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 minutesminutes
Total Time 5 minutesminutes
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
2ozbourbon or rye whiskey
1/4ozlavender simple syrup
2dashes Angostura bitters
1dash orange bittersoptional for extra flavor
Ice cubes—enough for the glass and for stirring
Orange or lemon peel for garnish
Edible lavender sprig for garnishoptional
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.