Directions
The Sorrento cocktail is a hymn to the Amalfi coast, it is a classic aperitif cocktail, light and refreshing and you can drink it as an all-day cocktail, thanks to the very low alcohol content.
The ingredients of the Sorrento cocktail are hibiscus flowers, vanilla, mint, limoncello, soda and a dash of grappa to reinforce the structure: nothing difficult, but its aromatic and floral charge is really inviting and will inspire you to drink a couple without hesitation.
The cocktail is very simple to make, but as the only precaution, you will have to prepare the syrup with the hibiscus flowers in advance. Don’t worry, it is a very common ingredient, you can find dried flowers in herbal medicine or even at the supermarket, as it is used to make karkadè.
If you want you can also use hibiscus flowers to flavor grappa, but be careful not to leave them too infused, otherwise they give off a sour taste, difficult to balance. Much better to prepare the syrup, easier to dose and less aggressive as an ingredient.
Ingredients and doses for making the Sorrento cocktail
- 3 cl of Grappa
- 1 cl of limoncello
- soda, optional
- 1 cl of lemon juice
- 1 cl of hibiscus flower syrup
- 2 mint leaves
- 2 drops of vanilla extract
How to make the Sorrento cocktail
Squeeze the lemon juice and strain it.
Put the Grappa and limoncello in a shaker full of ice.
Add the lemon juice, mint, vanilla and hibiscus flower syrup and stir for 15 seconds.
Pour into a cup and if you want a more playful and graceful cocktail to add a dash of soda. If you want to add a sour touch, wet the rim of the cup with a slice of lemon and dip it in salt, then shake to remove the excess salt.
How to make hibiscus flower syrup
Soak the flowers in warm water for 5 minutes.
Melt 500 grams of sugar and 500 grams of water in a saucepan, stir and when it starts to simmer turn off the stove. Throw in the slightly squeezed hibiscus flowers and leave to infuse for 4 hours in a sealed container.
Strain the syrup and bottle it, use it within 3 days at the most and keep it in the fridge.
Other great cocktails to try as an aperitif
Negroni, Mojito, Moscow Mule, Gin & Tonic, Dark and Stormy, Daiquiri, Margarita, Spritz, Hugo, Old Fashioned, Manhattan.
