April Showers Bring May Flowers and Must-Try Cocktail Recipes!

As the days become longer, the sun shines brighter, and our moods start to improve. It’s time to celebrate, and there’s no better way than with a refreshing cocktail. Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue, throwing a dinner party, or just enjoying a night in, these spring-inspired cocktails are sure to bring some extra cheer to your gathering. From floral and fruity to light and tart, we have something for everyone. 

For a fruity twist on a classic: Peach Tree Old Fashioned

Ingredients

  • 2 oz Irish Whiskey
  • 1 oz Demerara sugar cube
  • 3 dashes of orange bitters
  • 2 medium-sized peach wedges

Instructions

  1. In a mixing glass, add sugar cube, 1 peach wedge, and orange bitters. Muddle. 
  2. Add in whiskey and ice, then stir.  
  3. Double strain into a rocks glass with ice.
  4. Garnish with the second peach wedge.

For spring flower essence: Hibiscus Margarita

Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz reposado tequila
  • .5 oz triple sec
  • 1 oz hibiscus simple syrup
  • .5 oz lime juice
  • Topo Chico
  • Lime wheel for garnish
  • Dried hibiscus flower for garnish

Instructions

  1. Combine tequila, triple sec, hibiscus simple syrup, and lime juice in a shaker with ice and shake. 
  2. Strain into a rocks glass over one large ice cube. 
  3. Top with Topo Chico and garnish with a dried hibiscus flower.

For a little bit of spring spice: Bijou

Ingredients

  • 2 oz tequila
  • .5 oz sweet vermouth
  • .5 oz yellow chartreuse
  • 1 dash of orange bitters
  • Flaming orange peel for garnish

Instructions

  1. Stir all ingredients with ice.
  2. Strain into a chilled glass and garnish with orange peel.

For something simple, sweet, and floral: Lychee Martini

Ingredients

  • 3 oz vodka
  • 2 oz lychee juice*
  • .5 oz vermouth
  • Lychee and orchid for garnish

Instructions

  1. Add the first 3 ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake for 5-10 seconds.
  2. Pour into a martini or coupe glass.
  3. Garnish with 2-3 lychees on a skewer.
  4. Add an orchid if desired for garnish.

*We might not have lychee juice at our outlets, but it is available locally.

For refreshing spring citrus: Grapefruit Mojito

Ingredients

  • 6 fresh mint leaves
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 tbsp simple syrup
  • 2 oz white rum
  • 3 oz grapefruit juice
  • 2 oz club soda
  • Grapefruit wedges for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle together mint leaves, lime juice, and simple syrup.
  2. Pour in the grapefruit juice and white rum.
  3. Fill with ice and shake. Strain over an ice-filled cocktail glass.
  4. Top with club soda (or sparkling water). Garnish with mint leaves and grapefruit wedge slices.

Find your favorite spirits and mixers here at New Hampshire Liquor & Wine Outlet to shake, stir, and sip your way into springtime.