Oregon distillers aren’t just making great spirits—they’re sharing how to mix them. These spring-inspired cocktail recipes highlight seasonal ingredients like lilac, lavender and fresh herbs. Bright, floral, and garden-inspired, each cocktail is a nod to the season in every glass.
New Deal Distilling Strawberry Lilac Fizz
This simple strawberry fizz recipe is amplified by the fragrant aromas of spring’s fleeting lilacs. The enticing perfume of this seasonal shrub adds a floral and powdery element to any cocktail.
Makes 1 cocktail
INGREDIENTS
1½ ounces Portland Dry Gin 33
½ ounce Cocchi Americano
½ ounce fresh lemon juice
4 medium-sized strawberries, tops removed
soda water
GARNISH
Edible lilac and flower pedals
DIRECTIONS
In a shaker tin, muddle four medium strawberries with Gin 33, Cocchi and lemon juice. Shake hard to incorporate, then pour over fresh ice into a Collins glass. Top with soda water and garnish with a crown of edible lilac flowers and petals.
Wild Roots Lemon Lavender Collins
Bright, floral and visually striking, this Lemon Lavender Collins blends refreshing citrus with delicate botanicals and a colorful finish.
Makes 1 cocktail
INGREDIENTS
1 ½ oz Wild Roots Lemon & Lavender Gin
½ oz elderflower liqueur
¾ oz fresh lemon juice
½ oz simple syrup
2 oz brewed butterfly pea tea, chilled
2 oz club soda
GARNISH
Lemon wheel & edible flowers for garnish (baby’s breath)
DIRECTIONS
Shake gin, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice and simple syrup with ice. Strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice. Top with club soda and stir lightly. Slowly pour chilled butterfly pea tea over the drink to create a layered effect. Garnish with a lemon wheel and edible flowers for a vibrant, floral finish.
FREELAND SPRING GIN & TONIC
A seasonal twist on the classic G&T, this version layers in cherry blossom liqueur, toasted almond bitters and floral garnish.
Makes 1 cocktail
INGREDIENTS
1oz Freeland Gin
1oz Freeland Cherry Blossom Liqueur
4-5 Dash Toasted Almond Bitters
1 bar spoon Pink Peppercorns
Elderflower tonic
GARNISH
Lime twist and edible flowers for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Add all ingredients to a shaker tin filled with ice. Shake. Double Strain into copa glass and top off with elderflower tonic. Garnish with lime twist, edible flowers or a cherry blossom.
Branch Point Distillery Dream Out Loud
Bright, aromatic and silky-smooth, this cocktail layers wheat whiskey finished in Muscat casks with Lillet Blanc, peach liqueur and a touch of bitters.
Makes 1 cocktail
INGREDIENTS
2 oz Rare & Limited Oregon Wheat Whiskey – Muscat Cask Finished
1 oz Lillet Blanc
1/2 oz peach liqueur
2 dashes aromatic bitters
GARNISH
Lemon twist or a peach slice
DIRECTIONS
Fill a mixing glass with ice and add whiskey, Lillet Blanc, peach liqueur and aromatic bitters. Stir. Strain the mixture into a chilled Nick & Nora glass. Garnish with a lemon twist or a peach slice.
Stillwater Spirits American Grapefruit Fizz
Fresh grapefruit juice and muddled rosemary give this gin cocktail a crisp, herbal edge — finished with a splash of soda.
Makes 1 cocktail
INGREDIENTS
2 oz American Gin
3 oz fresh grapefruit juice
Grapefruit bitters
Fresh rosemary
Soda water
DIRECTIONS
Lightly muddle rosemary in the grapefruit juice in a shaker tin, then add ice and American gin. Add several drops of grapefruit bitters and stir gently. Pour into a Collins glass filled with fresh ice. Top with soda water and garnish with a rosemary twig.
