The Best Types Of Cocktails To Make With Fat-Washed Spirits

Fat-washing cocktails was an unusual technique that started popping up on bar menus worldwide in the mid-00s, and rather than becoming a passing fad, the trend just keeps on growing. It is so popular that cocktail enthusiasts are embracing fat-washing spirits at home to create all kinds of interesting flavor infusions. However, do all cocktails work with fat-washed spirits? And if not, what are the best styles of cocktails to craft with this type of infusion? Tasting Table asked Anton Kinloch, bartender at Lone Wolf in Kingston, New York, for an expert opinion.

"Fat-washed spirits are often, in our opinion, best used in stirred applications where the dominant flavor is the spirit," says Kinloch, who recently participated in New York Bartender Week. "And the fat and the ancillary components (amari and aperitifs, vermouth, sherry and quinquina) all play secondary roles". This is why most of the fat-washed cocktails you've seen on craft bar menus are boozy and spirit-forward — think martini, old fashioned, Manhattan, sazerac, and the like. A fat-washed margarita, for instance, is not as common an option; you don't want ruin the fat-washed spirit by shaking it over ice, which will dilute it and negate the velvety mouthfeel and delicate flavors that fat-washing yields.

Fat-washed spirits are perfect for crafting fall and winter cocktails that are warming and booze-forward. When fat-washing your favorite spirit, it's really up to you what kind of flavor and texture you wish to infuse into your liquor and what sort of cocktails you intend to make once it's done. Fat-washing is, essentially, infusing the spirt with the flavor and texture of the oil of your choice, creating a smoother, highly sippable drink.

Using a bacon fat or brown butter washed whiskey in your holiday Manhattan or old fashioned, for instance, is a common bartender trick to add body and a savory touch to the cocktail. Think about adding an extra Caribbean touch to this spiced rum cake holiday cocktail recipe by using rum infused with coconut oil, enhance your dirty martini with olive oil washed vodka or gin, or go a step further by using blue cheese to fat-wash your preferred martini spirit.

You can also enhance one of the many variations on a negroni using the fat-washed spirit of your choice — many cocktails can be elevated by brown butter. The next time you make your favorite stirred cocktail, think about how you can enhance it or add an interesting twist, by simply using a fat-washed spirit. This cool hack is guaranteed to wow your guests at your upcoming holiday gatherings.