A deep dark pool of brown glistens contrastingly against a chilled coupe exterior. It emits an aura of cocoa... cacao? Coco.

A light blue tropical drink cartoon with a straw and a citrus wheel

Have you ever chocolate-washed your bourbon? If you're a bartender or mixologist, and if you'll allow me to impart one tidbit upon you today:

it's that you should try chocolate-washing your spirits.

I tried fat-washing some whiskey I had with bacon last week or so, and while planning this week's chocolate cocktail stream I was struck with inspiration. I dashed to the bar to grab my bar, of chocolate. Sprinted down the stairs to melt that sucker in the microwave and just poured it into some bourbon. I let it cool for a bit, then stuck it in the freezer. A number of hours later that day we turned on the lights, switched on the camera, clicked that Go Live button and started the show!

At the verrry end, we let the now-infused bourbon sift through a coffee filter and voila, we had a sinful solution of chocobourbon!

It only made sense to try this in a modified Manhattan, and my God, it worked! This was most definitely, the most lavishly cocoafied cocktail that I've had to date. It was like drinking a deep dark bar of chocolate without the viscosity of syrup. It was sooo rich in fact, that it just didn't feel quite complete.

Below I leave you with the recipe that I used with this infusion that rocked my night last Wednesday. It feels like there's something missing. It's unbalanced, and needs another angle to balance out that rich and sweet, deep and dark chocolate. A changed ratio, a split-base, a splash of amaro or a complete modification, I don't care.

I leave it in the hands of you now, take this and sip it the way you want to. And don't forget to let me know what you've created so we can celebrate your next mixological masterpiece together!

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Chocolate-Washed Manhattan (WIP)

2 oz (59 ml) Chocolate-Washed Bourbon (Old Grand Dad base)
1 oz (30 ml) Sweet Vermouth (Carpano Antica)
2-3 dashes of Cocoa Bitters (Woodford Reserve)

Method: Stir & Strain

Garnish: TBD

Credits: An XBar Original

Notes: This is a work-in-progress recipe! Please feel free to leave feedback, suggestions and otherwise!

Guided Recipe Short: Instagram

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