A Bold New Spirit for a New Staple Cocktail
Empirical Cilantro
Vibrant. Unexpected. Built for Cocktails.
Empirical Cilantro captures the fresh, herbal brightness of cilantro in a way you’ve never tasted. Distilled in Brooklyn and inspired by Mexican heritage, it’s crisp, grassy, and citrus-forward — perfect for reimagining classics and creating new menu favorites.
What restaurant owners and the media are saying
"One of the best deliveries to come our way this year was this bottle of Empirical Cilantro. It’s neither as sweet nor as savory as you think, and actually makes a terrific compliment to both dinner and dessert."
“Literally transported mentally to outdoors in Mexico, dining amongst an herbal cilantro garden.”
"Cilantro is a well-known flavor. If you like it, you love it. So if you see it in a cocktail, it stands out to you."
"Famed avant-garde restaurant Noma is closing, but its inventive, unrestrained nature lives on at Empirical, an uncategorizable booze company founded by kitchen alums. Its latest—Cilantro—is fresh and herbal, made for sipping or a mean margarita."
Why Cilantro Margarita?
✔ Designed for the Restaurant Trade – A premium spirit with a price point optimized for high-volume success.
✔ A Signature Cocktail, Instantly – The Cilantro Margarita is a hit for any menu. Pair it with Chinola Mango Liqueur for a fresh, tropical twist.
✔ Unparalleled Flavor Innovation – Cilantro is created by Lars Williams, former Head of R&D at Noma, five times voted best restaurant in the World.
✔ Loved by Top Bartenders – Featured in some of the most forward-thinking bars and restaurants in the U.S.
✔ Easy to Work With – Mixes seamlessly into both classic and modern cocktails, from highballs to spirit-forward creations.
Cilantro Margarita Recipes
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See full recipeCilantro Margarita – A Fresh Herbaceous Twist on the Classic Margarita
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See full recipeCilantro Mango Margarita – A Tropical Escape
Ready to Elevate Your Cocktail Program?
We’re excited to introduce you to Empirical Cilantro Margarita. Let’s talk about how it can fit into your menu, and we’ll send you a free sample to try.
Try for yourself
We believe the best way to understand Empirical Cilantro is to taste it. Let’s set up a personalized tasting and call—we’ll send you a sample and walk you through how this will elevate your cocktail program.
About Empirical Spirits
Redefining Flavor Through Innovation
Founded in 2017 by Lars Williams, former R&D head at Noma — named the world’s best restaurant — Empirical is a boundary-pushing distillery driven by culinary innovation and unexpected ingredients.
Breaking the Mold: Spirits Beyond Definition
Empirical was born from a relentless pursuit of flavor. Experimenting with fermentation and unexpected ingredients, they built a spirits company that pushes the boundaries of taste and technique. In 2023, Empirical relocated to Brooklyn—home to a thriving craft spirits scene—where Williams continues to lead its innovation.
"We started Empirical because we believe in the capacity of flavor to connect people, to trigger conversations through sense memories."
— Lars Williams, Empirical Founder
Bottling Freshness
The Story Behind Cilantro
Lars Williams has long been inspired by Mexican cuisine, a passion reflected in many of Empirical’s creations.
With Cilantro, the goal was to capture the herb’s unmistakable brightness—the way it transforms a dish, from street tacos to high-end plates.
The full flavor experience of cilantro for an authentic new flavor your customers will adore by the glass or the pitcher
Cilantro is found in kitchens across the world, from home cooks to top-tier chefs. We wanted to translate that universal familiarity into a spirit—something that felt both unexpected and essential.
The challenge? Cilantro’s flavor isn’t just in the leaves. The stems carry a distinct depth, a greenness that rounds out the herbaceous character.
It took hundreds of trials in our R&D lab to balance these elements, refining it into a spirit that truly feels like grabbing a fresh bunch from the market.
Adding tomatillo was key—it enhances the crisp, vegetal ‘stem note’, creating the full spectrum of cilantro flavor. A hint of lime lifts the brightness even further.
The result is an aromatic, grassy, citrus-kissed spirit that redefines what a margarita can be—herbaceous, vibrant, and incredibly fresh.
Cilantro launched in October 2024, after years of exploration in Empirical’s R&D lab.
Bring the Cilantro Margarita to your menu
Empirical Cilantro is designed for bold, unforgettable cocktails—from a next-level margarita to entirely new creations.
It’s fresh, vibrant, and built for high-volume success in the restaurant trade.
📦 Get a sample.
📞 Book a tasting.
📍 Find a distributor near you.