his post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy here.
Cocktail History
The Lonesome Catacombs is a Sips From Scripts original cocktail that was created for a cocktail challenge. It was inspired by the music video for the song “Dearly Departed” by Shakey Graves, which depicts a couple’s self-destruction after a breakup. At one point, the artist’s ghost blends up a purple drink made of cough syrup and neon green liqueur and serves it to the grieving ex-boyfriend. To recreate this concoction’s color, we chose Empress 1908 Gin as the base, shook in flamed rosemary, Lillet Rosé, citrus juice, and simple syrup as a nod to the fire in which he ultimately meets his end, and added a touch of absinthe to help the delusion along.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Butterfly Pea Blossom Gin: This is a type of gin made with butterfly pea blossom, juniper berries, botanicals, and alcohol. We used Victoria Distillers Empress 1908 Gin because it has light and refreshing juniper taste, herbal black tea flavor, and beautiful purple hue. For a low-proof version of this drink, try butterfly pea blossom tea in place of the gin.
Lillet Rosé: This is an aromatized wine liqueur made in France with Grand Cru Bordeaux grapes, berries, grapefruit, orange blossoms, and water.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. We used freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s stovetop recipe.
Absinthe: This is a spirit made with anise, wormwood, fennel, botanicals, and alcohol. We used Great Lakes Distillery Amerique 1912 Absinthe Verte because it’s flavorful and made locally to us. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Absinthe in place of the absinthe.
Rosemary Sprig: This is an evergreen herb.
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 citrus into slices or wheels. 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.
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 2024-10-12.
Tasting Notes
The Lonesome Catacombs has plenty of woodsy, smoky aromas along with a slight lemon scent and a taste that combines rosemary with the butterfly pea flower gin and Lillet’s herbal, bitter note, all balanced with a tiny bit of tartness. The aftertaste then has a touch of absinthe’s presence left in the mouth accompanied by more of the herbal flavors.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: We were both aligned on how much we enjoyed this drink. The Lonesome Catacombs is an interesting take on a floral gin cocktail!
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I don’t know that I had tried a cocktail with such prominent rosemary flavor before Alex created this one, but he did a really great job of highlighting its unique herbal quality. What could be an overpowering ingredient ends up being the star of the show, while the other ingredients turn the drink into one that those with more underdeveloped palates like mine will especially enjoy. The Lonesome Catacombs is tart, tangy, and delicious, and we had a lot of fun creating it together!”
Recipe
Lonesome Catacombs
The Lonesome Catacombs is a Sips From Scripts original cocktail that was created for a cocktail challenge. It was inspired by the music video for the song “Dearly Departed” by Shakey Graves, which depicts a couple’s self-destruction after a breakup. At one point, the artist’s ghost blends up a purple drink made of cough syrup and neon green liqueur and serves it to the grieving ex-boyfriend. To recreate this concoction’s color, we chose Empress 1908 Gin as the base, shook in flamed rosemary, Lillet Rosé, citrus juice, and simple syrup as a nod to the fire in which he ultimately meets his end, and added a touch of absinthe to help the delusion along.
Ingredients
Method
-
Add gin, Lillet Rosé, lemon juice, simple syrup, absinthe, one rosemary sprig, and cubed ice to a shaker.
-
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
-
Double-strain into a cocktail glass.
-
Flame rosemary sprig and add to glass as garnish.
