13 Flower-Themed Summer Libations

Photo via gail (Flickr)

One of my favorite things about being an event planner is choosing flower arrangements that suit the occasion. Summer is the perfect time to enjoy colorful blossoms and fragrances. But why confine your flowers to a vase? This week, my blog is all about mixing up some delicious drinks that feature a delightful flower theme. Cheers!

13 Flower-Themed Summer Libations

1. Mint Julep: Drop six to eight mint leaves along with a tablespoon of sugar into the bottom of a frosted glass and crush them together to bring out the flavor. Next, fill the glass with crushed ice and add your bourbon. Place a sprig of mint on top of the glass, and viola!
2. Pineapple Express: Combine ten leaves of pineapple sage and a half-ounce of agave nectar in a cocktail shaker. Next, mix in 1 ounces of tequila reposado, ounces of Combier Kummel, and 1 ounce of fresh lemon juice. Add some ice, shake, and strain into a glass. You’ll end up with a summer libation that is as fragrant as it is delicious!
3. Fresh Mint Margaritas: Crush together a half-cup of mint leaves and teaspoon of salt in the bottom of a glass. Put in crushed ice, 1 cups of tequila, 1 cup of lime juice, and 1 cup of Triple Sec. Stir it up and enjoy!
4. Honeysuckle Julep: In a tall glass, mash together two white peach slices and a half-ounce of honey syrup. Next, put in a quarter-ounce of yellow Chartreuse and 2 ounces of Old Tom Gin as well as crushed ice. Stir up this mixture and garnish with a fragrant honeysuckle flower!
5. Violet Vermouth: Mix 1 ounce of a good violet liqueur with 1 ounce of dry vermouth. Fill the rest of the glass with ice and place an edible violet on top as a garnish. Enjoy this colorful, sweet refreshment.
6. Wild Hibiscus Royale: Crush some mint in the bottom of a champagne glass and take it out. Next, carefully place a wild hibiscus flower in the bottom of the glass. Add ounce of rose water, champagne, and 2/3 ounce of wild hibiscus syrup. Watch the flower open up inside your glass!
7. Lavender Martini: Find your cocktail shaker and put in 1 ounce of cre de violette, 1 ounce of gin, 1 ounce of vodka, ounce of Domaine de Canton, ounce of St. Germaine elderflower liqueur, and 1 dash of lavender bitters. Shake it all together and sprinkle with lavender sprigs. Relax and savor this fragrant libation.
8. Elderflower Champagne Cocktail: The ingredients for this drink include a bottle of champagne, 1 cup of elderflower liqueur, 12 ounces of club soda, and 1 cup of strawberries. It’s a simple, classic libation to share with eight friends.
9. Rose Martini: Put 1 ounces of vodka, 1 ounce of white cre de cacao, ounce of rose water, and 1 drop of red food coloring into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and pour into a martini glass; garnish with rose petals.
10. Black Currant Sparkler: Mix ounce of Campari with ounce of gin. Next, mix 1 tablespoon of black currant preserves and 1 teaspoon of vanilla with 1 teaspoon white cre de cacao. Pour these ingredients into an ice-filled glass using a strainer. Put Prosecco on top along with a pansy garnish.
11. Jasmine Flower Martini: Gather a handful of jasmine flowers and steep them in 1 ounce of simple syrup. These flowers will give off a tremendous fragrance. Allow the mixture to cool. Put ounce of lemon juice and the jasmine/syrup mixture into a cocktail shaker along with two ounces of vodka as well as crushed ice. After shaking well, pour into a frosted martini glass and garnish with a jasmine flower!
12. Combier Red Sage Cocktail: Put 1 ounce of vodka and 1 ounce of Combier Rouge Cherry Liqueur into a shaker with ice and shake. Garnish this mixture with two leaves of sage and drink along with one bottle of Coca-Cola.
13. Minted Hibiscus and Raspberry Drink: Add 2 cups of raspberries, cup of chopped mint, and 6 tablespoons of hibiscus flowers to 8 cups of boiling water. Remove the pot from the stove and let the mixture stand for one hour. Pour the contents of the pot into a pitcher using a sieve. Add cup sugar, cup of Grand Marnier and cup of lime juice to the pitcher and stir. Chill in the refrigerator for an hour. Serve on ice with a mint garnish.

I hope these drink ideas make your summer gatherings all the more entertaining. – Sophie