What do you get when you combine a world-class bartender, a co-founder of the Melbourne Gin Company, a co-founder of Maidenii, and one of the city’s top graphic designers? You get one of Victoria’s best-loved liqueur brands in Marionette. You’ve been mixing their core range through your Negronis and highballs for a little while now, but the team recently saw fit to take the sweet nectar of elderflower and bottle that too.
In celebration of the new flavour, Marionette is hosting a pop-up on Johnston Street in Fitzroy until Sunday 23 February. Expect all manner of cleverly assembled icy drinks, such as blood plum, sake and shochu slushies; peaches-and-cream shaved ices; and blue Hawaiian ice pops. Here’s Marionette co-founder Lauren Bonkowski with the skinny on the new flavour.
Hi Lauren! What is elderflower and why do I need it in my drink?
Elderflower is a sweet little white or purple flower, which, just like roses, has many varieties all with different scent profiles: some destined for drinks, others poisonous. We’ve run around Victoria sourcing the most aromatic varieties for liqueur, and added some citrus blossom to the mix. On the nose, it unfolds with hints of orchard fruit and iced tea. The palate is a harmonious balance of floral and citrus with golden elderflower sweetness shining through. A honeyed apricot mid-palate and the crisp acidity of green grapes tie it all together, finishing clean and refreshing. It makes fresh, floral cocktails.
Honeyed apricot mid-palate, you say? How do I make a drink with it?
Elderflower Spritzes are super refreshing, easy to make, and taste like summer. Or, try an Elderflower Eastside with gin, lime, mint and cucumber, or maybe an Elderflower Sour, or an Elderflower Paloma with pink grapefruit and agave if you’re after something with more of a kick.
And how do you make it?
Jocelyn Cross of Petit Ingredient grows elderflowers that form the backbone of Marionette Elderflower. We also use purple elderflowers with an intensely aromatic profile, otherwise known as black lace, and we get those from Spurrell Foraging. Michael Edwards at Citrus Prime in the Yarra Ranges supplies the hand-picked citrus blossom. After rigorous testing of blossoms from oranges, limes, lemons, and mandarins, we settled on the perfect combination to bring balance and brightness to the liqueur. We blend all of that with a touch of wine infused with lemon peel, nectarines, and a little citrus blossom, and bottle. Easy peasy.
What excites you about this flavour?
Floral flavour profiles are not something we’ve done much with before, so we’re super excited about that. The small additions of wine and citrus blossom bring really interesting complexity to it too.
What are the perfect conditions to enjoy it?
Make yourself an Elderflower Spritz in a large glass with plenty of ice on a warm afternoon in a garden.
Where can I buy the hooch?
You can buy it at the Johnston Street pop-up until Sunday 23 February, or online at our website.
Marionette Liqueur Fruit and Flowers Pop-Up, 28 Johnston St, Fitzroy, until Sunday 23 February, marionette.com.au, @marionette