The Underrated Way To Give Cocktails An Edge — Add Scent

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Nothing falls flatter than a bland at-home cocktail, especially when you had hopes of concocting a tipple to rival those of seasoned mixologists. There are plenty of reasons why your libation isn't hitting the spot, from poorly chilled ingredients to low-quality alcohol. But one overlooked culprit is right under your nose — the aroma. Or more accurately, the lack thereof. 

John Roel Carpo, bar manager at Manhattan-based restaurants HOWOO and DubuHaus and general manager at Musaek, doesn't see a cocktail's aroma as a simple afterthought, but rather a critical part of a drink's structure. "I always do scent," Carpo remarks. "It creates a burst of aroma that hits your nose before the first sip." It's not a parlor trick, but a legitimate step in building a drink's layers that Carpo never skips when spending eight to 10 hours to craft his balanced, clarified cocktails.

The art of scenting a cocktail is inextricably linked to science, and it's generally believed that our olfactory senses play a role in how we taste food and beverages, although we haven't yet discovered how big of a role smell plays. And it's a common practice often disguised as a garnish, from a charred sprig of rosemary to the burnt zest of an orange peel.

You can expertly scent cocktails at home, no sophisticated mixology lab needed. Carpo's guidelines are straightforward and align with the foundational ingredients in a drink. "For scenting homemade cocktails, always use the peel to zest on what is the base liquor of the cocktail," he explains. "For example, Mezcal negroni, you can always use orange zest to brighten the essence of the cocktail. In making Bellini, I would bottle peach liquor in a cocktail spray and spray them after the finished product."

You can also craft cocktail perfumes at home, and these aromatic sprays make it easy to enhance libations in mere seconds. Simply combine one part water with two parts vodka and add an ingredient (or blend) of your choice. Let the mixture sit in a jar anywhere from a few days to two weeks, depending on the delicacy of the aromas you're extracting. Once your infusion is ready, strain out any solid matter and pour the liquid into a fine mist spray bottle, like these available on Amazon. The finished product is shelf-stable, so store it wherever convenient. 

There are endless fragrant combinations you can try with scent-forward ingredients like lavender, cherry, ginger, citrus, and cinnamon. Savory options like curry and hot peppers provide a bold contrast for adventurous sippers. Finally, don't spoil the bouquet and avoid common scent saboteurs, including old, scent-filled ice and heavily flavored mixers. When it comes to scenting cocktails, less is often more, allowing you to enjoy the whole sensory experience.