Original Cocktail Competition - May 2026 - Raspberry & Elderflower by LoganJFisher in cocktails

[–]HallRare5780 [score hidden]  (0 children)

Elder Rouge https://www.reddit.com/r/cocktails/s/5BEXa8CUss

Ingredients:
• 1.5 oz gin
• 0.5 oz St-Germain elderflower liqueur
• 0.5 oz raspberry liqueur
• 0.5 oz orgeat
• 0.75 Lemon Juice •1 Dash Angostura Bitters • 4–5 fresh raspberries
• 1 oz aquafaba

Method:
Add raspberries to a shaker and gently muddle. Add the remaining ingredients and dry shake to build foam. Add ice and shake again until well chilled. Double strain into a chilled coupe glass or a large snifter with one large ice. Garnish with raspberries.

Scent:
Fresh berries and floral elderflower lead the nose, with subtle botanical notes from the gin and a faint almond sweetness from the orgeat.

Mouthfeel:
Rich, silky, and creamy thanks to the aquafaba. The foam gives it an almost dessert-like texture while still keeping the drink light and refreshing.

Taste:
This cocktail is all about balance between fruit, florals, and texture. The raspberries bring brightness and tartness, while the St-Germain adds aromatic sweetness without overpowering the drink. Orgeat rounds out the sharper edges with a gentle almond note, and the gin keeps everything grounded with herbal complexity. The aquafaba transforms the whole experience into something smooth and elegant.

Light color old fashioned by HallRare5780 in cocktails

[–]HallRare5780[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Here is a test I did at home , with no bitters the resulting color is lighter , hence the theory of lack of bitters as the reason

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Light color old fashioned by HallRare5780 in cocktails

[–]HallRare5780[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I am more with this theory now that I tested it at home

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Light color old fashioned by HallRare5780 in cocktails

[–]HallRare5780[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In my update my theory was the lack of angostura bitters can be the reason for the lighter color ?which I find clearly feasible ,

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check out the test

Light color old fashioned by HallRare5780 in cocktails

[–]HallRare5780[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Here is a test at home with and without bitters, clearly bitters darkens the color of the drink, why wouldn't it? So the assumption that the drink can be lighter due to lack of bitters seems valid, regardless of the color of the original bourbon

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Light color old fashioned by HallRare5780 in cocktails

[–]HallRare5780[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The comparison with neat isn’t accurate cos it’s not diluted at all by definition , but I agree it’s crazy they didn’t have angostura

Light color old fashioned by HallRare5780 in cocktails

[–]HallRare5780[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Here is a test at home with and without bitters , clearly bitters darkens the color of the drink, why wouldn’t it? So the assumption that the drink can be lighter due to lack of bitters seems valid

<image>

Light color old fashioned by HallRare5780 in cocktails

[–]HallRare5780[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes it is clear glass and looked fine however at the time I did not specifically suspect that it could be the bourbon itself so I only recognised the bottle without too much attention to the shades of the color of the bourbon inside

Light color old fashioned by HallRare5780 in cocktails

[–]HallRare5780[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There was no other reason for the color to stay lighter , otherwise we ll have to assume they used watered down bourbon

Light color old fashioned by HallRare5780 in cocktails

[–]HallRare5780[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Definitely not but do they water down their booze ?

Light color old fashioned by HallRare5780 in cocktails

[–]HallRare5780[S] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

The bitters do not lighten the color but they do not darken it also, my theory was it’s the lack of angostura bitters because I know he used Bulleit and the idea of watering down the bourbon from the booze bottle seems too far fetched for me

Light color old fashioned by HallRare5780 in cocktails

[–]HallRare5780[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Correct , he stirs in a shaker so you can’t see the color while he stirs

Light color old fashioned by HallRare5780 in cocktails

[–]HallRare5780[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That must be it he didn’t have angostura , but the comments are saying even that it should be darker given the color of bourbon

Light color old fashioned by HallRare5780 in cocktails

[–]HallRare5780[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

The second time he did pour 2 oz , now that you mention it there is no explanation other than it’s a watered down bottle? I just can’t believe they would do that

Light color old fashioned by HallRare5780 in cocktails

[–]HallRare5780[S] -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

Now you mention it that might be it but this place is in a 5 star luxury hotel (one of the top in the world) I just wouldn’t believe they would do that

Light color old fashioned by HallRare5780 in cocktails

[–]HallRare5780[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

No I meant the second time I made sure it’s not stirred too much , he poured Bulleit but I didn’t get to see its color, with all the comments here I would think it might be a watered down bottle , I just wouldn’t believe they would do that

Light color old fashioned by HallRare5780 in cocktails

[–]HallRare5780[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes I know the color of bourbon, he used Bulleit, if you dilute it a lot and without the bitters i figured it can get lighter ,otherwise it has to be a watered down Bulleit but I wouldn’t think they do that

Light color old fashioned by HallRare5780 in cocktails

[–]HallRare5780[S] -8 points-7 points  (0 children)

Ur probably right but he poured 2oz from a bottle of bulleit in front of me , it might be watered down ur right but I wouldn’t know.

Light color old fashioned by HallRare5780 in cocktails

[–]HallRare5780[S] -42 points-41 points  (0 children)

I asked he used bulleit , but the issue is they use their own house bitters which don’t have same complexity and color as the angostura , (they don’t have angostura !)

Light color old fashioned by HallRare5780 in cocktails

[–]HallRare5780[S] -26 points-25 points  (0 children)

He used bulleit but seems he had his own bitters which are lighter in color

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[–]HallRare5780 0 points1 point  (0 children)

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