Infusion

That submerged chunk of wood is a message in the bottle: To customers, it might communicate wider variety, better sustainability, or a new way for them to engage in the aging process at home.

Never mind the haters. Rum infusions represent an opportunity to win fans by adding flavor and complexity to an often-overlooked category.

There is immediate marketing appeal in having something—a worm, a bug, a piece of fruit, a sliver of wood—floating in a bottle of spirits. There’s also some history and tradition behind the practice … but there are risks.

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.

You’re not hallucinating: Absinthe is enjoying some overdue growth among American drinkers. In the first of a two-part series, we consider its background and trajectory—and in the next, we’ll zoom in on the craft of making it.

Once you understand the basics of absinthe and broadly which path you intend to follow, it’s time to make some flavor decisions. Here we consider how you can put your own thumbprint on the spirit via botanicals and other creative choices.

In this first of a two-part series, Devon Trevathan lays out the basics of what it takes to make a successful liqueur—from choosing a spirit base to flavoring and filtration. The most important ingredient, however, may be trial and error.