Botanical Cocktails Almost Too Pretty to Drink

By Jennifer M. Wood, CNTraveler.com

As the Royal Horticultural Society prepares for its annual onslaught of 150,000-plus visitors to the Chelsea Flower Show, which kicks off on May 20th, mixologists at the nearby Metropolitan by COMO, London’s Met Bar are paying tribute to the time-honored English institution in their own boozy way. Met Bar patrons can order from a brand-new menu of botanical cocktails that are almost too pretty to drink. (We said almost.) The drinks were created in collaboration with Chase Distillery, a family-run producer of gin and vodka located just north of London. The menu plays up its floral elements in both flavor and aesthetics to breathtaking—and delicious—effect.

The Mint Tulip—a mix of Chase Sloe gin, Drambuie, and mint served over crushed ice and garnished with fresh tulips—is a beautiful twist on a classic cocktail. (Yes, that is a cocktail, not something you’d let wilt on your desk—we promise.)

To create the Honey Blossom, Chase Vodka and orange blossom-flavored water are stirred together with homemade sage-honey syrup, then served straight up with a touch of Fino Sherry.

The Herb Garden, served in a hanging flower basket, is a cocktail built for two; Chase vodka and elderflower liqueur are shaken (not stirred) with fresh basil, mint, thyme, and Chartreuse.

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There’s an earthiness to the Chasing Nettles, a mix of Chase Oak vodka, nettle cordial, and Americano Cocchi that’s served straight up with a whiskey wash for a smooth finish.

Homemade lavender syrup and dandelion and burdock bitters form the flavor foundation of the Sonic Bloom, which is topped off with a sparkling English wine.

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY METROPOLITAN BY COMO, LONDON

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