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Cocktail History
The Florodora is a classic cocktail that is believed to have been created in the early 1900s at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. The recipe, which traditionally mixes dry gin with lime, raspberry, simple syrup, and ginger ale, was named for six gorgeous dancers known as the Florodora Sextette who were the opening act in the Edwardian Broadway show of the same name.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Gin: This is a spirit made with juniper berries, botanicals, and alcohol. We used Highclere Castle London Dry Gin because it has a bright and crisp juniper flavor with notes of citrus, angelica, and cassia. For a mocktail version of this drink, try MONDAY Zero Alcohol Gin in place of the gin.
Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. We used freshly squeezed lime juice.
Raspberry Syrup: This is a sweetener made with raspberries, white sugar, citric acid, and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s sous vide recipe.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s stovetop recipe.
Ginger Ale: This is a carbonated soft drink flavored with ginger. We used Canada Dry Ginger Ale.
Lime Slice: This is a slice of lime that has been cut into a half wheel shape.
Raspberries: This is a small pink fruit. We used fresh raspberries.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Muddler: This is used to muddle ingredients. We used the HQY Stainless Steel Cocktail Muddler.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Cocktail Pick: This is used to hold the garnish. We used one from the I-MART Stainless Steel Cocktail Pick Set.
Tasting Notes
The Florodora features the aroma of lime, the friendly and fairly sweet taste of berry and ginger flavors balanced by botanicals in the gin, citrus, and sugar, and an aftertaste with berry-flavored lime bitterness.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: While variations of this drink sometimes call for a raspberry liqueur, we went with muddled raspberries instead because we knew they’d amplify the pink color and lend more natural flavor. The result was incredibly delicious, even more so than we expected considering we somehow hadn’t heard of this cocktail before. We both found it very easy to sip, and because it features so few complex flavors and very little spice, we thought it would make a great crowd-pleaser when you’re mixing drinks for friends who aren’t too adventurous with their gin drinks.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I almost never turn to ginger ale as a drink mixer; the only time I’ve ever experienced it was with cranberry and vodka, and while that went down way too easily, it was fairly uninteresting, and I wouldn’t rush to make it again. This drink is quite good though, with the ginger ale lending a bit of its own flavor to the classic gin sour template and the raspberries adding some extra flavor and color. I could absolutely see myself downing a few of these on a patio chair somewhere. It does lack a bit of complexity to the ‘discerning palate,’ but it’s a for-sure crowd pleaser.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I’m definitely adding this cocktail to my list of favorite simple drinks for summertime! I had never heard of the Floradora before our tasting, and I’m not sure how because it is absolutely fabulous, especially for those with more undeveloped palates like mine. Its mix of sweet-tart flavors mask the sometimes overpowering botanicals of gin, and the ginger ale is a nice, light touch to help stretch out the drink for longer sipping. I personally have come to love gin in just about any cocktail, but if you don’t usually care for it, trying this recipe is a great way to introduce it to your palate because the flavor is so subtle. On the flip side, this might not be for you if you do enjoy the complex taste of gin.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Essential Cocktail Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Drinks by the editors of PUNCH and Megan Krigbaum.
Add five raspberries, raspberry syrup, and simple syrup to a shaker.
Muddle gently.
Add gin, lime juice, and cubed ice.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Double strain into a highball glass over fresh cracked ice.
Top with ginger ale.
Garnish with lime slice and two raspberries.
Ingredients
Directions
Add five raspberries, raspberry syrup, and simple syrup to a shaker.
Muddle gently.
Add gin, lime juice, and cubed ice.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Double strain into a highball glass over fresh cracked ice.
Top with ginger ale.
Garnish with lime slice and two raspberries.
Make It a Mocktail: Use MONDAY Zero Alcohol Gin in place of the gin to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Berry Cocktails
If you like this berry-flavored cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Harvest Run: A bourbon and apricot brandy cocktail made with blackberry syrup, cinnamon syrup, crème de cassis, mint, and a cinnamon stick
Bramble: A gin cocktail made with lemon juice, blackberry syrup, blackberries, and a lemon wedge
Winter Berry Gin Fizz: A gin cocktail made with lime juice, cranberry syrup, raspberry liqueur, soda water, cranberries, and rosemary
Blueberry Mint Julep: A bourbon cocktail made with blueberry syrup, mint, and blueberries
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1 Comment
Janis goldberg
I would make it but leave out the gin! It sounds yummy for a summer day