Sub Rosa Saffron vodka is quite intense by itself. We recommend you mix it with fresh fruit juice or purée to soften the spices and higher alcohol content. The toasted cumin and lemony coriander lends an exotic side to dozens of drinks plus it makes a killer Bloody Mary. The floral notes of St. Germain's Elderflower Liqueur goes quite well with our Saffron vodka as does Lillet Blanc vermouth. Below are cocktail recipes created by bartenders and mixologists. We also feature cocktail recipes with minimal ingredients you might actually have in your home bar.
Spellbinder
2 oz. Sub Rosa Saffron vodka
1/2 oz. sweet red vermouth
1/2 oz. green Chartreuse
2 dashes orange bitters
Stir over ice and strain into a chilled "V" cocktail glass. Garnish with a long twist of orange peel. This cocktail is a riff on the Tipperary, which is made with Irish Whisky.
Ginger Snap
1 1/2 oz. Sub Rosa Saffron vodka
1/4 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (just a pinch)
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1 oz. orange juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup
Shake vigorously in a shaker filled with ice. Pour over crushed ice in a short glass. Garnish with a sprig of fresh Cilantro. Very gingery and on the tart side, but quite nice. "Spanking" the cilantro garnish between your palms releases some great aromatics for this cocktail.
Bollywood Hills
2 oz. Saffron vodka
1/2 oz. orgeat syrup
1/2 to 3/4 oz. lime juice
5 or 6 dashes of St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram (a barspoon)
Shaken in a mixing tin with crushed ice. Strain through a fine strainer. Serve straight up in a martini glass. Garnish with pickled mango slices or simply a lime peel. Dosa restaurant – San Francisco, CA
Sunrise Salutation
1 1/2 oz. Saffron vodka
1/2 oz. Galliano
1/4 oz. simple syrup
1/8 oz. or less rose water
3/4 oz. fresh orange juice
1/4 oz. lemon juice
[optional, but striking] Nasturtium petals to garnish
Fill a shaker with ice. Add all of the ingredients (except the garnish). Give it a good shake and pour into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with the nasturtium petals. Jacqueline Patterson - Orson in San Francisco
Saffron Tea
1 1/2 oz. Saffron vodka
2 oz. green tea
1/2 oz. Strega
3/4 oz. limoncello
1/2 oz. honey
Shaken, strained over ice in a Collins glass
Chris Hannah from Arnaud’s French 75 bar - New Orleans
Kashmir
2 oz. Sub Rosa Saffron vodka
3 oz. Apricot nectar
3 grinds Black pepper
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
1/2 oz. simple syrup; ginger syrup or Domaine Canton ginger liqueur
Chill over ice, shake vigorously, serve up. Alternatively, build and serve on the rocks. We've also used a curry / sugar rim with this cocktail before. Lance Mayhew - Portland, Oregon
Third Eye
1 1/2 oz. Sub Rosa Saffron vodka
1 oz. Lillet Blanc vermouth
splash of Yellow Chartreuse
dash or two of Orange Bitters
Build over rocks and stir. Or combine in mixing glass, stir and strain. Garnish with a twist of orange peel. Driftwood Room – Portland, Oregon
Elixir of Life
2 oz. Sub Rosa Saffron vodka
3/4 oz. Benedictine
3/4 oz. Yellow Chartreuse
Shaken, strained in chilled V cocktail glass
Chris Hannah from Arnaud’s French 75 bar - New Orleans
Bharat Mary
2 oz. Sub Rosa Saffron vodka
3 dashes Worcestershire
1 da1 dash Peychaud's bitters
3 dashes hot sauce (or more)
Tomato juice (to fill) [Lance specified tomato water or celery juice if you have time to make it]
Celery salt (to taste)
Make a 'short' Bloody Mary in a small Rocks or Old Fashion glass. Garnish with Indian pickled carrots and peppers. Minus the horseradish.
Adapted from Lance Mayhew - Portland, Oregon
Golden Orb [Saffron Cosmopolitan]
2 oz. Sub Rosa Saffron vodka
1 oz. Cointreau [or some other high quality orange liqueur]
1/2 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice or less, to taste for balance
2 dashes to 2 oz. juice [orange or mango juice]
Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with cracked ice. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and garnish with a long twist of lime. Sub Rosa Spirits
Moscow Mule
Add 2 oz Sub Rosa Saffron vodka
Squeeze at least half a lime over the vodka (it should be about 1 ounce lime juice) and drop the spent hull into the mug.
Add 4 oz. or more of ginger beer over with ice.
This is our Moscow Mule variant. Garnish with lime wedge or sprig of mint. Your regular grocery store ginger ale such as Schweppes or Canada Dry are too sweet and not very gingery at all. You need a 'ginger beer' made for mixing like Stewart's or Cock 'n Bull. Garnish with a Kaffir lime leaf if you like.
