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 2 Roots Art & Wine 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:

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.

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.

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

Brands I Used

• 🔗 La Marca Prosecco
• 🔗 AMASS Riverine Distilled Non-Alcoholic Spirit
• 🔗 St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur
• 🔗 Monin Premium Honey Syrup
• 🔗 Scrappy’s Bitters Lavender Bitters

Bartending Tools

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

Bar Mat: This is a rubber or silicone mat that’s placed on the bar surface and used for catching spills, providing grip for glasses and tools, and keeping the workspace clean and organized.

Jigger: This is a small double-sided tool with different volume measurements on each side that’s used for accurately portioning ingredients.

Boston Shaker: This is a two-piece cocktail shaker made with a large metal tin and a second tin or mixing glass that’s used for shaking and chilling cocktail ingredients.

Hawthorne Strainer: This is a flat metal strainer with a handle and a coiled spring around the edge that’s used for straining shaken cocktails from a shaker while holding back ice and solids.

Cutting Board: This is a flat, durable kitchen surface made from materials like wood or plastic that’s used for slicing ingredients and preparing garnishes.

Paring Knife: This is a small kitchen knife with a narrow, sharp blade that’s used for peeling fruit and trimming garnishes.

Electric Citrus Juicer: This is a kitchen appliance with a motorized reamer that’s used for quickly extracting juice from citrus fruits.

Fine Mesh Strainer: This is a mesh metal strainer with a tightly woven bowl and handle that’s used for straining out small ice shards and other solids while pouring cocktails from a shaker or mixing glass.

Measuring Cup: This is a kitchen tool with a handled cup and marked volume measurements that’s used for accurately measuring and pouring liquid ingredients.

Lowball Glass: This is a short, wide glass with a thick base that’s used for serving cocktails with ice or spirits neat.

Tools I Used

• 🔗 A Bar Above 18×12 Premium Bar Mat
• 🔗 A Bar Above Stainless Steel Japanese Jigger
• 🔗 A Bar Above Stainless Steel Boston Shaker
• 🔗 A Bar Above Stainless Steel Hawthorne Strainer
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Cutting Board Set
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife
• 🔗 BLACK+DECKER 32 oz Electric Citrus Juicer
• 🔗 Barfly Silver Stainless Steel Fine Mesh Cocktail Strainer
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips 2 Cup Angled Measuring Cup
• 🔗 Libbey Signature Kentfield Rocks Glass

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