Tinctures. Tinctures are basically very concentrated flavors created by soaking some herb/spice/etc in a high proof alcohol. They are similar to bitters in that they are the ‘spices’ of the cocktail world (quite literally), but are not necessarily bitter in flavor like cocktail bitters will be. A drop or two of these will add the essence of the spice or botanical to your cocktail without adding any additional sweetness (like syrups do) or volume (like juice). It’s also perfect to use when the fresh flavor itself may not provide enough intensity

To make your own tinctures, you can follow this basic template:

By weight–

• 1 part spice/herb of choice
• 4 parts high proof neutral alcohol (minimum 40% and the higher the easier the flavor will transfer)
• Let it sit for a few days up to a week, and then strain and keep in a dropper bottle. It’ll keep indefinitely

Recently, I decided to make a few new batches with some interesting ingredients, shown here from top L->R: Saffron, Cloves, Cardamom, and Cumin. Over time, these will lose flavor intensity, so I recommend small batches!