Early Spring

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Cocktail History

The Early Spring is a modern cocktail that was created in 2021 by Absolut Vodka for the release of their rhubarb edition. The recipe highlights the vodka’s sweet vegetable flavor by pairing it with floral lavender syrup, bright lemon, and dill and tops it all with carbonated soda water.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Rhubarb Vodka: This is a type of vodka made with fermented grains or potatoes and water, which are distilled and then infused with rhubarb to develop a sweet, tart flavor.

Lavender Syrup: This is a sweetener made with lavender buds, white sugar, and water, which are heated and infused into a syrup with a dry, floral flavor.

Lemon Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe lemons that has a sweet, tangy flavor and light yellow color.

Soda Water: This is a carbonated beverage made with water and dissolved carbon dioxide gas, which gives it a fizzy, neutral flavor.

Dill Sprig: This is an herb.

Flower: This is an edible flower that can be used as a garnish.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.

Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.

Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.

Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. I used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Pale pink-ish purple color with an ombré effect

• Aroma: Sour dill accented with citrus

• Taste: Light-bodied and mostly sweet taste of florals and slightly bitter rhubarb

• Finish: Lavender notes and bubbly soda

Kendall’s Take: “I like it when I come across a simple drink that checks all of the boxes of seasonality. Lavender syrup aside, this cocktail’s ingredients are fairly accessible, and when combined, they create a refreshing spring spritzer that reminds me of a bountiful garden. I would love to sip on an Early Spring while getting my plant starts moved into their new dirt homes at the start of the spring season.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from Difford’s Guide, an online guide to cocktails, spirits, and liqueurs.