Elderflower cocktails

Nature's cold remedy tastes even better with whiskey and champagne

These days, it seems you can’t pick up a cocktail menu without spotting the words “St. Germain” or “elderflower” in the ingredients. Since its debut in early 2007, St. Germain—an artisanal liqueur made from rare wild elderflower blossoms that grow in the foothills of the Alps—has made a splash in the spirits world, and mixologists praise its delicate citrusy notes and easy confluence with other spirits.

Fittingly, elderflower cocktails have slowly blossomed at bars around the city, and though the liqueur's floral qualities are usually associated with spring, its lesser-known medicinal properties make it perfect for combating fall flu come cold season (or so we like to tell ourselves). So we sampled 10 elderflower drinks in the best interests of your, uh, health. Can’t say we never did anything for you. —Cristina Velocci

Pictured: Pegu Club's La Fleur de Paradis