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Cocktail History
The Lavender Sour is a modern cocktail that was created by JB Bernstein at Vernick Food & Drink in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Inspired by the flower fields of spring and summer, the recipe pairs an aromatic lavender syrup with the botanicals of gin, the sourness of lemon, the herbal qualities of Green Chartreuse, and the richness of egg white to make a frothy and floral beverage great for warm weather sipping.
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.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. We used freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Green Chartreuse: This is a liqueur made in France with over a hundred herbs and plants, spices, sugar, and alcohol. For a mocktail version of this drink, try winter herb syrup in place of the Green Chartreuse.
Lavender Syrup: This is a sweetener made with lavender, sugar, citric acid, and water. We used Floral Elixir Company Lavender Elixir because it has a fragrant floral flavor with blueberry undertones.
Egg White: This is the clear liquid in an egg. We used fresh egg whites because they add a rich, silky smooth texture.
Dried Lavender Buds: This is the dried flower bud of a lavender plant.
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.
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.
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Tasting Notes
The Lavender Sour features the scent of fresh lavender and begins with a very vibrant floral flavor that combines lavender, lemon tartness, and expressive botanicals in the mouth, and the aftertaste then leaves a slightly bitter lemon note of floral flavor and other herbs on the back of the tongue.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: It’s rare, but we both equally enjoyed this recipe! We would describe it as the equivalent of taking a walk through a lavender field on a warm summer day in drink form.
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I honestly never would have thought to include lavender in a cocktail, but it is delightful! At first sniff, it feels a bit like you’re about to drink a frothy dissolved bath bomb, but the floral notes are light, airy, and not at all overwhelming when paired with the gin’s botanicals. I would call sipping this the next best thing to standing in a lavender field like the ones we have in Door County here in Wisconsin.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from a 2015 issue of Saveur magazine.
Lavender Sour
The Lavender Sour is a modern cocktail that was created by JB Bernstein at Vernick Food & Drink in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Inspired by the flower fields of spring and summer, the recipe pairs an aromatic lavender syrup with the botanicals of gin, the sourness of lemon, the herbal qualities of Green Chartreuse, and the richness of egg white to make a frothy and floral beverage great for warm weather sipping.
Ingredients
Method
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Add gin, lemon juice, Green Chartreuse, lavender syrup, egg white, and cubed ice to a shaker.
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Shake for 10-20 seconds.
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Remove ice from shaker.
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Dry shake for 5-10 more seconds to emulsify egg.
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Strain into a cocktail glass.
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Garnish with dried lavender buds.
