Empress 1908 Gin is Perfect in a Cocktail
Today, I’m joining several bloggers for the Empress 1908 Taste of Victoria Virtual Cocktail Competition!
We had to create a cocktail using Empress 1908 Gin and an array of local ingredients from the beautiful Canadian West Coast!
Empress 1908 Gin is a hand-crafted spirit from Victoria Distillers in British Columbia, Canada, and is inspired by the renowned tea and cocktail programs of the iconic Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria.
For the competition, Empress 1908 sent a kit which included a box full of amazing ingredients to use.
Some included fresh lavender, dark chocolate, tea, lavender infused honey, butterfly pea flower and 2 types of bitters.
So, to incorporate some of these ingredients, I came up with a Lavender Cranberry-Orange Cocktail.
Start with making a honey simple syrup made of cranberries, lavender, lavender infused honey and water. The only difeerence between this typeof simple syrup and a regular simple syrup is the use of honey. The even ratio remains the same and you’ll find this recipe just as easy as the original. Because there are loose lavender leaves in the syrup as it boils, you will have to strain it before it can be used.
Add the syrup to a shaker with fresh squeezed orange and lemon juices, and grapefruit bitters. If you don’t use freshly squeezed orange juice, then just used bought orange juice. It may charge the color slightly though.
Pour into a coupe glass and top with Empress 1908 gin and champagne. Garnish with fresh cranberries.
The perfect festive cocktail!
This cocktail was fun to make and it tastes amazing! Definitely give this one a try.
And vote for my Lavender Cranberry-Orange Cocktail through this link: https://www.empressgin.com/taste-of-victoria/
Lavender Cranberry-Orange Cocktail
Ingredients
Lavender Cranberry Honey Simple Syrup
- 1/2 cup Lavender Infused Honey
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tsp lavender
- 1/4 cup fresh cranberries
Cocktail
- 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp lavender cranberry honey simple syrup
- 2 dashes grapefruit & hops bitters
- 2 oz Empress Gin
- champagne to top
- cranberries to garnish
- ice for shaker
Instructions
Simple Syrup:
- Add all ingredients to a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until honey is dissolved and the cranberries have popped. Remove from heat. Pour mixture through a strainer into a glass jar. Cool completely.
Cocktail
- In a shaker, add orange juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, bitters and ice. Shake until cold. Pour into a coupe glass. Pour in the 2 oz of Empress Gin. Top with champagne. Place cranberries on a cocktail pick and place on top of the glass.
