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Making Artfully Infused Spirits—at Home, Bar, or Anywhere

Do the spirits on the shelf lack the flavor you’re looking for? Infusion could be the answer—and it’s also a path to faster, easier cocktails.

Sailor Guevara Dec 21, 2023 - 9 min read

Making Artfully Infused Spirits—at Home, Bar, or Anywhere Primary Image

My friends often bring me spirits as gifts. It could be something exotic from their travels, or it might be something from their hometown distiller they’d like me to try. I appreciate these gifts, and I give them a serious tasting—but I don’t always like them, and that’s when I save them as a base for infusions.

What Is Infusion?

Infusion is when we extract flavors from something by suspending it in alcohol or other solvent. That includes water—when we make tea, we’re making an infusion. Yet alcohol is even more effective at extracting flavor and aroma compounds.

Vodka is definitely one of those spirits that I often save for infusing. Being mostly a whiskey and gin lover, I don’t find much excitement in vodka—there are certainly exceptions, but for the most part it doesn’t thrill me. However, I keep a healthy supply on hand for making infusions—and for serving to guests who might prefer lighter spirits.

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Sailor Guevara is a spirits specialist, hospitality veteran, published author, podcast host, and award-winning mixologist who’s been involved with the spirits industry for 30-plus years. She won the Icon of Whiskey Award in 2020, bestowed on the individual who most capably advances understanding and appreciation for the craft of whiskey-making.

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