I used to travel a lot, and perhaps one day I will again, and in every new town I would often seek out a cocktail bar.

Looking at the menu, I’d try to pick out something that matched my mood at the time and often something I had never had before. If it was really good, I’d ask the bartender for the recipe, which I would write down on whatever scrap of paper I happened to have handy.

Which is how I found this:

  • 1.50 ounces gin
  • 0.75 ounce elderflower liqueur
  • 1.00 ounce lime
  • 0.50 to 1.00 ounce simple syrup, to taste

Shake all ingredients over ice and strain into a coupe.

I wish I could credit the bartender who came up with this drink, as my google-fu has failed me in trying to find a similar recipe. It’s really good. Elderflower liqueur is a nice substitution for orange-flavored liqueurs (I had a bartender friend who used it in his margaritas). Andrea liked this one, even when I used the lower end portion of the simple syrup (she likes sweeter drinks).

Rating: 5/5 – When it gets warmer I plan to drink this a lot.

Notes: When a cocktail calls for gin but doesn’t specify a type, my go-to is always Broker’s. It’s a wonderful dry gin that works very well in most classic drinks.

For the elderflower liqueur I know I’m supposed to use St. Germain. However, when I bought this bottle of St. Elder I was strapped for cash and it was much cheaper. As I will probably use up the whole bottle making this drink, I’ll be sure to replace it with St. Germain and see if the cocktail gets even better.

Forgotten Cocktail #1