Late summer in the Pacific Northwest is a season you can taste. Lavender blooms, blackberries burst with flavor and herbs spill out of backyard gardens, begging to be stirred, shaken and poured over ice.
Many of the ingredients for these drinks might be right at your fingertips, clipped from your own garden, plucked with a neighbor’s blessing, or picked up at the local farmers’ market. If you’re feeling adventurous, a little foraging might even turn up wild herbs or backyard roses just begging to become fragrant rose water.
These four cocktails celebrate those bright and fragrant, fleeting flavors. From a soft lavender fizz to a cherry leaf–infused cream soda, each drink is a reminder that the best way to toast the season is with what’s grown close to home.
Pour one, sip slowly and let the season last a little longer.
Lavender Gin Fizz
Recipe by Brixeur Spirits
A floral, sparkling refresher that showcases Opal Rain lavender, a variety prized for its soft, culinary-friendly character. Its pale pink buds bring both beauty and an unmistakable summer fragrance.
INGREDIENTS
1½ ounces Brixeur Willamette Valley Gin
1½ ounces Pashey Blanc de Blanc
¼ ounce lavender simple syrup (recipe below)
Lemon twist and lavender sprig, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Combine gin and lavender syrup in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until chilled. Strain into a flute or coupe glass. Top with sparkling wine. Garnish with a lemon twist and a sprig of lavender.
Lavender Simple Syrup
Heat 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar and flowers from 10 lavender sprigs to a boil. Stir until sugar dissolves, strain into a bottle, and store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Rosy Cheeks
Recipe by Brixeur Spirits
Delicate and romantic, this pretty pink cocktail layers vodka with homemade rose water and sparkling rosé, creating a drink that’s floral without being fussy.
INGREDIENTS
2 ounces Brixeur Vodka
2 ounces pink lemonade
1 ounce Pashey Brut Rosé
2 drops rose water (recipe below)
Dried rose petals, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Stir vodka, pink lemonade and rose water in a mixing glass filled with ice until chilled. Strain into a flute or coupe glass. Top with sparkling rosé. Garnish with dried rose petals.
Rose Water
Combine 1 cup water and 1 cup vodka in a glass jar. Add 50 grams of dried and fresh rose petals. Infuse for 2 to 4 hours, then strain.
Lightning in a Bottle
Recipe by 82 Acres Pdx
An inventive, boozy twist on Italian cream soda, this drink is built around cherry leaf–infused cream, lending an almond-like aroma that pairs beautifully with dark rum and sparkling rosé.
INGREDIENTS
½ ounce Cruzan Black Strap Rum
½ ounce Tempus Fugit Crème de Noyaux
½ ounce Giffard Crème de Cacao White
1 ounce cherry leaf–infused cream (recipe below)
2 ounces Abbey Road Farm Sparkling Rosé
Whipped cherry leaf cream and Rainier cherry, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
In a shaker tin two-thirds full with ice, shake rum, crème de noyaux, crème de cacao and cherry leaf cream. Strain over crushed ice into a Collins glass and top with sparkling rosé. Garnish with whipped cherry leaf cream and a Rainier cherry.
Cherry Leaf Cream
Lightly bruise fresh cherry leaves. Submerge in heavy cream and refrigerate for 24 hours. Strain and store chilled.
Sol y Vino Sangria
Recipe by 82 Acres Pdx
A herbaceous spin on classic sangria, infused with rosemary, thyme and mint for a drink that’s as garden-fresh as it is deeply layered.
INGREDIENTS
10 sprigs each: rosemary, thyme, mint (bruised)
2 lemons, sliced
2 limes, sliced
2 oranges, sliced
12 ounces Laird’s Bonded Apple Brandy
2 ounces Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
2 ounces sweet vermouth
2 750-milliliter bottles Abbey Road Farm dry red wine
Simple syrup, to tasteFresh herb sprigs and citrus wheels, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
In a large container, combine citrus, bruised herbs, brandy, curaçao and vermouth. Submerge solids and infuse 24 to 48 hours. Strain into a pitcher, pressing gently to extract flavor. Add red wine and stir. Pour 4 ounces over ice, sweeten to taste with simple syrup. Garnish with citrus wheels and fresh herbs.
