- Review: A Taste of the World, new cocktail menu at St James Bar - 18 May, 2023
- Review: bottomless brunch at Kings House, Chelsea – London - 27 April, 2023
- LGBT travel inspiration – 7 days in Florida Keys - 11 March, 2023
Resurfacing after some 200 years, Lanique is a pink spirit rivalling vodka and gin and originating in Prussia. The distinctive pink drink gets its hue from the rose petals it’s made from. Lanique used to be a drink of choice until the 1920s where it unfortunately vanished under the Second World War and the rise of Communism. Lanique is a relatively sweet spirit invoking Turkish Delight, and with a rose aroma this floral spirit offers a unique, mature flavour that must be tried.
With the help of Jersey entrepreneur, Lawrence Huggler, Lanique is beginning to make a revival. It’s now available at a handful of bars and restaurants across the UK (including Bohemia in Jersey).
Before we write any further, we need to pause to admit that here at Vada we are biassed towards a gin (Hendricks of course) and tonic. However, with the allure of such an exotic and pink drink, we couldn’t very well say no to trying a few cocktails.
So, gin and vodka safely stowed away, here are our top three Lanique-based cocktails, which we’ve tried and tested (several times each, for quality assurance purposes of course) that can be shaken up at home in no time.
Lanique and Lime
- -50 ml Lanique
- -20 ml fresh lime juice
- -crushed ice
- -quarter of a lime
Fill the tumbler with crushed ice, add the Lanique and lime juice, then stir. Finish with the quarter of lime.
Cosmique
- -25 ml Lanique
- -25 ml Cointreau or Grand Mariner
- -20 ml fresh lime juice
- -25 ml cranberry juice
- -5ml sugar syrup
Shake everything together with ice in a cocktail shaker. Double strain into a Coupe glass. For an extra aroma, garnish with pink grapefruit zest. An alternative is to replace the cranberry juice with pomegranate juice.
The Mexican Rose
- -25 ml Jose Cuervo Tradicional Tequila
- -25 ml Lanique
- -25 ml Cloudy apple juice
- -25 fresh lime juice
- -two fresh sage leaves
Shake everything together with ice in a cocktail shaker. Double strain into a coupe glass. The sage will add a savoury and slight peppery flavour to the cocktail. Garnish with a twist of lime zest or a sage leaf.
