A Tobacco Cocktail?

Reduced via distillation, tobacco has become an ingredient in mixed drinks.

February 22, 2012

LONDON - Tobacco has moved behind the bar and is becoming a hot item in cocktails, The Guardian reports.

Tobacco-inspired mixed drinks have been around since at least 2003 when various cocktail makers tried to recreate the effects of smoking in a drink. For instance, a group of Florida cocktail makers infused vodka with tobacco leaves in a Nicotini, while up in New York, Smokeless Manhattan combined Laphroaig whisky, orange bitters and port.

But now, cocktail makers are using distilled tobacco in their drinks, such as Perique Tobacco Liqueur, made in France with distilled Louisiana Perique by Ted Breaux. "It??s made in roughly the same way as gin is," said Breaux. "But instead of using juniper berries we use tobacco. The concept was to take an immensely powerful substance and then to reduce it through distillation into something very subtle but full of flavor."

London cocktail bars have embraced the liqueur, including Ten Manchester Street, Barts and Paramount. Breaux said sales are soaring. "We're struggling to keep up with demand," he said. "A lot more people are starting to order it across Britain and Japan. And our plan is to start selling it to the USA next year."

Breaux said downing the liqueur is completely different from smoking. "The end product comes in a form that greatly diminishes the health concerns associated with tobacco use," he said. "After distillation you end up with none of the nasties like cyanide, tarry compounds or carcinogens that you'd get from a cigarette. And only a trace amount of nicotine."

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