Sweet Lavender Old Fashioned Recipe

Dating back to the early 1800s, old fashioned cocktails have remained a classic for over a century, surviving the Prohibition era and remaining a menu staple even to this day. This easily prepared libation relies on four simple ingredients that even amateur mixologists are likely to have on hand: whiskey, sugar, bitters, and water. Classically, sweetness is added in the form of a sugar cube, which gets stirred into the liquid until it's completely dissolved. Sugar combats the harshness of drinking straight alcohol, helping it go down a bit easier for some than something like a whiskey neat. These days, simple syrup is often used instead for a quicker preparation, especially in busy cocktail bars where a quick drink means more profit for the business and less of a wait for the customer.

There have been many ways to put a spin on an old fashioned over the last 200 years. We've created a new-style version that remains simple and only requires one unique ingredient that really makes it stand out: lavender. The floral notes of lavender mix perfectly with sweet, vanilla-like aromas of certain whiskeys or bourbons, but will also play well with a smokier profile, contributing a bright flavor and scent reminiscent of springtime. The sweetness level can be dialed in according to preference, but adding sugar is required for this version, as this is how we'll extract flavor from the lavender. Finish with a peel of lemon for a fresh, colorful garnish.

Luckily, an old fashioned only requires a few ingredients that are easy to find. A higher quality bourbon or whiskey will make the best tasting cocktail. White sugar, water, and orange bitters (you can use another variety of bitters if you wish, such as Angostura) are needed. Fresh lavender flowers will make a stronger tasting simple syrup, but dried flowers will work just as well in an equal amount. Dried lavender flowers can be found in the herb and spice section of many grocery stores, but they come in larger and more affordable quantities when ordered online. The peel of one fresh lemon will be used as a garnish for the drink. You'll also want some ice — both for mixing and serving the drink.

Make the simple syrup: add sugar, water, and lavender flowers to a small pot and stir together.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

Pass the syrup through a fine mesh strainer and fully cool.

To make the cocktail, add the whiskey and bitters to a cocktail mixing glass.

Add 2 teaspoons of the lavender syrup.

Add half of the ice. Stir the mixture for 10 seconds.

Strain the liquid into a serving glass filled with the remaining ice.

Peel a 2-inch long strip of lemon.

Squeeze the peel over the glass to release oils and rub gently around the rim of the glass, then drop it in. Serve immediately.

While fresh lavender flowers can be hard to find in certain markets unless it's growing in your garden or a park nearby, dried lavender is available more often and works just as well for this application. Most specialty grocery stores will sell small packets or jars of dried lavender flowers, which work great in the simple syrup needed for this old fashioned.

One tip to know is that larger quantities of dried lavender can be purchased online for a lot cheaper, and as long as they are vacuum sealed or kept in an airtight container they will maintain their freshness. When choosing a product, look for the words "culinary grade" whenever possible. This lavender flavored syrup also goes really well in coffee, tea, or other cocktails like a gin and tonic or even a spritz. It can be kept for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

The old fashioned cocktail has been recorded as far back as 1806. There are many different origin stories, but the first written accounts of what we know an old fashioned as (whiskey, bitters, sugar, water) came around in the late 1880s. It was created in Louisville, Kentucky, where a 2-week festival celebrating the drink still occurs yearly. The name "old fashioned" has been attributed to stories of people requesting their cocktails "the old fashioned way," when bartenders in the early 1900s began getting more creative with cocktails. Adding citrus peel, candied cherries, and bitters was very common for most early cocktails as a low effort way to dress up liquor.

In the decades since, there have been many variations on the drink, thanks to its infinitely adaptable simplicity. Our latest version with lavender and a bit of lemon zest is sure to become a regular in your cocktail repertoire.