PepsiCo and Frito Lay are unleashing a new creation called the Doritos Nacho Cheese Spirit that will put all other culinary experiments to shame. Doritos teamed up with Empirical to create a liquor that tastes like its Nacho Cheese-flavored chips, the companies announced on Thursday. It will be available for a limited time only, starting in January for those daring enough to try it.
PepsiCo and Empirical are inviting customers to try their new Nacho Cheese-flavored booze over ice, neat or in a variety of cocktails in the new year. They even suggest some cocktails in the press release – the “double triangle margarita,” the “mary mary” and the “red bag old-fashioned.” The liquor is made using real Doritos chips and alcohol. Emperical CEO Lars Williams explained: “Empirical is an ‘uncategorized’ spirits company, so it allows us the freedom to experiment with really interesting flavors and not have to be stuck in a gin box or tequila box or whiskey box. And we can take something that has a unique and amazing flavor, like Doritos, and evolve it into something completely new.”
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The Doritos Nacho Cheese Spirit will be available online for $65 per bottle starting in the new year, and will also be sold in select markets in New York and California liquor stores. Customers can pre-order the liquor now on the company’s website here. Right now, customers will only get an estimated delivery date. The site says they expect delivery in January of 2024, “or as soon as it becomes available in your market. Subject to change without prior notice.”
Empirical used a vacuum distillation method rather than a more traditional process to create this liquor, saying that the lower temperature of distillation better preserves “the full spectrum of flavors derived from Doritos.” The press release says that the taste of the chips is all there in the booze – nacho cheese, corn tostada, umami and a hint of acidity. It says: “Experience the indulgent flavors of your favorite snack in liquid form.”
For some this may be hard to resist, while for others it may be horrifying to have learned about at all. After all the outrageous food stunts over the last few years, many commenters online took this announcement in stride, complaining only that it won’t be ready in time for the holidays to serve as a gag gift. For those looking to start 2024 off with self-experimentation, the Doritos Nacho Cheese Spirit is available now for pre-order. It will be available in some stores in New York and California, and you can check expected availability online as well.
