Cocktail Botanica: 60+ Drinks Inspired by Nature, written by Elouise Anders, features a fun collection of cocktails and punches with a focus on herbs, fruit, and flowers. A few highlights include Garlic Vodka, Elderflower Martini, Lime Basil Smash, Pomegranate Moscow Mule, and Sparkling Melon Sangria. I will also be sharing her recipe for Mulled Wine following the review.
Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from Smith Street Books in exchange for my honest review. All comments and opinions are my own. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.
Consume alcoholic beverages at your own risk and liability. This recipe is intended only for those over the age of 21 (in the United States). Please drink responsibly.
Elouise Anders
Elouise Anders is a mixologist and writer currently based in Melbourne, Australia. She also consults with bars and restaurants in the city by curating their drink lists.
In addition to this book, Elouise is the author of Spritz Fever! and Drinks on the Lanai.
Cocktail Botanica
Elouise begins Cocktail Botanica with a short introduction and a few helpful tips to get started. She describes how to set up basic equipment for infusions, prepare the herbs and flowers, and even garnish the drinks.
Chapters are divided according to the following: Infusions, Floral, Herbaceous, Fruity, and Punches.
Instead of photographs, the cocktail recipes are paired with fun and vibrant illustrations by Annabelle Lambie. Every single recipe has a full page drawing of the finished drink.
Measurements are listed in Metric and US Customary. Titles are written in English. Each recipe is includes a short headnote with background information, serving size, and notes.
Mulled Wine
The Mulled Wine is the very last recipe in the book and perfect for the upcoming winter months. It is easy to prepare and so fragrant with the warming spices too!
Red wine is gently heated with orange, brandy, brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and star anise until the drink is infused with the desired level of spice.
Serve warm in a heat-proof mug or glass garnished with clove-studded orange slices.
Other Cocktails
I also prepared the Chocolate Vodka, Orange Blossom Screwdriver, Espresso Martini, and Matcha Lemonade.
There are so many fun infusion options and flavors in the first chapter. I started with the Chocolate Vodka. Vodka is infused with cacao nibs and dark chocolate for a couple of days before straining. I also love the variation of adding a split vanilla bean.
The Orange Blossom Screwdriver has only 3 ingredients! Orange juice and vodka are stirred with a splash of orange blossom water for a beautifully floral addition.
I made the Espresso Martini to use some of the chocolate vodka. The flavors were fantastic and come together in less than a minute. Simply shake the chocolate vodka with espresso, coffee liqueur, syrup, and an egg white (or aquafaba), then serve with coffee beans for garnish.
The Matcha Lemonade was such a refreshing drink. Matcha is shaken with vodka, lemon juice, and syrup, then topped off with soda water.
Cocktail Botanica is a great pick for those looking for fun cocktail recipes using herbs, flowers, fruit, and other inspiration from nature. There is a wide range of drinks for every season and the instructions are well-written. The cocktails generally come together in less than 5 minutes, though the infusions need to sit a couple of days to develop the flavors.
Most of the ingredients are available in larger grocery stores. A few items that may require further searching include cacao nibs, dried edible butterfly pea flowers, other edible flowers, lemongrass stalks, orange blossom water, pink peppercorns, and dragon fruit.
Mulled Wine Recipe
Excerpt from Cocktail Botanica
Mulled Wine
Ingredients
- 3 oranges
- 6 cloves plus more for garnish
- 1.5 liters (6 cups) red wine
- 60 milliliters (1/4 cup) brandy
- 115 grams (1/2 cup) brown sugar
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- 4 star anise
Instructions
- Cut one orange into slices then half-moon slices, then pierce each wedge with 2 cloves to garnish and set aside.
- Juice the two remaining oranges. Place the juice, wine, brandy, sugar, cinnamon sticks, 6 cloves, and star anise into a saucepan.
- Taking great care (use extreme caution when heating any alcohol as it is highly flammable), heat over medium heat until steaming, then reduce the heat to low and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- The wine will become more spiced the longer you cook it, so taste and remove from the heat once it's reached your desired level of spice.
- Serve in heatproof mugs or cups, with a clove-studded orange slice to garnish.
M Purdy
Mulled wine, very similar to Glühwein from Germany that you drink while strolling through the Christmas markets. Gives off a pleasant warming feeling after being outside in the winter.
Alison Saalbach Corey
Incredible!! A perfect drink to relax.