Fat Washing

What is fat washing?

Fat washing literally means washing with fat, and the washing metaphor fits well: the spirit gets in contact with fat, takes on its aromas, and is afterwards freed from the fat again. What ends up in the glass looks like a completely normal, clear spirit. What you smell and taste is a different story: roasted nuts, warm butter, coconut, or whatever was involved in the wash.

The technique works with all sorts of fats that bring aroma:

• Brown butter: nutty and warm, a classic for bourbon and rum
• Coconut oil: for tropical drinks with a soft body
• Bacon fat: smoky and savoury, the most famous representative
• Sesame oil: for creations with an Asian touch
• Peanut butter: sweet and nutty, wonderful in whiskey drinks

How does the technique work?

1. Liquefy the fat: melt butter, warm oil, the fat has to be liquid
2. Combine with the spirit: the liquid fat joins the spirit and gets mixed in thoroughly
3. Let it rest: the mixture stands for a few hours to overnight, while the aromas migrate into the alcohol
4. Chill it: the mixture goes into the freezer. There the fat solidifies while the spirit stays liquid
5. Remove the fat: the hardened fat layer gets skimmed or strained off, and the washed spirit is ready

The trick: many aroma compounds are fat-soluble. The alcohol pulls them out of the fat, and the fat itself can be removed completely through cold. The spirit does not become greasy in any way, it only carries the aroma.

What does a fat-washed spirit taste like?

The effect on the drink is threefold:

• Aroma: the spirit smells and tastes intensely of the fat source, for example popcorn, roasted nuts or smoked ham
• Texture: the drink feels softer and fuller on the palate, almost creamy, without any cream involved
• Depth: the fat-soluble aromas are fully integrated and blend with the spirit particularly well

Many guests experience the moment as a small magic trick: the glass is clear, the consistency is as usual, and then the first sip suddenly tastes of warm butter cookies. The brain needs a moment to process that, and that exact moment is the fun of it.

A bit of modern history

Fat washing is not a new idea in principle, but its big debut came in the New York bar scene of the late 2000s. The most famous example became the "Benton's Old Fashioned": an Old Fashioned made with bourbon washed with the fat of Benton's Country Ham, in other words smoked ham. The drink helped the technique on its triumphal march and still stands as proof of how savoury a spirit can taste.

At our lounge

If one of our drinks comes across particularly soft and smells of roasted nuts, coconut or butter while the glass stays clear, fat washing may have been involved. Feel free to ask our team, the technique invites storytelling. And if you want to experiment at home: brown butter and an inexpensive rum are the perfect entry point, the result is guaranteed to surprise.