Since its inception in 2017, Empirical has stormed into the world of spirits with revolutionary force, challenging established conventions and redefining the boundaries of flavor. Founded by visionaries Lars Williams, an original New York research chef, and Mark Emil Hermansen, a Copenhagen-born anthropologist, the company embodies a philosophy that merges ancestral tradition with scientific innovation, propelling the spirits industry into uncharted territories.
A Fusion of Culinary Expertise and Scientific Exploration
Renowned for their outstanding work at Noma, considered one of the world’s best restaurants, Lars Williams led the R&D department for over 8 years, pioneering many fermentation protocols and culinary techniques still fundamental to the establishment today. Mark Emil Hermansen, with a degree in social anthropology from the University of Oxford, played a key role as Concept Manager at the restaurant and Head of Development at MAD, René Redzepi’s foundation dedicated to promoting good values in the restaurant sector.
Combining their deep culinary experience and insatiable thirst for innovation, they brought their talents to the world of spirits. Their goal was to challenge established paradigms and forge something unique. Thus, in 2017, they embarked on this new adventure called Empirical—a laboratory of disruptive ideas and a limitless platform for exploration. “Empirical is a flavors company seeking the delicious,” they declare.
Tradition Meets Innovation: Empirical’s Distinctive Approach
What sets Empirical apart is its ability to blend the ancient with the modern in a unique creative process. They combine traditional methods like Aspergillus oryzae fermentation (kōji fungus), traditionally used in sake production, with Western ingredients like malt, and utilize modern technologies such as vacuum distillation (which allows distillation at low temperatures) or flavor and aroma extraction by ultrasound waves, among others. This synthesis of ancient craftsmanship and cutting-edge tools is the very heart of the company.
Empirical’s Essence: Fermentation and Distillation Mastery
Empirical’s essence lies in its particular approach to creating processes focused on fermentation and distillation, where they even design and build specific machinery to integrate the technology they need. An example is their vacuum distillation systems, proprietary machinery that allows them to handle low-pressure and temperature distillations on a large scale, whose prototyping and design began in a garage, welding together a pressure cooker, a coil, and a barometer.
Among some of their creations, we find The plum I sppose, a distillate of plum stones and marigold kombucha, Ayuuk, a distillate of Pasilla Mixe (an ancestral Mexican chili that supports producers and the community of the Sierra Norte mountains in Oaxaca), Soka, a distillate of fermented cane juice and sorghum syrup (promoting the use of this widely cultivated but rarely used cereal in the United States), or the novelty, Empirical x Doritos® Nacho Cheese Spirit, the Doritos distillate.
Doritos Distilled: A Bold Innovation in Spirits
Their latest and most striking creation emerged when an Empirical team member brought a bag of Doritos to their desk, conveniently located near the company’s creativity and experimentation area. There was Lars Williams, chef distiller and CEO of Empirical. “I couldn’t resist the temptation to grab the bag and experiment with this ingredient,” he recounts. “We are an ‘uncategorized’ spirits company, which allows us the freedom to experiment with different flavors and not limit ourselves to a specific type of spirit, like gin, tequila, or whiskey,” Williams mentions. “Why not take something with such a recognizable flavor as Doritos and transform it into something completely new?”. And so they did.
It was the everyday act of having these snacks nearby that led them to present their proposal to the renowned snack brand. “For Doritos, it’s about energizing culture and offering our followers surprising and unexpected experiences,” said Tina Mahal, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Frito-Lay North America. “We always encourage our followers to try new things, so we believe it’s time to shake up the liquor category by offering our iconic nacho cheese flavor in a bottle.”
The distinctive flavor of these snacks is extracted through Empirical’s innovative production process, using authentic methods and preserving their essence through vacuum distillation. The goal of this limited edition is, in their words: “to offer a multi-sensory and flavorful experience driven by the characteristic nacho cheese, which smells and tastes exactly like the real product.” This distillate takes the Doritos flavor to completely uncharted territory within the spirits world.
Empirical x Doritos® Nacho Cheese Spirit has an alcohol content of 42% vol and its online pre-sale in the United States began last Wednesday through the Empirical website, where it will be available physically, only at selected retail points in New York and California. Its price is $65, approximately 60 euros at the exchange rate. It is possible to sign up for the global distribution list for this limited edition, which is planned to be announced in the coming months.
Global Gurus: Empirical’s Lasting Impact
In addition to their revolutionary approach to production, the presentation of their products is equally innovative. The minimalist and elegant bottles contain liquids that defy sensory expectations, taking consumers on a journey of undiscovered flavors.
Lars Williams and Mark Emil Hermansen continue to blaze a new trail in distillation, and their legacy will endure as a testament to how imagination and courage can transform an industry, unafraid to be outside the framework of traditional beverages.
Their goal is to create democratic, shareable products based on the process of creating unique and unexpected flavors. Breaking with conventional categories and challenging the status quo, they find freedom in flavor. And as they affirm: “We connect with people, learn from them, collaborate, and tell their stories. The drinks we create build a framework of flavor and aroma, above novelty and familiarity, turning into sensory memories that remain in the memory of those who taste them.”