Moderation is key to everything in life, including, as we know here at Boozemenus, a balanced imbibing regimen. So when we’re faced with cholesterol-raising cocktails that are washed in fat, we’re entirely on board with the occasional indulgence — so long as they’re jam-packed in flavor (hey — we’re not tacking on 10 extra treadmill minutes for nothing). Here are four fat-washed cocktails that are absolutely worth the calories.

THE FOOL’S PARADISE at DONNA
This old fashioned variation was inspired by the flavors of pineapple upside-down cake, as evidenced by an encounter with its notes of burnt sugar, brown butter, baking spice, and bright tropical fruit. To get there, bartender Lauren Corriveau stirs together pineapple gomme syrup, Angostura, and Fee Brother's Whiskey Barrel bitters with three spirits that she washes with brown butter: Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac, Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey, and Smith and Cross Rum. Talk about some velvet decadence.

THE SITTING DOWN FOR DINNER at DECOY
When he saw that much of the seasoned fat for the restaurant’s peking duck was being wasted, head bartender Shawn Chen asked the cooks to reserve some of it for him. “I wanted to incorporate that deep savory richness into a cocktail, and fat-washing was a great method of flavor transport,” he says. After several trial rounds, he found striking balance in a New York Sour riff: a coupe of duck fat-washed whiskey, red wine, lemon juice, and an egg white that has become a signature cocktail at the West Village restaurant.

THE FOIE GRAS FLIP at BETONY
Save room for a liquid course at this Michelin-starred restaurant, where fat-washing gets fancy. The team vacuum seals seared foie gras to obtain the fat, which they then mix in equal parts with aged rum before freezing and extracting the altered alcohol. The bar team then dry shakes the rich booze with Amontillado Sherry, demerara, and a whole egg for their take on a classic flip, which is served in a chilled tulip glass with grated nutmeg.

THE MR. PEANUT’S OLD-FASHIONED WHISTLE WETTER at BUTTER & SCOTCH
Childhood classics collide in this creation from bar manager Haley Traub, who freezes together Old Overholt Rye Whiskey with smooth peanut butter before extracting the good stuff the next day (don’t worry about that leftover PB — the team here has made cookies with it to ensure nothing is wasted). After stirring it with Angostura and housemade salted honey simple syrup, Traub serves the dram alongside a shot glass of Honey Nut Cheerios — you know, for the ultimate midnight snack. 

By Nicole Schnitzler

(Photos from left: Fool's Paradise; Foie Gras Flip by Signe Birck; Sitting Down For Dinner)