This post contains affiliate links. See our disclosure policy here.
Cocktail History
The Lavender Sour is a modern cocktail that was created by JB Bernstein at Vernick Food & Drink in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Inspired by the flower fields of spring and summer, the recipe pairs an aromatic lavender syrup with the botanicals of gin, the sourness of lemon, the herbal qualities of Green Chartreuse, and the richness of egg white to make a frothy and floral beverage great for warm weather sipping.
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.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. We used freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Green Chartreuse: This is a liqueur made in France with over a hundred herbs and plants, spices, sugar, and alcohol. For a mocktail version of this drink, try winter herb syrup in place of the Green Chartreuse.
Lavender Syrup: This is a sweetener made with lavender, sugar, citric acid, and water. We used Floral Elixir Company Lavender Elixir because it has a fragrant floral flavor with blueberry undertones.
Egg White: This is the clear liquid in an egg. We used fresh egg whites because they add a rich, silky smooth texture.
Dried Lavender Buds: This is the dried flower bud of a lavender plant.
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.
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.
Tasting Notes
The Lavender Sour features the scent of fresh lavender and begins with a very vibrant floral flavor that combines lavender, lemon tartness, and expressive botanicals in the mouth, and the aftertaste then leaves a slightly bitter lemon note of floral flavor and other herbs on the back of the tongue.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: It’s rare, but we both equally enjoyed this recipe! We would describe it as the equivalent of taking a walk through a lavender field on a warm summer day in drink form.
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: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“While I enjoy the idea of floral flavors in cocktails, I’m not normally sold on them being the main feature. This drink was definitely delicious though, with fresh lavender flavors taking center stage amongst the gin’s botanicals and lemon’s sourness, giving a slightly bitter yet mostly sweet feeling as if you’re a field of flowers. While it’s almost overwhelmingly lavender-forward, in my opinion, the cocktail is certainly tasty and will tickle the fancy of those with a floral spring fever.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I honestly never would have thought to include lavender in a cocktail, but it is delightful! At first sniff, it feels a bit like you’re about to drink a frothy dissolved bath bomb, but the floral notes are light, airy, and not at all overwhelming when paired with the gin’s botanicals. I would call sipping this the next best thing to standing in a lavender field like the ones we have in Door County here in Wisconsin.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from a 2015 issue of Saveur magazine.
Add gin, lemon juice, Green Chartreuse, lavender syrup, egg white, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Remove ice from shaker.
Dry shake for 5-10 more seconds to emulsify egg.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with dried lavender buds.
Ingredients
Directions
Add gin, lemon juice, Green Chartreuse, lavender syrup, egg white, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Remove ice from shaker.
Dry shake for 5-10 more seconds to emulsify egg.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with dried lavender buds.
Make It a Mocktail: Use MONDAY Zero Alcohol Gin in place of the gin and winter herb syrup in place of the Green Chartreuse to try a booze-free version of this drink.
Shop Glassware & Tools
Find collections of cocktail glassware and bartending tools we recommend for your home bar in our Amazon shop.
About This Glassware
The glassware used in the photo of the Lavender Sour are martini glasses created by Greenline Goods. The set was gifted to us and is part of their new handblown glassware collection featuring this set, whiskey tasting glasses, wine coupes, champagne flutes, and balloon wine glasses. The martini glasses in particular are our favorites from the collection because they are a unique shape and they are the perfect size for a stirred or shaken cocktail at about seven ounces in capacity.
Buy these martini glasses for 15% off from the Greenline Goods website by using our affiliate promo code SIPS15, or find them in our Amazon shop here.
More Floral Cocktails
If you like this floral-flavored cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Marigold: A gin cocktail made with Cocchi Americano, Fernet-Branca, lavender bitters, and an orange twist
Final Say: A gin cocktail made with maraschino liqueur, crème de violette, lime juice, and a lime twist
The Parasol: A sparkling wine cocktail made with lemon juice, Lillet Blanc, elderflower liqueur, honey syrup, and a lemon twist
Mountaintop Meadow: A vodka cocktail made with elderflower liqueur, simple syrup, lavender bitters, dry sparkling wine, a pineapple wedge, and mint
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2023-09-24.
