Floral Spirits You Should Try At Least Once

Gin is a rather astringent spirit on its own, thanks to the juniper berries that flavor it –- even though "berries" is part of their name, these aren't the kind of fruit you'd want to eat on their own. Many gins, however, are made with additional flavoring ingredients collectively known as botanicals. Floral notes are a popular pairing with juniper due to the fact that their sweetness helps to temper some of the berries' bitterness. BLOOM Jasmine & Rose Gin is a pink gin that is naturally flavored (and colored) with East Asian jasmine and Moroccan rose petals, giving it a subtle sweetness that never ventures into perfumy territory.

BLOOM suggests this gin be mixed with lemonade or combined with vermouth and strawberry liqueur to make a pink martini. They've also created a cocktail called the Eastern Rose that includes lemon juice, ginger beer, and green tea. Jasmine & Rose Gin could also be used in a classic gin and tonic, but you might want to swap out the lime garnish for a sweet/tart fruit like raspberries or blackberries.

Geraniums are a less-familiar flavoring flower, whether for gins or anything else. The distillers at Hammer & Son, however, felt that this not-too-perfumey, peppery-scented flower would make for the perfect semi-floral gin, making for a beverage that would retain the dryness characteristic of a London Dry style gin and yet have a certain aromatic quality. While it took some doing to figure out the best way to extract the geranium oil during the gin-making process, the father and son distilling duo benefited from the former's experience as a chemist. The resulting gin they created combines juniper's astringency with what they describe as the "citrus-rosy" flavor from the flowers.

Hammer & Son Geranium Gin is that rare gin that blends well across the board, as was the distillers' intent. It works well in G&Ts and martinis, but it can also be used in a fruitier gin drink like the blackberry-flavored bramble or sweet cocktails like the Pink Lady and Bee's Knees.

Vodka these days seems to be all about the flavors, from Ciroc's fruity fantasies to Smirnoff's sours and candy flavors. There are even a few oddball offerings out there such as Ivanabitch's tobacco vodka that are aimed (we hope) at the novelty market. Vodka does seem to have lagged behind gin when it comes to recognizing the true potential of floral flavors. At last, however, they seem to be catching up, and we're pleased to note that there is now such a thing as lavender vodka.

Heritage Distilling Co describes their vodka as "lavender flavored," something that may indicate that the lavender essence was added after the distilling process. No matter what point in the process the lavender comes into play, it gives the vodka a gorgeous purple color as well as a light floral flavor. Also on the light side is the alcohol content, as this vodka weighs in at just 30% ABV so the flavor can shine through without being overwhelmed by excess booziness. In addition to its lavender notes, Heritage Distilling Co Lavender Flavored Vodka also has hints of mint and vanilla. Such a flavor profile makes this vodka well suited to light, fresh, slightly sweet drinks, so you could try it mixed with lemonade or splash a bit into a glass of sparkling wine.

Peonies, now, aren't a flower you see on your plate every day -– nor in your glass, for that matter. That didn't stop Three Meadows Spirits from seeing how they would taste if used to infuse vodka. Pretty darn good, as it turns out. Who knows, peonies could prove to be the new hibiscus. Even if they don't take over the menu at hipster bars and bistros, they won over the floral-averse reviewers at Intoxicologist. While they found Three Meadows Spirits Peony Vodka to have some sweetness and floral notes, these are balanced out by a little bitterness and a surprising amount of pepper flavor. This peony vodka may be at its best when used in drinks typically made with gin as these are often meant to showcase the spirit's flavor rather than disguise it as may be the case with vodka drinks.

While Three Meadows Spirits Peony Vodka is still available to purchase, sadly, the distillery itself is no more. They seem to have changed their name to Three Meadows and a Pony at some point, and the peony vodka (their only product) is available under that label as well. The supply is limited, however, as the distillery's Instagram says Three Meadows (with or without pony) is "permanently closed."

Most of us, if we're even aware of crème de violette, know it as an essential ingredient of the trendy Aviation cocktail. In fact, this pre-Prohibition drink re-emerged into prominence again at the beginning of the 21^stcentury after decades of obscurity thanks to the fact that crème de violette was once more available in the U.S. Not everyone's a fan of the Aviation -– per The New York Times, famed mixologist Dale DeGroff once described the flavor as "hand soap" -– but Ryan Reynolds is doing his darndest to keep the drink that shares his gin brand's name relevant. Free booze fans take note: he's picking up the tab for Aviations imbibed by bar patrons celebrating National Aviation Day 2022.

At present, there are several crèmes de violette available on the American market. One of the best is Rothman & Winter, an Austrian brand that dates back to the 1930s and flavors their brandy-based liqueur with violets from the Austrian Alps. Rothman & Winter Crème de Violette has a perfumey scent and a super-sweet, candy-like taste (with, yes, a slight hint of soap), but it's such a pretty purple color and the flavor works well in combination with other ingredients. Besides being used in the Aviation, crème de violette also features prominently in the Blue Moon, which is basically the same drink minus the maraschino, and can also be mixed with sparkling wine.

Elixir Craft Spirits is an Oregon craft distiller founded by two Italian brothers who describe their mission as "revivifying traditional spirits in the Italian tradition." While some of their spirits do seem to be traditional ones, such as the amaro Calisaya and the Tuscan herbal liqueur Ver, other offerings like the gold leaf-flecked Fête vodka seem to be branching out a bit. Most intriguing to us is the Iris liqueur, the first one on the market to be distilled from the root of this particular botanical.

The flavor of Iris is difficult to describe, but seems to somehow combine the flowery sweetness of a crème de violette with a more bitter herbal note somewhat reminiscent of grapefruit. There's even a certain citrusy tartness to it, as well. Summit Sips was wowed by the unusual Iris liqueur, going so far as to create a new cocktail by combining it with equal parts of gin, luxardo, and lime juice. In addition to this drink, which they've dubbed "Delayed Echo," this liqueur can also be sipped straight or used in place of Benedictine.

While the hibiscus liqueur is part of Greenbriar Distillery's standard lineup, they also have a jasmine variety that seems to be more of a seasonal or occasional offering. Fruitlab Jasmine Liqueur is something that was first created a dozen years ago in response to demand from bartenders, and Greenbriar's distillers said it took some doing to retain that sweet, delicate jasmine flavor while making the liqueur robust enough to hold its own in cocktails. In addition to jasmine blossoms, this liqueur also incorporates green and black teas as well as a little citrus flavoring, but the overall taste sensation is floral through and through.

As to how to use the Fruitlab Jasmine Liqueur, it mixes well with gin, adding a sweet and flowery note that softens some of that spirit's harsher qualities. The jasmine flavor also works well in rum drinks and can be a delightful addition to a wine spritzer or glass of sparkling wine.

Cardinal Spirits is a Bloomington, Indiana, craft distiller known not only for its liquors (whiskey, vodka, rum, gin, brandy, amaro, and a blackberry-flavored bramble), but for canned cocktails and even hand sanitizer. And yes, they do offer a small selection of liqueurs. Songbird Flora is perhaps the standout in this last-named category, a spirit with a flavor the distillers say is meant to evoke "what hummingbirds taste when they drink nectar from flowers." Okay, so hummingbirds aren't technically songbirds per se due to their having less-than-robust vocal cords, but it's a nice thought nonetheless. The floral blend used to flavor the liqueur includes jasmine, elderflower, and hibiscus, these being blended with raspberry and sweetened with agave..

As Songbird Flora is both fruity and floral, but not overwhelmingly so, it can be used in a variety of different ways. Cardinal Spirits suggests mixing it in an Old Fashioned (a Midwestern-style brandy one, of course), using it in a spritzer, spiking a cup of chamomile tea, or even baking it into macarons if your pâtisserie skills are sufficient to tackle this tricky treat.

Tattersall Distilling also makes a floral blend liqueur, but theirs, at least, does not share a name with any of the fairy godmothers in Disney's Sleeping Beauty as they call it Crème de Fleur (making it a character in the Potter-verse, instead). Crème de Fleur is, however, also made in the Midwest –- Minneapolis, in this case. Okay, we are hereby crowning this region the official homeland of floral liqueurs. Of all the flower-blend liqueurs, Crème de Fleur has the most bountiful blooms as it includes seven different types of flowers plus additional botanicals. We're not sure which ones, though, as Tattersall does not mention them by name.

It may not actually matter that we don't know the flowers in this boozy bouquet. As one Distiller review noted, "It's difficult to pick out any single floral aroma or flavor, which is what sets this floral liqueur apart from its ilk." We think this is meant in a good way as they awarded it a score of 91 overall. As this drink is less sweet than many of its fellow florals, it's suitable for sipping on its own. It also works well in gin drinks like the G&T, Tom Collins, gin fizz, gimlet, and French 75 and can be added to a sangria or mixed with ginger beer to make a flowery mule.