Pollinator’s Paradise

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Cocktail History

The Pollinator’s Paradise is a Novel Nightcaps original cocktail that was created in 2023 for a cocktail tasting event at 200 Main Wine & Art Gallery in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Inspired by the wildflower fields that grow in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, the recipe was meant to capture all of the floral flavors of spring and does so by using a floral vodka as the base spirit, adding in elderflower, lemon, honey, and lavender, and topping it all off with effervescent sparkling wine.

Cocktail Ingredients

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

Floral Vodka: This is a type of vodka made with fermented grains or potatoes and water, which are distilled and then infused with flower blossoms to develop a light, floral flavor.

Elderflower Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with elderflower blossoms, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are blended and infused to develop a light, floral flavor.

Honey Syrup: This is a sweetener made with honey and water, which are heated and infused into a syrup with a sweet flavor.

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

Lavender Bitters: This is a concentrated flavoring made with lavender buds, herbs, spices, botanicals, and distilled alcohol, which are macerated or steeped to develop a floral, slightly bitter flavor.

Sparkling Wine: This is a type of wine made with white grapes and yeast, which are fermented with the skins to produce alcohol and then infused with carbon dioxide gas to develop a pale yellow-green color and crisp, fruity flavor.

Dehydrated Lemon Wheel: This is a lemon slice that has been preserved through dehydration.

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.

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Delicate golden yellow hue

• Aroma: Fragrant floral notes accented by the earthy, herbal scent of gin

• Taste: Silky sweetness from the honey balanced by crisp citrus, bubbly wine, and the botanical complexity of gin with subtle floral undertones

• Finish: Smooth and mellow with a lingering herbal note

Kendall’s Take
“This recipe originally ended up on the menu for a spring cocktail tasting I worked at a local wine shop, and it quickly became my favorite of the bunch. The goal was to highlight the floral botanicals in AMASS Vodka, so pairing it with other bright, seasonal flavors felt like a natural direction to take. The finished drink is light, aromatic, and wonderfully fresh—almost like walking through a field of flowers as spring begins to bloom. That’s why the Pollinator’s Paradise is one I keep coming back to when the weather starts to warm up.”

Recipe