Elderflower Gin Cocktail

I haven’t always been a bourbon drinker. I started off with a strong love for gin, especially in a weird drink that we lovingly used to call ‘Pond Scum’. The drink was super simple; just fresh mint, limeade and gin muddled together.

At the time, I didn’t understand the ‘art’ of cocktail making and would use way too much mint and over muddle it, so the tiny pieces would float to the top of the glass. It tasted great, but as I drank it, the little pieces of muddled mint would inevitably get stuck in my teeth. Classy, right? This cocktail is a more mature (and yes, classy, without the sarcasm) version of that drink.

This classy cocktail starts with gin, lemon juice, a touch of bitters and a couple of mint leaves. It’s shaken with ice to gently muddle the mint without pulverizing it into tiny pieces. It’s finished off with elderflower lemonade to give it a bit of sweetness, a hint of floral and a little sparkle. This is a refreshing, light cocktail that easy to sip and would be perfect for a weekend brunch or an afternoon out with friends.

Elderflower Gin Cocktail

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Start to Finish: 5 minutes

1 oz gin
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
3 dashes of bitters
3 mint leaves
3 oz Belvoir Elderflower lemonade
Lemon wedge, if desired
Mint leaf, if desired

Add gin, lemon juice, bitters and 3 mint leaves to a cocktail shaker filled with ice; shake well. Pour into a cocktail glass filled with ice. Top with lemonade. Garnish with a lemon wedge and mint leaf. Enjoy!

Makes: 1 cocktail

What’s your favorite way to use elderflower? 

A couple of gin cocktails you might enjoy…
Negroni Cocktail from Bourbon and Honey
The Rhubarb Sour from Verses From My Kitchen
Grapefruit Tarragon Gin and Tonic from Food 52
Blackberry Gin Fizz from Bon Appétit