It All Starts with Vodka
Stock your bar with just two liters of 100-proof vodka and you can transform this one spirit into six with some clever infusions using easily found pantry items. We’ve made refreshing limoncello, chocolate liqueur, herbal gin, orange liqueur, a sort-of successful smoky mezcal and a valiant attempt at a sour apple liqueur. For this experiment, herbs, spices and even bacon came into play in flavoring these infusions. High-proof vodka was selected because the high alcohol content is best for extracting the essence of each ingredient. Note that 100 proof is as strong as it sounds; once you strain each flavor, you can adjust the alcohol concentration by adding roughly a quarter cup of water for the taste of a standard 80-proof spirit.
Photography by Heather Ramsdell and Karen Cohen