Elder Fashioned Royale
Death & Co’s Modern Classic Cocktails book is one of the most influential cocktail books on my shelf. With a propensity to make great cocktails, I love taking a pass through it to get new ideas and find new recipes to try. Looking for something floral for the summer, I stumbled upon their Elder Fashioned Royale. With a similar make up to a French 75, the Elder Fashioned Royale uses a gin base, but picks up St. Germain and Orange Bitters to add a floral twist. The result is a slightly sweet, yet delicious sparkling cocktail that’s good for any time of year.
- 1 1/2 oz Gin – Plymouth or Old Tom
- 1/2 oz St. Germain
- Dash Orange Bitters
- Dry Champagne or Sparkling Cava
- Lemon Twist
Combine Gin, St. Germain, and Orange Bitters in a mixing glass. Add ice, stir, and strain into a champagne glass. Top with Dry Champagne and a lemon twist.
Elder Fashioned Royale Drink Notes
The Elder Fashioned Royale is Death & Co’s drinks, but below are some notes I’ve observed in making it:
- Gin – Plymouth Gin is called out by Death & Co, but I’ve found Old Tom works well too.
- St. Germain – Affectionately known as ‘Bartenders Ketchup’, this elderflower liqueuer is versitale enough that you will find something to put it in.
- Dry Champagne – While Dry Champagne is called out, there’s no reason you couldn’t use a good sparkling Cava. I recommend Anna Codorníu or Segura Viudas.
- Garnish – A grapefruit twist is called out, but if you don’t have one laying around, you could use a lemon. Not quite the same, but it works.