8 Spring Cocktails With a Delightful Floral Twist
Celebrate warmer weather with a delicious seasonal sip.
There's no need to wait out the annual April showers before enjoying some spring flowers, at least not if you're sipping on one of these delicious concoctions. Adding a little floral note to your cocktail shaker is a great way to add some seasonal fun to your weekend celebrations, and we have eight recipes that are sure to delight.
So stock up on your favorite ingredients, grab your best spring-inspired barware and get ready to whip up one of these warm-weather drinks. They're basically spring in a glass.
1: Lavender Collins
Tomas Espinoza
Blackberry and lavender add a decidedly delicious twist to an already on-point cocktail: the Tom Collins in this recipe. Once you get the ratio down, you'll be enjoying this refreshing drink all season long.
Make This: Lavender Collins
2: Eastern Wind
This cocktail, created by Brent Lamberti, elit™ Vodka Global Brand Ambassador, has so many components perfect for warm-weather sipping, from jasmine-infused vodka* to honey and even peach puree.
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz. jasmine-infused vodka* (we used elit by Stolichnaya)
- .5 oz. fresh lemon juice
- .5 oz. honey syrup
- 1 oz. peach puree
- 2.5 oz. dry sparkling wine
Combine all ingredients and garnish with edible orchids.
*To make the jasmine-infused vodka, add 3 jasmine pearl tea bags to 1 liter of vodka, and let steep at room temperature for 2 hours.
3: Sparkling Raspberry Lemonade
Rosé wine may get the most attention this time of year, but actual roses deserve some love, too. Use a few beautiful rose petals to top off your cocktail, like this sparkling raspberry lemonade.
Ingredients
- 1 bottle sparkling wine (we used Santa Margherita Prosecco Superiore DOCG)
- 1/8 cup sugar
- 1/8 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon rind, grated
- 1 cup mashed raspberries
- rose petals, for garnish
Combine sugar and juice in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 minute, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Stir in a lemon rind and 1/2 cup of mashed raspberries. Combine the berry mixture and sparkling wine in a pitcher. Sprinkle the remaining lemon rind raspberries among the glasses, then garnish with rose petals.
4: The Lullaby
This drink's floral notes come from chamomile-infused bourbon* and fresh sprigs of lavender, while a few dashes of peppermint bitters add complexity.
Ingredients
- 2 parts chamomile-infused bourbon* (we used Maker's 46)
- 1/4 part lavender syrup
- 3 dashes peppermint bitters
- fresh lavender, for garnish
In a mixing glass with ice, add bourbon, lavender syrup and peppermint bitters. Stir, then strain into a rocks glass with a two-inch ice cube. Garnish with fresh lavender.
*Add one tablespoon of loose chamomile tea into 6 parts of bourbon. Let stand for 1 hour and 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain through cheesecloth into a clean bottle. Store in the refrigerator.
5: Rose + Mint Champagne Cocktail
As refreshing as it is pretty, this cocktail features a lovely range of ingredients, including mint leaves, honey, lime juice and dried rosebuds.
Make This: Rose + Mint Champagne Cocktail
6: Rosé, Roses + Lime Cocktail
Not all sparkling wine is created equal when it comes to mixed drinks. Clicquot Rich was specifically designed to be used in mixology, and this rosé cocktail takes Champagne to new heights thanks to lime and edible rose petals.
Ingredients
- 2-3 zests of lime
- 4-5 edible rose petals
- Champagne (we used Veuve Clicquot Rich Rosé)
Place 5 ice cubes in a large wine glass, then add lime zest and sprinkle with edible rose petals. Finish with Veuve Clicquot Rich Rosé.
7: Lavender Lemon Sparkler
Gin has become almost synonymous with warm-weather drinking, and this cocktail — which also features Sparkling Ice's lemonade, lemon juice and lavender syrup — certainly makes a strong case for the spirit.
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz. gin
- 1 oz. lemon juice
- 1 oz. lavender syrup
- 4 oz. sparkling lemonade (we used Sparkling Ice Classic Lemonade)
- lemon twist, for garnish
- lavender sprig, for garnish
Fill a glass with crushed ice. Pour gin, lemon juice, and lavender syrup over ice and stir. Top with Sparkling Ice Classic Lemonade, then garnish with a lemon twist and lavender sprig.
8: Casino Royale
Elderflower liqueurs, like St-Germain, have taken off in the last few years, and for good reason: the floral component instantly elevates cocktails without overwhelming the other flavors. This drink, featuring vodka and Aperol as well, is no exception.
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz. vodka (we used elit by Stolichnaya)
- 1 oz. Aperol
- .5 oz. St-Germain
- 2 oz. fresh ruby red grapefruit juice
Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a double rocks glass. Garnish with an orange slice or serve in a punch bowl with edible flowers and orange slices.
