Cocktails with Lavender bitters
Lavender bitters are cocktail bitters built around lavender, added a dash at a time as a concentrated floral-aromatic accent.
ABV44%That is high in the bottle, but negligible in the drink, since bitters are used only in dashes.
How it's used
A dash or two adds lavender scent and a light bitterness; the aim is aroma, not a drink that tastes of flowers. It suits gin, vodka, tequila and light rum. Too many dashes and the lavender takes over.
Substitutes for Lavender bitters
A single barspoon replaces two dashes. It brings the right scent and mild sweetness, but lacks bitterness. To make it, bring 150 g of sugar and 180 ml of water to a boil and take it off the heat. Stir in two tablespoons of dried English lavender, steep 15 minutes and strain.
Aromatic bitters and violet liqueur
Use an Angostura-style bitters dash for dash to get spice and bitterness. Add a drop or two of crème de violette for a floral touch, but adding more makes everything overly perfumed.
Nothing
You can simply leave it out. The drink stays mostly the same, losing only that faint floral hint.
Storage
Floral aromas fade faster than anything else in a bitters, and lavender faster than most. A bottle opened a year ago will still be bitter but no longer clearly lavender.
