Elderflower Champagne
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 18.1% ABV ∙
The Elderflower Champagne is a gin sour lengthened with Brut Champagne — gin, elderflower liqueur, and fresh lemon shaken, then topped with bubbles. Floral elderflower sweetness meets tart lemon and a crisp Champagne fizz, finishing dry and effervescent — a natural brunch or celebration pour.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake the first 3 ingredients with ice: London dry gin 30 mlElderflower liqueur 30 mlLemon juice 15 ml
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Top with Brut Champagne
- Garnish with a lemon twist
Tips
- Shake only the gin, elderflower liqueur, and lemon juice with ice; never shake the Champagne or it will lose its carbonation.
- Chill the Champagne bottle and flute beforehand, then top the shaken mix with the sparkling wine at the very end to preserve fine bubbles.
- Strain the shaken base into the flute using a fine mesh strainer to keep out ice shards, since the narrow glass shows any cloudiness.
- Express a lemon twist over the surface to release its oils, then rest it on the rim rather than dropping it in, keeping the flute's neck clear.
History
The Elderflower Champagne Cocktail, made with gin, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, and Champagne, is a modern variation on the classic Champagne Cocktail and the gin-and-Champagne family of drinks such as the French 75. The specific combination is credited to a recipe created in February 2021 by Dr John Davies in Newbury, England, and has since been documented and popularized through online cocktail guides. It is essentially an Elderflower Collins built with sparkling wine in place of soda water, using elderflower liqueur to add a floral sweetness alongside the citrus and juniper base.
