Iain McPherson unveils new cocktail-making technique
The founder of Edinburgh bar Panda & Sons, Iain McPherson, has introduced a new technique for creating cocktails called ‘densing’.
The concept was developed over the past six months by McPherson and his team at the Edinburgh cocktail bar.
It is built around vacuum blending where liquids and oils are brought to similar temperatures, with oils in a fully liquified state, and blended under vacuum.
The idea is to let liquids absorb oils in a stable way, preventing separation between the two and creating a uniform liquid structure.
The process is inspired by ice cream homogenisation, with McPherson looking to translate the concept for practical and sustainable use at the bar.
According to McPherson, reducing and evenly distributing oil particles throughout a liquid will ‘unlock new possibilities across flavour, aroma, mouthfeel and appearance’, while also improving efficiency behind the bar.
He said: “We’ve spent over a decade exploring freezing for flavour. With densing, I wanted to look at texture in a deeper way. It’s opened up a completely new direction for us and it feels like we’re only just scratching the surface.”
McPherson is known for his cocktail innovation and science-like techniques. His previous work has been more focused on freezing techniques, as shown in the concepts of ‘switching’ and ‘sous pression’.
Reintroducing texture
In creating densing, McPherson considered that in the recent pursuit of clarified and ultra-clear drinks, the idea of texture as a main component to a cocktail may have been lost.
He explained: “There’s been a real focus on clear cocktails, but that often comes with a very similar texture and sometimes a loss of flavour. “I started asking – is cloudy really a bad thing, if it actually gives you more?”
He believes densing can be an alternative to fat-washing, where bartenders can create richer, more integrated and consistent liquids, without the separation typically associated with oil-based ingredients.
For example, by using densing, bartenders can play with unifying combinations like oil and vinegar, which would normally be kept separate.
In addition, it also reduces preparation time, increases yield from ingredients and allows for more control over flavour intensity while using less produce.
The Panda & Sons team will be releasing a series of educational videos and resources throughout the year to help bartenders understand and then implement the technique within their own programmes.
They’ll also share the concept on their global travels, through guest shifts, seminars and bar takeovers.
McPherson said: “We’ve never believed in keeping things behind closed doors. If something’s useful, we want people to take it, adapt it and push it further and in different directions.”
“The first car wasn’t a Ferrari, so throughout the year we will be unlocking more and more of densing’s potential,” he added.
“What excites me most is the potential. It feels like the ceiling has lifted or maybe that there isn’t one at all.”
Densing is set to appear in Panda & Sons’ upcoming Word of Mouth menu.
The bar is located on Queen Street in Edinburgh.
It is currently ranked 34 on the World’s 50 Best Bars list and picked up three wins at last year’s Spirited Awards: Best International Bar Mentor (for McPherson), Best International Bar Team and World’s Best Cocktail Menu.
McPherson also co-founded Scotland’s first international bar show, the Edinburgh Bar Show, which is taking place this week.
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