Lillet, Rose & Grapefruit Cocktail

It’s really hot right now. Next to a glass of freezing water, this cold, refreshing cocktail is the next best thing to cool you down. Lillet is something I admittedly bought because the bottle is pretty, but as it turns out, it is delicious and traditionally served “très frais” over ice as an apéritif wine. It also happens to perfume cocktails in a lovely fashion.

Lillet, Rose & Grapefruit Cocktail

• 2 oz. grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed

• 1 1/2 oz. Lillet, chilled

• 1 oz. Gin

• 1 oz. rose simple syrup*

• Splash of club soda

• Sprigs of fresh thyme

In a cocktail shaker, add ice and then the first four ingredients. Shake well. Pour into a chilled glass over ice and add a splash of club soda. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge and some sprigs of thyme to infuse the drink with a little earthiness. Serve with a straw.

*To make the rose simple syrup, combine 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup of water, bring to a boil and let cool. Add 1 teaspoon of rose water extract and store in a sealed glass container in the refrigerator.