Lavender syrup is a flavored simple syrup made by infusing culinary lavender blossoms into a sugar-water mixture, imparting a floral, slightly herbal note. Used in cocktails, it complements spirits such as gin, vodka, and champagne, and features in drinks like lavender gimlets and lavender lemonades.
Commercially bottled lavender syrups, produced by brands such as Torani and Monin, offer standardized consistency and longer shelf life due to added preservatives.
Homemade lavender syrup is typically prepared by steeping dried or fresh lavender buds in hot simple syrup, with a shelf life of 1–2 weeks under refrigeration.
Both versions are used in mixology, but homemade syrup allows for customization of strength and sweetness, though it is more perishable and requires careful straining to avoid cloudiness or bitterness.