Ayuuk
Spirit
Copenhagen, Denmark
43% ABV
Ayuuk is a pleasantly spicy spirit made with Pasilla Mixe - a rare smoke-dried chili pepper grown 2,700 meters above sea level by the Mixe people of Oaxaca in Mexico.
VAT included. Free delivery on orders €30+
tasting notes
Smoky
Cucumber
Red Orchard Fruit
Light Spice
Earthy
Round
Flavour Intensity
Suggested Use
In a Cocktail
What's in it
- Pilsner Malt
- Pasilla Mixe
Recommended Pour
Ayuuk Margarita
A favourite at the distillery, the Ayuuk Margarita is easy to make, refreshing and packed with flavours. To make your own, pour Ayuuk, orange liqueur and lime juice into a shaker with ice and give it a hard shake. Squeeze a quarter lime around the edge of your glass and dip it into a salt and black lime mix. Finally strain your drink into a glass with ice and enjoy!
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Tasting Notes
- Smoky
- Cucumber
- Red Orchard Fruit
When you smell Ayuuk, you’ll be taken on a journey to Mexico with smoky notes of cucumber and deep red orchard fruit.
- Light Spice
- Earthy
- Round
When you taste Ayuuk, you’ll notice a palatable spice and earthy roundness that allows you to taste the chili without being blown away by the heat.
Flavour Intensity
Copenhagen, Denmark
The Empirical Distillery is found in Refshaleøen, Copenhagen, next to a paintball arena not far from the harbour. They have a ton of equipment, a lot of which they designed and assembled themselves.
The Guy Who Makes Chili Spirits
Ayuuk is Empirical's most cherished flavour story. Lars first encountered Pasilla Mixe at a central market in Oaxaca, Mexico. He loved the chili’s interesting and complex flavour and realized its potential after including it in his first blend. He often returns to the Huitepec village where this journey first began. In their native tongue, Ayuuk translates to “people who speak the mountain language.” Lars is now known in the village as the guy who makes chili spirits and is sure to bring a bottle in his backpack to share with those who want to try.
Keeping the heat on
Pasilla Mixe is an important part of the communal life and identity for the people of Huipitec. Due to the extreme conditions needed for cultivation, there are now only 8 people that farm the chili today. Empirical partnered with the farmers, supporting the community and allowing the chili’s unique flavour to be enjoyed across the world, through Ayuuk. To make the spirit, the chilis are macerated in low wines, then distilled and blended with spent Pasilla Mixe kombucha. This mixture rests in Oloroso casks for five days before being bottled.
The Brains Behind It
Experimental Practitioners
After meeting as colleagues at the world famous restaurant NOMA, Mark Emil - an anthropology grad from Oxford and Lars - a long-time chef came together, united by their ideas around food and flavour. They created Empirical to push their ideas beyond the kitchen and make them accessible across the world. They combine an experimental approach with years of practical experience to create unique flavours that incorporate a wide variety of ingredients and techniques.
More on the Brand
Lars
Mark
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