While you wait for the harsh and fierce winter winds to pass, take advantage of the season’s greenery. A couple weeks ago we introduced five recipes with winter citrus—that colorful bounty that arrives in the depth of winter like a care package from spring. This week it’s all about the aromatics. From sage to thyme to rosemary to juniper, winter’s hearty herbs are built to be mixed into booze.
Keep it simple with a Rosemary Gin & Tonic, a winterized take on the classic highball that calls for the iconic herb and a kick of grapefruit; or add that rosemary to a low-ABV winter aperitivo, the For Remembrance, a mix of Gran Classico, Lillet Rosé, bianco vermouth, grapefruit and rosemary. Another woody stem, thyme, gets added to OTB’s The Ruffian, an all-American mix of brown spirits, lemon and absinthe.
At NYC’s Lafayette, sage takes center stage in the Saisonnière, a winterized take on the classic sour with vodka, sage, pear liqueur and citrus, while LA’s A.O.C. uses the herb in its White Bull, the classic Blood and Sand re-imagined as a shandy.
So bundle up, and put an herb on it.