becomes less of a trend and more a lifestyle, lots of people are becoming increasing aware of their alcohol consumption. Some, choose to abstain altogether but still choose to socialize in the same settings. As one of the founders puts it, the drinks give, “We’re here to have a great time and still feel good tomorrow.” That shift—from apologetic to intentional—feels especially telling.

There’s also something else really interesting happening here. Drinks like Sensori are becoming a kind of like a status symbol, but not in the flashy sense. They signal self-awareness. Choosing a drink that supports clarity and connection says something about where your priorities are—and in turn, that choice feels cool.

The distinction between Sensori’s two different flavors really underscores that philosophy in a straight-forward way. Connect is made for slower, grounded moments—think intimate dinners, long conversations, a calm night in. Play, on the other hand, fits in spaces where people are moving, mingling, and being a little more social. Both include kanna, an ingredient known for supporting feelings of connection, which adds to the sense that these drinks are doing more than just filling a glass and offering a buzz.

And that idea—curating how a space feels—is something we know all too well. When hosting, we think about everything from the lighting, music, seating, and flow. Sensori applies that same design-minded approach to what we pour, giving hosts another way to be intentional without overthinking it.

Sensori’s founders didn’t set out to create a replacement for alcohol; they wanted to create a new ritual altogether—one that feels elevated, cool, emotionally intelligent, and aligned with how people actually want to feel today.

As mindful drinking continues to move from niche to mainstream, brands like Sensori point to what’s next: non-alcoholic options that don’t feel like an afterthought, but a deliberate choice. At the table, at the bar cart, and in the rhythm of how we gather, intention is becoming the new luxury—and Sensori is helping lead that shift.