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Cocktail History
The Florodora is a classic cocktail that is believed to have been created in the early 1900s at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. The recipe, which traditionally mixes dry gin with lime, raspberry, simple syrup, and ginger ale, was named for six gorgeous dancers known as the Florodora Sextette who were the opening act in the Edwardian Broadway show of the same name.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Gin: This is a spirit made with juniper berries, botanicals, and alcohol. We used Highclere Castle London Dry Gin because it has a bright and crisp juniper flavor with notes of citrus, angelica, and cassia. For a mocktail version of this drink, try MONDAY Zero Alcohol Gin in place of the gin.
Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. We used freshly squeezed lime juice.
Raspberry Syrup: This is a sweetener made with raspberries, white sugar, citric acid, and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s sous vide recipe.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s stovetop recipe.
Ginger Ale: This is a carbonated soft drink flavored with ginger. We used Canada Dry Ginger Ale.
Lime Slice: This is a slice of lime that has been cut into a half wheel shape.
Raspberries: This is a small pink fruit. We used fresh raspberries.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Muddler: This is used to muddle ingredients. We used the HQY Stainless Steel Cocktail Muddler.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We 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. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Cocktail Pick: This is used to hold the garnish. We used one from the I-MART Stainless Steel Cocktail Pick Set.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2024-10-08.
Tasting Notes
The Florodora features the aroma of lime, the friendly and fairly sweet taste of berry and ginger flavors balanced by botanicals in the gin, citrus, and sugar, and an aftertaste with berry-flavored lime bitterness.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: While variations of this drink sometimes call for a raspberry liqueur, we went with muddled raspberries instead because we knew they’d amplify the pink color and lend more natural flavor. The result was incredibly delicious, even more so than we expected considering we somehow hadn’t heard of this cocktail before. We both found it very easy to sip, and because it features so few complex flavors and very little spice, we thought it would make a great crowd-pleaser when you’re mixing drinks for friends who aren’t too adventurous with their gin drinks.
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I’m definitely adding this cocktail to my list of favorite simple drinks for summertime! I had never heard of the Floradora before our tasting, and I’m not sure how because it is absolutely fabulous, especially for those with more undeveloped palates like mine. Its mix of sweet-tart flavors mask the sometimes overpowering botanicals of gin, and the ginger ale is a nice, light touch to help stretch out the drink for longer sipping. I personally have come to love gin in just about any cocktail, but if you don’t usually care for it, trying this recipe is a great way to introduce it to your palate because the flavor is so subtle. On the flip side, this might not be for you if you do enjoy the complex taste of gin.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Essential Cocktail Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Drinks by the editors of PUNCH and Megan Krigbaum.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2024-10-08.
Florodora
The Florodora is a classic cocktail that is believed to have been created in the early 1900s at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. The recipe, which traditionally mixes dry gin with lime, raspberry, simple syrup, and ginger ale, was named for six gorgeous dancers known as the Florodora Sextette who were the opening act in the Edwardian Broadway show of the same name.
Ingredients
Method
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Add five raspberries, raspberry syrup, and simple syrup to a shaker.
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Muddle gently.
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Add gin, lime juice, and cubed ice.
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Shake for 10-20 seconds.
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Double strain into a highball glass over fresh cracked ice.
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Top with ginger ale.
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Garnish with lime slice and two raspberries.
