Looking for a truly gincredble cocktail to serve during your next night out on the patio? You’ve found it. This Lilac and Lychee Gin Rickey is the perfect combination of fruity, fresh and fragrant.

The star of the show is fresh lilac – so go ahead and whip out your garden sheers! In addition to being beautiful, either out in the garden or on display in a vase, lilac blossoms are edible. Today we’re using them as a show-stopping garnish, as well as boiling them up with some sugar water and blueberries to make a divine lilac-infused simple syrup.

I was also excited to try out a new Alberta-made spirit: Flourish Gin by Eau Claire Distillery. It’s light and sweet with floral, fruity aromas – making it the perfect addition to fun cocktails like this or on it’s own with some tonic and a squeeze of lime.

Here’s the recipe:

Lilac and Lychee Gin Rickey

Yields 1 drink

You’ll Need:

• 1 ounce gin (we used Flourish Gin by Eau Claire Distillery)
• 0.5 ounces lychee liqueur (we used Soho)
• 1.5 ounces cranberry juice
• 0.25 ounces fresh-squeezed lime juice
• Dash of lilac-infused simple syrup (recipe below)
• Soda water, to top
• Fresh lilac petals, to garnish
• Ice

Directions:

Combine gin, lychee liqueur, cranberry juice, lime juice and lilac-infused simple syrup in a cocktail tin. Stir and pour into a cocktail glass filled with ice. For a layered look, top slowly with soda water. Garnish with lilac petals, ogle at its beauty, then stir gently and enjoy!

Lilac-infused Simple Syrup

You’ll Need:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup lilac blossoms
• 4 blueberries (for colour)

Directions:

Remove stems and leaves from lilac blossoms. If you don’t, they can make your syrup bitter. Gently rinse blossoms in a fine mesh strainer and reserve. Boil equal parts sugar and water in a medium saucepan until the sugar fully dissolves, then add lilac blossoms and blueberries. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Pour mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove all the solids. Allow syrup to cool to room temperature than seal in a jar or bottle. Syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to one month.

Happy sipping! And be sure to give me a tag on Instagram if you make this!

Xo Holly (@chandeliers.and.champagne) and Alex (@alexandtribe)

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