Cardamom Blush Cocktail Recipe

As someone who is getting married this summer, I know all too well that the devil is in the details. What was initially deemed a simple post-ceremony reception is now a wildly choreographed journey for each wedding participant, guiding them through sight, sound and of course, spirit. A veritable tour-de-force of flowers, jazz and vintage decor will collide for that incredible moment, but it is not complete without the perfect craft cocktail to hold everything together. Meet the pretty-in-pink Cardamom Blush.

The exotic, floral drink begins with a traditional sour recipe: London dry gin, lemon juice and 1-to-1 simple syrup. The cocktail is enhanced by small amounts of three intense flavors: cardamom spice, rose water and Peychaud's bitters. Many would remember cardamom as something found in Indian dishes or Turkish coffee, but its sweet aroma lends itself well to the Lillet Rosé and as a compliment to the rose water. Providing a pinkish hue and tying all of the flavors together is the subtle anis-cranberry-based Peychaud's bitters, which is a crucial ingredient to balancing the sharpness of the citrus in this drink.

Though easy to make, this cocktail's success rests on the details, including being shaken strongly so as to aerate ingredients and enhance the flavor, being ice-cold and diluted to around 50% when strained and being presented in a chilled coupe with a proper garnish – be it lemon wedge, flower or something else – to show off its beauty around the room. Sure, other cocktails could do the trick, such as the East Side or Pimm's Cup, but with the Cardamom Blush's alluring and distinct flavor, it'll undoubtedly leave guests floored, possibly for more reasons than one.