some people can't drink alcohol for health reasons as oppose to being an alcoholic, and still want the experience of the flavour... i don't like the taste of rum or vodka etc but there were a lot of liqueurs i drank at least initially because i enjoyed the taste of them. i started drinking sambuca and amaretto for this reason. my ex was the same before her drinking problems got out of hand, and she always lamented being unable to taste drinks agai, especially as a chef - she would go to great efforts to combine flavours in cocktails that would compliment dishes, which she would now struggle to do in sobriety. she drinks alcohol free wine and has bought alcohol free spirits because she feels like then she can still be part of something that used to mean a lot to her, with her friends. she doesn't want to drink or didn't until this relapse which i imagine had nothing to do with enjoying a social aspect as a partygirl... then it's not about flavour or feeling part of something she alienated herself from. for her those will always be mutually exclusive.