A bold twist on the art of the pour.
You’ve sipped it with sourdough, drizzled it over tomatoes, maybe even blended it into cake batter – but have you ever had it in a cocktail?
At Tara Iti, we believe olive oil belongs wherever great flavour and creativity live – including the bar cart. Here’s how this liquid gold can transform your next pour.
Why Olive Oil Works in Cocktails
Olive oil brings unexpected texture and intrigue. It adds smoothness, rounds out sharp spirits, and offers a silky mouthfeel not unlike egg whites or cream. The key is using a high-quality, cold-pressed oil with character – like ours – making it ideal for drinks with herbal, citrus, or botanical notes.
Think of it less as a garnish and more as an ingredient that enhances structure and depth. Done right, it adds a clean, velvety finish without overpowering the drink.
Techniques for Mixing with Oil
There are a few clever ways to incorporate olive oil into your cocktail game:
Fat-washing: this method infuses spirits with the flavour and richness of olive oil. Combine olive oil with a base spirit like gin, vodka, or bourbon, let it sit, then freeze and strain off the solids. What’s left is a spirit subtly rounded by the oil’s complexity.
Shaken with purpose: a small dash of olive oil can be shaken directly into a cocktail with citrus or egg white, creating an emulsified, frothy texture that feels luxurious on the palate.
As a finish: a few drops of olive oil floated on top of the drink not only look beautiful but add a hit of aroma with every sip.
What It Pairs Well With
Tara Iti’s olive oil has a clean, peppery finish that plays especially well with cocktails featuring:
Fresh herbs like basil, rosemary, or thyme
Citrus flavours – think lemon, grapefruit, or orange
Botanicals like elderflower, juniper, or vermouth
Earthy spirits such as mezcal or dry gin
Try it in a dirty martini for added richness, a gin sour for extra smoothness, or even in a spritz with grapefruit and rosemary for a summery twist.
Our Favourites to Try
Need a starting point? Here are a few ideas to get you mixing:
Olive Oil Gin Sour
Gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, egg white, and a dash of olive oil – shaken until silky.Herbed Oil Negroni
A classic Negroni, but with fat-washed gin infused with rosemary and olive oil.Citrus Spritz with Olive Oil
Grapefruit juice, prosecco, a splash of soda, and a few drops of olive oil to finish.
The Final Pour
Using olive oil in cocktails is all about playing with texture, balance, and unexpected flavour. It’s a nod to the idea that great ingredients aren’t confined to the kitchen – and a reminder that innovation often starts with a little curiosity.
So next time you’re shaking up something special, reach for the olive oil. You might just find your new favourite drink.
