This DIY, At-Home Liquor Infusion Set Will Liven Up Your Cocktails

We live in a golden age of mixology, where the deployment of creative ingredients and an anything-goes attitude has blessed us with an abundance of exciting new cocktails. In particular, liquor infusions have become a popular, though not always easy, way of adding intriguing new dimensions of flavor to your alcohol of choice.

I myself certainly enjoy sampling an inventive mixed drink, so naturally I jumped at the chance to try the 1pt Liquor Infusion Set. The ingenious Infusion Kit lets you create DIY infusions at home—and with amazing speed.

The Infusion Blend Variety Pack comes with seven premade infusion options—citrus, mint, floral, chili, cinnamon, chocolate, and smoky—provided in packets whose contents resemble a fragrant potpourri. The Infusion Kit features a tall, cylindrical glass bottle, topped by a walnut lid; nested inside the bottle is a small, sievelike stainless steel basket. To infuse, you simply need to empty your chosen packet into the basket, pour your spirits through, then screw the lid on and let the blend sit and work its magic—almost like steeping a kettle of tea.

The bottle can hold 375 mL of liquid at a time, equivalent to half a standard bottle of liquor, so I was able to try two different blends. Having decided to work with the medium of tequila, I went for the chili and citrus blends as my experiments of choice.

I began with the chili blend, which gives you a full infusion in just three hours’ time. I followed it up with the citrus, which takes a little longer—about four to five hours. Once finished, I served the newly improved tequila to a few friends at my apartment. (As fellow writers, they have a taste for liquor that fits their profession’s reputation, so I knew I’d get an expert opinion.) We tried both infusions on the rocks, then mixed them into margaritas with grapefruit, blackberry, and lime.

The result? Success! The citrus imparted a light, almost flowery flavor that complemented the tequila perfectly. The chili was my personal favorite, though, as it added both an interesting savory note to the tequila and a kick of spice to its aftertaste. I will admit that the chili initially clashed with our margarita recipe, until we dialed down the grapefruit, so it's fortunate that the set comes with cocktail recipe suggestions. Practice makes perfect, though—nothing wrong with trying a variety of recipes before landing on your favorite.

Though I didn't try it, an optional Bottling Kit comes with a bottle and stopper, bottle labels, a funnel, and more, in case you really decide to commit to your newfound mixologist status. Bottoms up!

Would you try infusing your own liquors? Which flavor profiles are you drawn to? Share them with us below!