Guides
Showstopping Garnishes to Elevate Your Cocktails!
Create the most stunning final touch to your next sippable masterpiece!
We eat and drink with our eyes first. Of course, the most important part of a cocktail is how delicious it tastes, but first impressions and visual appeal can greatly impact its perception! Garnishes are the perfect opportunity to create a multisensory experience by introducing aromatic, textural, and aesthetic complexity. Read on to explore three options that will splendidly accent your crafted tipple!
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1. Edible Ribbons
Let’s start off with something that’s simple to make, but bound to amaze. If you have some longer, fresh produce and a peeler, you’re already off to the races. All you need to do here is peel off part of the outer layer of your fruit or vegetable and then peel a strip from the inner layer. Try using it lined in your glass, rolled up, or pierced with a cocktail pick! It’s a great way to add visual dimension to your drink.
Our favourites are the tried-and-true cucumber and rhubarb for their fresh flavours and vibrant details. Get creative with the shapes you make when decorating with your ribbon!
2. Maximalist Rim
We’re no strangers to a rimmed cocktail— whether it’s sugar with a sidecar or salt for margaritas— to enhance the flavour experience. Lately we’ve been loving going all out with the rims of our cocktails for and extra-delicious panache!
Try this formula to start: first, look at the ingredients in your cocktail and take an element from each to reintroduce in another form on your rim. If the drink features citrus juice, use grated zest! If there’s a floral component, stick on some dried buds. A spiced syrup? Mix in the ground aromatic with some sugar. To take up another notch, you can also look at what’s adhering the solids to the glass. Consider upgrading the typical brushing of citrus juice to a flavoured syrup, or, if you’re feeling indulgent and it fits the overall profile, frosting is one of our faves! The possibilities are endless.
3. Flavoured Oil Drops
Pretty, aromatic, and yummy – need we say more? Flavoured oils add a wonderfully unique addition to the classics by incorporating key tasting notes to your cocktail. With how well the fat will carry flavour, you only need drops at a time to experience its beauty!
Because of the oil’s nuance, you can get particularly experimental here. One can never go wrong with herb-infused oil, but you can even steep fruit, citrus peels, spices, and anything else your heart desires!
@jfdesfosses elevates one of our favourite summertime classics with a mint oil in his Southside 2.0!
Ingredients
- 200 ml mint-washed Empress 1908 Indigo Gin
- 3½ gr Citric Acid
- 2 gr Malic Acid
- 45 ml Fino Sherry
- 30 ml Elderflower Liqueur
- 180 ml Filtered Water
Method
Add all ingredients to an empty Empress 1908 Gin bottle and store in the fridge. When ready to serve, pour 4 oz in a cocktail coupe and garnish with mint oil*. Enjoy!
*To make the mint oil, start by blanching a large bunch of mint by submerging in boiling water for about 15 seconds then transferring to an ice bath for one minute. Squeeze out the water and pat dry. Pick out the leaves and for 75 g of mint leaves, add 120 g of neutral-tasting oil. Blend on high for one minute. Weigh 15 g of lime zest and add to the mixture. Blend for five seconds. Strain out the mixture through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth. Seal in a container and keep refrigerated.
One of our favourite parts about cocktails is how much personality you’re able to inject into your creation. With the right garnish, it can turn from “just a drink” to an artistic masterpiece. After all, the experience starts before you take your first sip, so why not wow yourself and your guests by topping your cocktail with the adornment it deserves?
For more cocktail inspiration, check out our Instagram, Cocktail Page, or Blog!
Sip responsibly!
