Elderflower Old Fashioned

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Cocktail History

The Elderflower Old Fashioned is a spring cocktail of unknown origin that was first published in a 2014 issue of Saveur. The recipe is a simple variation of the classic Old Fashioned that also uses whiskey as the base spirit and aromatic bitters, but it omits the orange and calls for elderflower liqueur as a sweetener in addition to simple syrup.

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Cocktail Ingredients

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

Bourbon: This is a type of whiskey made in the United States with at least 51% corn, grains, malted barley, and water. I used Cedar Ridge Distillery Single Barrel Bourbon.

Elderflower Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with elderflowers, citrus, herbs, sugar, and alcohol. I used Edinburgh Gin Distillery Elderflower Gin Liqueur.

Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. I made mine using this stovetop recipe.

Aromatic Bitters: This is a food product made with botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. I used Angostura Aromatic Bitters.

Lemon Twist: This is the peel of a lemon that has been twisted into a corkscrew shape.

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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.

Mixing Glass: This is used to hold the ingredients while they’re being stirred. I used the Viski 17 oz Cocktail Mixing Glass.

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

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

Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. I used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.

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Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Orange-brown color

• Aroma: Zesty lemon and florals

• Taste: Bourbon-heavy flavor that combines rye spices and herbal elderflower

• Finish: Classic barrel-aged spirit notes

Kendall’s Rating: ⭐

Kendall’s Take: "I understand what its creator was going for here—a more floral variation of the classic, but I have to say, it just doesn’t work without more sweetness. I couldn’t even swallow my first sip when I tried the original recipe, and I’ve come to quite enjoy bourbon since I started tastings a couple of years ago. I do enjoy a floral cocktail, for sure, but the Elderflower Old Fashioned wasn’t for me... as interesting as the combination was."

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Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from an issue of Saveur magazine.