Elderflower Collins recipe
A refreshing and floral twist on the classic gin collins featuring elderflower liqueur.
Method: Shake and strain ·
Glass: Chilled highball glass ·
Time: 4 min ·
Difficulty: Beginner ·
Family: The Highball Family
Ingredients
- 50 ml London dry gin (Botanical-forward preferred)
- 20 ml Elderflower liqueur (Such as St-Germain)
- 5 ml Maraschino liqueur (Such as Luxardo)
- 25 ml Fresh lemon juice (Freshly squeezed)
- 10 ml Sugar syrup (1:1 ratio)
- 60 ml Soda water (Chilled, to top)
How to make a Elderflower Collins
- Add the gin, elderflower liqueur, maraschino liqueur, lemon juice, and sugar syrup into a shaker with ice.
- Shake vigorously for ten to fifteen seconds until thoroughly chilled.
- Strain the mixture into an ice-filled highball glass.
- Top with chilled soda water and gently stir to combine.
Garnish
Garnish with a lemon wheel and a fresh mint sprig.
Pro tip
Add the soda water after straining the shaken base to maintain maximum effervescence in the glass. Stir gently from the bottom up just once to incorporate without flattening the bubbles.
History of the Elderflower Collins
The Collins family dates back to mid-nineteenth-century London and American drinking culture, traditionally built around gin, citrus, sugar, and carbonated water. While John Collins and Tom Collins feature in early cocktail folklore with competing origin claims rooted in mid-1800s waiters and punch recipes, modern variations emerged as bartenders sought to incorporate contemporary modifiers like elderflower liqueur. The Elderflower Collins adapts this classic tall refreshing structure by pairing traditional gin with floral elderflower and maraschino, bridging nineteenth-century highball heritage with modern craft cocktail innovation.
Flavour profile
Floral, Citrusy, Effervescent, Botanical
Variations
- Elderflower French 75 — Substitute the soda water with dry sparkling wine or Champagne.
- Cucumber Elderflower Collins — Muddle fresh cucumber ribbons in the shaker before adding the remaining ingredients.
Practise making the Elderflower Collins in the free Virtual Bar game.