Lavender and rosemary are two herbs that are fantastic together, especially in drinks. They are the featured flavors of the vanilla rose cocktail, a sort of herbal vodka martini that's even more luscious with the velvety undertone of fresh vanilla bean.
This cocktail recipe is a DIY lover's delight because two of its main ingredients will be very difficult (if not impossible) to find at any store. You will need to make rosemary-infused vodka and lavender-infused simple syrup. They're both very easy and an absolute joy to use in mixed drinks like this.
Chop a half of a vanilla bean into small pieces width-wise and place them into a mixing glass.
Add the lavender syrup and muddle, crushing the vanilla bean.
Fill the glass with ice, and add the vodka and vermouth.
Fine strain and serve the drink either up in a cocktail glass or on the rocks in an old-fashioned glass.
Garnish with a lemon twist or wedge.
Rosemary-infused vodka is very easy to make, though you will need to plan ahead. The infusion should take between three and five days for the flavor to fully develop. To make it, add one sprig of rosemary to a 750ml bottle of vodka in an infusion jar with a tight seal. Shake it and store the jar in a cool, dark place. Start checking the flavor on the second day and strain out the rosemary once it reaches your desired taste, then rebottle. It can be stored like any other liquor.
You'll find it best to use a premium vodka for the infusion.
Lavender simple syrup is even simpler. Dissolve 2 cups of sugar into 1 cup of boiling water, reduce to a simmer, adding 3 tablespoons of lavender flowers. After 15 minutes, remove it from the heat and let the syrup cool and steep for 1 hour before straining out the lavender and bottling the syrup.
Vanilla beans are not inexpensive, so using half a bean will save a little money. If you strain the pieces out into a fine-mesh strainer, you can use them again to mix another vanilla rose. After the third muddle, you will begin to lose the vanilla flavor, so don't recycle them too much.
Though it's not quite the same fresh taste you'll get from a vanilla bean, in a pinch you can add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract to this cocktail as a substitute. Don't add too much or it will overpower the drink. The extract can also be stirred into the lavender syrup while it's simmering.
The other vanilla option is to either add a vanilla bean (split lengthwise) to the rosemary infusion or make that herbal infusion with a commercially produced vanilla vodka. It's a popular flavor that's available from many great brands, including Cîroc, Grey Goose, and Svedka.
How Strong Is a Vanilla Rose?
Like most vodka martinis, the vanilla rose is not a light drink. On average, its alcohol content will fall into the 24 percent ABV (48 proof) range, which is about the same as a cosmopolitan.