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Lavender Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe

Lavender Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe
Lavender syrup is what brings in that floral note. With just a few steps and some basic ingredients, it’s totally doable to make a smooth, aromatic Lavender Old Fashioned at home.
John
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Serving Size 1

Equipment

  • Mixing glass: Good for combining everything together.
  • Bar spoon: Makes stirring way easier.
  • Jigger: For measuring the whiskey and syrup without guessing.
  • Strainer: To get the drink into the glass, minus the ice.
  • Rocks glass: The classic vessel for this cocktail.
  • Peeler: I use it to get a nice strip of orange or lemon.
  • Fine mesh strainer (optional): Sometimes handy for catching bits from the peel or ice.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey
  • 1/4 oz lavender simple syrup
  • 2 dashes Angostura bitters
  • 1 dash orange bitters optional for extra flavor
  • Ice cubes—enough for the glass and for stirring
  • Orange or lemon peel for garnish
  • Edible lavender sprig for garnish optional

Instructions

  • Pour whiskey, lavender syrup, and bitters into a mixing glass.
  • Add a bunch of ice.
  • Stir for about 20 seconds, just until it’s nicely chilled.
  • Strain into a rocks glass over a big ice cube (or a few smaller ones if that’s what you have).
  • Garnish with a twist of orange or lemon peel. Hold it over the glass, give it a quick squeeze to release the oils, and drop it in.
  • If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll add an edible lavender sprig on top.

Notes

I always taste my lavender syrup first—sometimes it’s strong, so I might use a bit less than 1/4 ounce. The orange bitters add a subtle citrus thing that works well with lavender, but you can skip them if you want.
For garnishing, I make sure the lavender is actually safe to eat (culinary-grade). If I’m out of lavender syrup, I just whip up a quick batch at home—it only takes about 15 minutes. Hosting a group? Prepping the syrup and garnishes ahead makes things way smoother. I usually pick a whiskey I’d actually sip on its own, since that flavor really comes through.