Cocktail & Other Recipes By Spirit Gin Cocktails

Spring’s First Bloom

Toast to the season with Charlotte Voisey’s floral Gin Sour.

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Liquor.com
Liquor.com

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Updated 02/25/23
A rounded coupe sits on a sky blue placemat. The drink within is golden yellow, topped with thick white foam with a micro green floating on it.

Liquor.com / Tim Nusog

This bright and floral cocktail from bartending veteran Charlotte Voisey is aptly named. Through a mixture of floral and herbaceous liquors and bitters, the drink evokes the early days of spring as flowers start to spread their perfume.

At the base of Spring’s First Bloom is Hendrick’s gin. This famous Scottish gin should preferably not be substituted with another, as its cucumber and botanical notes are distinct and crucial to the aroma and flavor of the drink. If you use a traditional London Dry instead, you’ll lose out on much of the garden elements that define the cocktail.

The drink’s herbaceous and floral components include elderflower liqueur St-Germain (here, you can substitute another brand of elderflower liqueur) and lemongrass-infused simple syrup. Although the syrup takes some time to put together, you can use it to add an interesting touch to your favorite Daiquiri or Gimlet recipe. It’s also an ingredient in the South Mint 75.

Lemon juice gives the cocktail its necessary acidic tartness, and lavender bitters heighten the flowery notes. Finally, egg whites give the drink a silky mouthfeel and help to incorporate all the flavors into a springtime treat that can be enjoyed year-round.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces Hendrick’s gin
  • 1/2 ounce St-Germain liqueur
  • 3/4 ounce lemongrass-infused simple syrup (recipe below)
  • 3/4 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1 dash lavender bitters
  • 1 egg white
  • Garnish: mint or microgreen leaf

Steps

  1. Add the Hendrick’s gin, St-Germain, lemongrass-infused simple syrup, lemon juice, lavender bitters, and egg white into a shaker and vigorously dry-shake (without ice).

  2. Add ice and shake again until well-chilled.

  3. Double-strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a cocktail glass.

  4. Garnish with a single mint or microgreen leaf.

  5. For lemongrass-infused simple syrup: Combine 4 cups granulated sugar and 4 cups water and stir until the sugar dissolves completely. Remove the outer layer from 6 lemongrass stalks, and slice off and discard the ends. Cut the stalks into small pieces and combine with the sugar mixture in a blender, pulsing until the lemongrass is finely chopped. Let stand for one hour, then strain and discard solids. Will keep, refrigerated and tightly sealed, for up to 1 week.

RAW EGG WARNING

Consuming raw and lightly cooked eggs poses a risk of food-borne illness

What Is St-Germain?

St-Germain is a light-golden French elderflower liqueur that is sweet with strong floral and honey notes. It adds its floral sweetness to a range of cocktails, and pairs particularly well with gin’s botanicals. You can also sip it on its own, ideally chilled, as an aperitif.

What Is a Dry Shake?

Dry-shaking involves shaking ingredients such as egg whites or aquafaba at room temperature, without ice, to completely emulsify the ingredients and allow the liquids to become silky and frothy. A second wet shake, with ice, chills and dilutes the cocktail.

What Is Double Straining?

To double-strain, put your strainer over the mouth of your cocktail shaker as usual, then hold a fine-mesh strainer above the cocktail glass and pour the liquid through the strainer. This technique ensures an extra-smooth texture and catches ingredients that may slip through a larger Hawthorne or julep strainer.