Christine Cooney of Heavenly Spirits Invites You on a Parisian Spring Cocktail Fling

As warm Spring weather quickly approaches, we can’t think of a better way to celebrate than by taking a trip to the city that always blossoms with romance—Paris!

Can’t fit that into your schedule? Whipping up some French inspired Spring cocktails might be the next-best thing. We asked Christine Cooney, co-founder of Heavenly Spirits Imports about the topic of French inspired Spring cocktails and here is what she had to say.

Hi Christine, as the leading importer of Artisanal French spirits to the United States, we imagine you often hear about cocktails that Heavenly products have inspired. With that in mind, what elements would you say we should be looking for in a classic “Spring” cocktail?

While I am not a bartender, I think color should be a factor used to indicate Spring. Bright pinks, sunny orange, or tender greens come to mind. As far as taste, I’m thinking rhubarb, or bright fruit such as strawberries, or vegetal notes like fresh thyme twigs might be something to consider.

Is there any Springtime bouquet or aroma that you would recommend?

Of course, anything that hints of Springtime flower blooms such as acacia or violet, or new green growth like fennel, baby radishes, or pea shoots would be totally appropriate in my opinion.

What types of spirits do you think would be best to create the brightest and most refreshing springtime drinks?

That’s a good question. I would imagine you’d want to stay lighter in the ABV department, letting the fruit and flowers do the talking.  Perhaps basing a cocktail on a citrus-centric French gin, one of our blanche Armagnacs, or a light French whisky, complemented by one of our amazing fruit liqueurs like the pamplemousse, or one of our vermouths would get you where you want to be.

All those components sound delightful. Do you have your own favorite cocktail to enjoy on a sunny Spring day?

Yes, I do, my current favorite is called The Perfect Pear, but I have a few other cocktails to recommend for a Spring cocktail Fling as well. We recently collected these recipes from some of our favorite bartenders.

Cognac, Liqueur

The Perfect Pear

Ingredients

• 2 oz. Noces Royales Poire Williams & Cognac Liqueur
• ¾ oz. Lemon juice
• ½ oz. Orange juice
• ½ oz. Simple syrup

Preparation

1. Combine in a shaker with ice and shake until well chilled.
2. Dip chilled coupe glass rim in sugar.
3. Strain into sugar-rimmed chilled coupe glass.

Cognac, Liqueur

Jaguar Shark

by Gina Richards, Select Oyster Bar, Boston

Ingredients

• 1 oz. Delord Armagnac XO
• 1 oz. Yuzu Curacao
• 3/4 oz. Lemon Juice
• 1 Bsp Rich Syrup
• 1 Amarona Cherry

Preparation

1. Add liquid ingredients and ice to a mixing tin and shake vigorously.
2. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
3. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with the Armarona cherry.

Gin, Rosé Wine

La Boheme

by La Voile Restaurant, Boston

Ingredients

• 1 oz Yu Gin
• 1 oz cranberry juice
• 1 oz Lillet Rose
• Cranberry bitters

Preparation

1. Shake and strain into Martini glass.
2. Garnish with a strawberry.

Cognac, Liqueur

B-Pink

Ingredients

• 1 ½oz. Dartigalongue Un-Oaked Blanche Armagnac
• 1 ½oz. Jules Theuriet Pamplemousse Liqueur
• Soda Water

Preparation

1. Pour Dartigalongue Un-Oaked Blanche Armagnac and Jules Theuriet Pamplemousse Liqueur into a highball glass over ice.
2. Top with Soda Water.
3. Garnish with grapefruit wheel.

Whiskey

Jam Sour

Ingredients

• 2 oz.  French Whisky
• ¾ oz. lemon juice
• ¼ oz. simple syrup
• 2 tsp. Jam or marmalade
• Dash of orange bitters

Preparation

1. Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice.
2. Shake until well chilled and the jam/marmalade dissolves.
3. Double strain over ice into rocks glass.
4. Garnish with an orange twist.