6 Summertime Herbal Cocktail Recipes
Ahhhhh summer! Nothing classes up a brunch or evening apertivo as much as fragrance and a cocktail. Jazzing up a cocktail by using florals, fruits, and herbs will appeal to almost anyone. Whether an as an actual cocktail or a non-alcoholic "mocktail," these recipes are a feast for all the senses!
Pairing a fanciful herbal cocktail with the scent of Una Biologicals Essential Oils is a sure-fire way of transporting you and your guests (if you're willing to share!). In general, we recommend using a diffuser to impart to the room or area an aura of herbal pleasure. Some people will use certain essential oils to flavor food and/or drink, however we urge caution. Safely ingesting certain essential oils is wrought with caveats and debate, as they are extremely concentrated.
A fact sheet from the FDA about ingesting essential oils includes many that we at Una Biologicals sell including bergamot, lemon, peppermint, sweet orange, rosemary, clary sage, pink grapefruit, and lavender essential oils. However, the whole purpose of distilling the aromatic components of these plants is to capture their smell. The power of aroma to affect our mind, our spiritual life, and our physical health is very potent and ingesting them is not recommended without guidance from a trained herbalist.
Lavender is famous for its calming and relaxing vibe. Lavender’s clean, floral aroma is the perfect way to add a touch of spring or summer to your cocktail. Although it’s usually paired with gin, it can also work surprisingly well with just about every other type of liquor! With a little preparation beforehand, this cocktail itself is quick and easy to make at the time of your dreamy summer meal. If you don't have time (or forget) to make lemon infused vodka, lemon juice will work too.
Lavender Simple Syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoons of dried lavender flowers
- ⅔ cup of raw honey
- 1 cup of water
- Bring all three ingredients to a boil over a medium heat.
- Remove from the heat and leave it to steep for approximately 30 minutes.
- Strain
Lemon Infused Vodka
- Three lemons, quartered
- Two cups of unflavored vodka
- Add together in a quart jar
- Seal the jar and place in a cool, dark location for one week or more
For Two Cocktails
- 4 tbsp lemon juice (6 if using plain vodka)
- 2 tbsp lavender simple syrup
- ice cubes
- Combine in a cocktail shaker and shake well for 30 seconds.
- Strain into cocktail glasses and serve
Pair with Una Biologicals Lavender Essential Oil.
Lavender essential oil is definitely one of the most popular natural essential oils. And for good reasons! Lavender’s fresh, herbaceous, and floral aroma will wrap you in warm, dappled sunlight. Your Heart Qi loves lavender for its calming properties, bringing a sense of balance and peace. Lavender essential oil also balances and connects all 7 chakras. Use it with a diffuser to set the mood for this floral treat!
Lavender and tequila are a match made in heaven! Tequila has unique earthy, citrusy, and herbal notes that work so well with this clean-tasting herb. The classic Margarita is little more than tequila, fresh lime juice, and triple sec. Add a splash of lavender simple syrup and you have a bright, citrusy tequila cocktail that’s great for celebrating those early days of spring.
Ingredients
- 2 oz tequila or mezcal
- 1 oz lime juice
- 3/4 oz triple sec, such as Cointreau
- 1/2 oz lavender simple syrup (as mentioned above)
Preparation
- Combine ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker
- Shake for 30 seconds, serve
- Or blend all ingredients in a sturdy blender for the frozen variety.
Pair with Una Biologicals Lemongrass and Lavender Room Spray
Of course, our lavender essential oil will pair well with this cocktail as well. However, our Lemongrass and Lavender Room Spray will give your senses an extra zing. Lemongrass essential oil is a popular addition to aromatherapy, mindfulness, and yoga practices. It helps us to destress and get tranquil!
Drained from a hectic schedule or just ready for the weekend? Like our Sweet Orange Essential Oil which breathes new life into a stressful day with a bounty of citrus notes, this "Oh My Darlin'" cocktail takes the stress out of your day with a simple recipe and premium flavor. High-quality gin, clementine orange juice and a generous splash of seltzer make this cocktail just the thing after a stressful day at the office.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar (for making simple syrup)
- 1 cup water
- 1 ½ ounces high-quality gin
- 4 ounces clementine orange juice (from about 3 to 5 clementines)
- Generous splash of seltzer
- Edible marigold flowers for garnish
- (Orange blossoms are even better if you can find them!)
Preparation
- In a shaker, combine the gin and orange juice with 1 teaspoon simple syrup. (Remaining syrup can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.)
- Shake well
- Add to a tumbler with crushed ice.
- Top with a splash of seltzer, add a marigold or orange blossom, and serve.
Pair with Una Biologicals Sweet Orange Essential Oil
Sweet orange essential oil provides a warm, sweet, and uplifting energy. It can help alleviate feelings of frustration while putting on a smile on your face. It stimulates your solar plexus chakra so you can get back to conquering the world! Let your Qi relax, unwind, and re-focus to an optimistic mindset. Diffuse a few drops of oil and relax with this sunshine-laden cocktail. This guilty pleasure is for you!
This gorgeous and refreshing Ginger Rose Fizz has a beautiful spicy and floral flavor profile.
This is a really fun, colorful, and refreshing drink that’s perfect for serving guests at a party or for any celebratory moment in your life. And it’s the perfect valentine’s day drink too of course. You can make it into a rose cocktail with the mere addition of vodka (or gin), or it can also be served as a non alcoholic gourmet sparkling drink. Some research suggests that certain compounds in roses may play a role in reducing anxiety and promoting relaxation, so plan ahead and buy some edible rose petals from your local farmer's market!
Vanilla Rose Syrup
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 ¾ cup rose water (not rose water extract)
- Pinch salt
- 2 tsp Madagascar bourbon vanilla or a good vanilla extract
- Pink coloring for a deeper pink color
- 2 - 3 dried hibiscus petals or a few raw pieces of beet
- Place the white sugar, 1 ½ cups rose water, and salt in a saucepan.
- Stir to combine and allow the sugar to dissolve over medium heat.
- Simmer for 5 - 7 minutes.
- Add the remaining ¼ cup of rose water to the warm syrup and stir it in.
- Add the vanilla, stir.
- Add the hibiscus flower petals or pieces of beetroot and let them steep until the syrup gets a pink color.
- Let the syrup cool down and store in jars or bottles in a dark, cool place.
Ingredients
- 2 fl oz vanilla rose syrup
- 1 fl oz freshly squeezed lemon juice strained
- 1 fl oz fresh ginger juice
- Club soda to top
- Edible flowers and ice to serve
- Alcohol of your choice
- Grenadine (optional)
Preparation
- Place ice in a serving glass.
- Pour the rose syrup, lemon juice, and ginger juice over the ice.
- Add a shot of vodka or gin.
- Top up with cold club soda.
- Serve with edible flowers (optional).
Pair with Una Biologicals Rose Perfume
Wearing our rose perfume is like wearing a walk through a summer garden with hints of sun kissed leaves and sweet rose petals float off of you. Our rose perfume combines the purest Bulgarian rose oil with rosewood to create a scent that is light, floral with a hint of green. If serving this cocktail with a brunch or late summer meal, roll a hint of our perfume on the napkins prior to setting the table. Your guests will get a fresh whiff of rose each time they use theirs!
This bergamot gin fizz is a riff on the traditional gin fizz, replacing lemon or lime with the wonderfully floral and tart bergamot citrus. The bergamot orange is a fragrant citrus fruit the size of an orange. It has a yellowish- green color similar to a lime, depending on its ripeness. Genetic research into the ancestral origins of present citrus varieties found that the bergamot orange is probably a hybrid of lemon and bitter orange. If you've ever had Earl Grey Tea, you've been introduced to bergamot.
Fresh squeezed juice is of course preferable if you can find bergamot fruit at your fruit stand or farmer's market. If not, bottled bergamot juice will suffice. When made into a quick bergamot syrup, it’s a wonderful accompaniment to the herb-y gin. It’s bright, delicious, and has just the right amount of zing!
Bergamot syrup
- 1/2 cup bergamot juice; freshly squeezed if available
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Combine and heat in a small sauce pan over until the sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
Ingredients
- 3 shots of gin
- 2 oz. bergamot syrup
- 3/4 oz. bergamot juice
- 2 egg whites
- 4 ounces soda water
- 2 thin slices of bergamot for garnish
For Two Cocktails
- Combine the gin, 2oz. bergamot syrup and egg whites in a cocktail shaker (don't put the ice in yet!)
- Shake for about 30 seconds.
- Add about a cup of ice and shake again for 30 seconds.
- Strain into high ball glasses with a few ice cubes
- Top each drink off with 2 oz. soda water and a slice of bergamot, if available
Pair with Una Biologicals Bergamot Essential Oil or Lavender Bergamot Room Spray
Using bergamot essential oil can be refreshing, uplifting, and relaxing. Feel your Qi smooth and balance when you diffuse a little bergamot essential oil, take a deep breath, and a smile. Or use our room spray to uplift and relax with the bright warm notes of bergamot essential oil and lavender essential oil. Bergamot essential oil balances your Qi while lavender soothes your soul and takes the edge off a long day. Use as body, room, or pillow spray to bring more smiles to your day.
As an alternative to coffee or when you're sitting around the campfire, this is a guaranteed hit. This drink has just a hint of earthiness and spice which feel a little bit special. In folk medicine, rosemary has been used for centuries to cure headaches, insomnia, emotional upset, and physical fatigue. Add a shot of bourbon and now we're tawkin'!
Ingredients
- 4 oz. (3 shots) bourbon
- 8 oz. water
- 2 tablespoons mild honey
- 1 ball stem ginger crushed lightly (or a 2 inch bit of fresh ginger, peeled, and chopped)
- Large sprigs of rosemary
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- Sliced lemon for garnish
For Two Cocktails
- Combine the lemon and honey in a small bowl, mix thoroughly
- In a small saucepan, heat the water, a sprig of rosemary, ginger, and the lemon/honey mixture over medium/low until the mixture begins to simmer.
- Reduce temperature to low and let the flavors steep for about 5 minutes.
- Add the bourbon, mix.
- Pour into two mugs
- Add rosemary and lemon slice to the mugs for garnish
Pair with Una Biologicals Rosemary Essential Oil.
Rosemary essential oil brings all the Qi to the yard from one magical herb. Use rosemary to inspire “lusty, lively, joyful, and young” energy! Rosemary’s strong, fresh, and earthy scent moves your Qi to the center, balancing your heart and mind. You are rosemary’s first priority! Diffuse the room with a few drops of oil, or drop a couple drops on a hot rock near the campfire. If this is a romantic evening, take that heady feeling to a warm bath and pamper each other with a rosemary mint salt scrub.
All Una Biologicals products are Gluten Free, Vegetarian friendly, and many are Vegan. We never test on animals. Please visit our website for more information about our wide variety of products. And if you enjoyed this blog, please free to share it on any of your social media!