Recipes
Celebrate Citrus Season with Our Favourite Fruity Cocktails!
Enjoy the zest of life with these vibrant sips!
One of the cornerstones of mixology, citrus has always been some of our favourite produce to play with in cocktails. After all, it perfectly elevates the top notes in our gins’ botanical recipes! That’s why we’re going to show you some sips that put the beauty of winter citrus in the spotlight.
Jump to the categories ahead!
1. Lemons 🍋
It doesn’t get more classic than the tried-and-true lemon, and it’s a bartender’s staple for good reason! The well-rounded acidity and subtle sweetness make it lend itself to many recipes, pairing well with virtually any ingredient for infinite versatility. An expressed twist of lemon is often welcome as a finishing touch for added aroma. Whether you’re mixing up a cocktail with a brighter and fresher palate or one that’s more robust with richer flavours, the lemon can do it all!
Lemon Spritz
The bright burst of lemon in this spritz is sure to invigorate the senses!
Ingredients
- 1 oz Empress 1908 Cucumber Lemon Gin
- 1 oz Limoncello
- ½ oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- Dry Sparkling Wine, to top
- Soda Water, to top
- Lemon Slice, for garnish
In a copa glass filled with ice, add gin, limoncello, and lemon juice and top with sparkling wine and a splash of soda water. Give a quick stir to combine and garnish with lemon slice.
2. Limes 💚
Whenever you’re looking for an extra zip and zing to your sip, you can’t ignore the lime. Another staple for any mixologist, limes especially shine with their sharper, more bracing acid content; providing a more crisp tasting experience. It’s also fantastic when combined with sweeter ingredients such as what you often find in tiki cocktails for even better balance!
Lime Refresher
Featuring a touch of lime to accent our Indigo Gin, the elegance of this cocktail is effortless and delicious!
INGREDIENTS
- 2 oz Empress 1908 Indigo Gin
- ½ oz Fresh Lime Juice
- ½ oz Elderflower Liqueur
- 6 Mint Leaves, plus more for garnish
- Elderflower Soda or Tonic, to top
METHOD
Shake the gin, lime juice, elderflower liqueur and mint leaves on ice. Strain into a chilled red wine glass. Top with elderflower soda or tonic and garnish with a lime wheel or mint spring.
3. Oranges 🍊
Oranges always make a drink more fun, but they can be surprisingly tricky to work with. Especially when compared to lemons and limes, oranges lack the tartness needed to stand up to other ingredients in a cocktail. That being said, when used properly, it’s like sunshine in a glass! The juiciness and vibrant aromatics really sing when supported by a more acidic component.
Orange You Glad
Akin to an orange creamsicle for adults, the tasty whimsy is too delightful!
INGREDIENTS
- 2 oz Empress 1908 Indigo Gin
- 1 oz Orange Juice
- ½ oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- ½ oz Vanilla Syrup
- Soda Water, to top
- Orange Slice, for garnish
METHOD
Shake the orange juice, lemon juice, and vanilla syrup on ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass with fresh ice. Layer the Empress 1908 Indigo Gin on top. Garnish with an orange slice. Stir before sipping!
4. Mandarin Oranges 🧡
Coming off oranges, there are many different varieties to experiment with, but mandarins are especially a fabulous pick! You may be used to snacking on these as is, but their juice also makes for a great addition to a cocktail with a notably sweeter flavour than your typical oranges.
Daisy Mandarin Spritz
Make the most of the season’s bounty of mandarin oranges with a batch of @carneliancooks‘ spritz! Serves 6-8.
INGREDIENTS
- 12 oz Empress 1908 Elderflower Rose Gin
- 8 oz Fresh Daisy Mandarin Juice
- 4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- 4 oz Rose Simple Syrup*
- Prosecco, to top
- Mandarin Slices, for garnish
METHOD
In a large pitcher, add all ingredients and gently stir to combine. Add 1-2 cups of ice 20 minutes prior to serving for dilution. Pour chilled mixture into a large glass filled with ice. Only fill the glass halfway. Top with prosecco and garnish with mandarin orange slices.
*To make rose simple syrup, combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Stir the mixture over medium heat until the sugar is fully dissolved. Once dissolved, add 1-2 tbsp dried rose petals to the saucepan and let them simmer for about 2-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain and let cool.
5. Grapefruit ✨
By now, you probably know how much we love grapefruit – its slight bitterness adds incredible dimension that’s unlike any other type of citrus. The juice in particular is also great for lengthening a drink since it’s still tangy, but not as assertive as lemons and limes. Check out our article on our favourite ways to use grapefruit in our sippable creations!
Grapefruit Gimlet
Light and beautiful, the delicate sweetness and botanicals blend seamlessly the burst of grapefruit in this sip by @evakosmasflores.
Ingredients
- 2 oz Empress 1908 Elderflower Rose Gin
- 1 oz Fresh Grapefruit Juice
- 1 oz Grapefruit Simple Syrup*
- 1 oz Sparkling Mineral Water
- Rosemary Sprig & Grapefruit Slice, for garnish
Method
Combine Empress 1908 Elderflower Rose Gin, grapefruit juice, and grapefruit syrup in a large mixing glass and stir on ice. Evenly distribute between two coupe glasses, top with sparkling water, garnish with a rosemary sprig, and enjoy!
*To make the syrup, combine ½ cup sugar, and ½ cup water in a small pot over medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add 3 tbsp of fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, and stir to combine. Take off heat, and allow to cool before using. Store in a jar, and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
6. Blood Oranges ❤️
If you’ve never had this delectable fruit before, now’s the time to change that! A little more tart than regular oranges and with a berry-like note, this varietal is a great way to switch things up when you’re feeling inspired with your cocktails. The rich crimson hue especially makes for a stunning garnish!
Blood Orange Sour
Try it out in this silky and vibrant sour by @emilylaurae!
Ingredients
- 2 oz Empress 1908 Indigo Gin
- 1 oz Blood Orange Juice
- 1 oz Clementine Juice
- 1 oz Honey Syrup
- Egg White
- Blood Orange Slice, for garnish
Method
Add ingredients into a shaker and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Add ice, and shake again. Strain into your serving glass and top with a thin blood orange slice that sits on top of the frothy top with a cocktail pick. Enjoy!
7. All the Citrus! 🤩
Why pick one when you can have them all? While all these fruits have similar tangy and fresh characteristics, they’re quite diverse in certain flavour notes that make them fun to mix and match. For instance, think about the bitterness of grapefruit and how you may want to elevate the acidity and introduce a bit of sweetness by adding other types of citrus.
Triple Citrus Cobbler
Indulge in this medley of citrus by @amandagryphon for a wonderfully refreshing treat!
Ingredients
- 1 oz Empress 1908 Indigo Gin
- ¾ oz Simple Syrup
- 1 slice Grapefruit, plus more for garnish
- 2 slices Blood Orange, plus more for garnish
- 1 slice Meyer Lemon, plus more for garnish
- Powdered Sugar (optional)
Method
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and muddle the grapefruit, blood orange and Meyer lemon slices well. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass over crushed ice. Garnish with extra citrus wheels and a dusting of powdered sugar (optional).
Whether you’re using the juice for a bright burst of flavour or the peel for invigorating aromatics, the possibilities of incorporating these beautiful fruits into your cocktails are endless! We hope we’ve given you some delicious drinkspo for you to add to your mix list as we approach the end of citrus season.
For more cocktail inspiration, be sure to check out our Instagram, Cocktail Page, or Blog!
Sip responsibly!
