Best Recipes for Using Herb Simple Syrups in Cocktails

So, I’ve spent the last two weeks developing, testing, and enjoying (and sometimes not enjoying) cocktails using herb simple syrups. And now, I’m here to post my favorites.

What took me so long?

This: I would never recommend a cocktail recipe that I did not completely finish. You have to drink the whole thing, because some concoctions I came up with tasted good at the first sip or two, but after a few more sips, they were either boring or overpowering, lacking that fascinating appeal that makes you keep coming back.

This is why, when I was a restaurant reviewer, I often said (usually among friends): Most craft cocktails drive me to drink … something else. I suspected some bartenders and mixologists of coming up with alluring-at-first-sip cocktail concoctions that were fun at first, but I often had to wonder, how often did they actually sit down and savor the drink over time, and truly finish it? And more importantly, how often do they crave it enough to order or make it again for themselves?

So, I will spare you my misfires, and give you only my tip-top three cocktails using herb simple syrups. These are cocktails that have truly made it into my drinks rotation.

1. My Favorite Herb Mocktail: Sage-Citrus Spritzer

To be perfectly honest, my favorite way to use herb simple syrups was in a very simple mocktail with a little sage syrup, a squeeze or two of citrus, a few small sage leaves, ice, and sparkling water. Topo Chico is a pleasant choice—it has a nice mineraly flavor to it (vaguely salty, to be specific, but not, by any means, too salty).

These days, I’m a lightweight. I cannot drink more than one alcoholic beverage per evening, But after I’ve finished that cocktail, a glass of sparkling water just doesn’t cut it! It’s too thin. I want something with a little body and intrigue, and body and intrigue are exactly what herb simple syrups can add to a mocktail.

So, after I’ve had, say, a Lemony-Peach Margarita, the next round can be a satisfyingly complex sage-citrus spritzer.

Sage-Citrus Spritzer

For each drink:
1/2 to 1 ounce Sage Simple Syrup
1/2 to 1 ounce fresh lemon or lime juice (I prefer lime)
Ice
Sparkling water
Fresh sage leaves, bruised a bit*

Combine the Sage Simple Syrup and the citrus juice in a rocks glass. Fill with ice; top with sparkling water. Add sage leaves and stir to combine.

* Bruising sage leaves will help release some extra fragrance: Place the sage leaves in the palm of one hand and give it a good, hard slap with the fingers of the other hand.

2. Blackberry-Sage Whiskey Sour: A Great Summer Drink
with Bourbon Whiskey

As I developed these cocktails, I realized: Wait a minute! I’ve been down this road before. Indeed, I wrote a story on French herb cocktails for Country Gardens Magazine a while back. In it, was a lovely Blackberry-Sage Fizz, with Cognac, blackberries, sage, and Prosecco. While I loved the combo of sage and blackberrries, I decided to update the recipe, axing the Prosecco (didn’t need that much more booze!) and adding some some lemon into the mix for extra zip and balance.

Here’s the updated recipe, which I think is absolutely dynamite for its combo of depth, brightness, peppery sage, and summery raspberries.

Blackberry-Sage Whiskey Sour Cocktail

Sage and blackberries are a winning combination—the peppery herb balances the sweetness of the berries.

For each cocktail:
6          large blackberries
1.5       ounces Bourbon whiskey
¾         ounce lemon juice
¾         ounce Sage Simple Syrup
Sage and blackberries, for garnish

 Muddle blackberries in a cocktail shaker. Add whiskey, lemon juice and sage syrup. Shake over ice. Strain into rocks glass. Fill with ice. Garnish with sage leaf and blackberries.

Raspberry-Mint Fizz (a lightly alcoholic cocktail)

And now, friends, my two recent cocktail passions combined: You know how I’ve been loving Mathilde Fruit Liqueurs from France, right? In this summery cocktail, I’ve combined the raspberry liqueur with mint simple syrup and lime sparkling water for a light, bright, thirst-quenching sip. It’s so easy, and so refreshing—a great option when you want a long, tall drink you can savor a while on a hot day.

Raspberry-Mint Fizz

For each cocktail:

6 large fresh mint leaves, plus a small sprig fresh mint
3/4 to 1 ounce ounce raspberry liqueur, such as Mathilde Framboise or crème de cassis
Ice
3/4 ounce Mint Simple Syrup
Lime sparkling water (such as Perrier Lime)

Place the mint leaves and sprig in the palm of one hand and give it a good, hard slap with the fingers of the other hand (this will release some fragrance). Set aside. Pour the liqueur into the bottom of a large glass. Fill the glass halfway with ice. Top with the six mint leaves. Add more ice to fill the glass. Pour in the mint syrup; top off with sparkling water. At this point, you can stir the drink, but for guests, I like presenting the drink with the raspberry liqueur on the bottom (as shown) and let guests stir it themselves. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Cheers, tout le monde!

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