Rosehip Syrup Cocktail Recipe with Whisky, Rooibos and Thyme

This rosehip syrup cocktail brings together Scotch whisky, rooibos tea, lemon, honey, ginger and thyme, shaken into a coupe with a light layer of foam. I like the way fruity rosehip sits alongside the oak and vanilla notes of blended Scotch, with thyme adding an herbal finish. Rose Hip Thyme suits anyone who enjoys a whisky sour and likes making cocktails with homemade ingredients. Prepare the syrup and tea ahead, chill them, and the drink comes together with a dry shake followed by a shake with ice.

Rosehip Syrup Cocktail Recipe: Rose Hip Thyme

For one cocktail, the main proportions are 40 mL each of whisky, rosehip syrup and cooled rooibos-thyme tea, with 20 mL of lemon juice. Honey, a pinch of ginger and a small amount of pasteurized egg white complete the mix. Make the syrup and tea ahead so both are cold before shaking; the quantities below produce batches of those two ingredients, while the cocktail list makes one serving.

Ingredients

Rosehip syrup: batch preparation

• 4 cups fresh rosehips, washed and trimmed
• 4 cups water, approximately 960 mL
• 1 cup white sugar, approximately 200 g

Cup measurements here are US cups, with rounded metric equivalents where useful. Use correctly identified rosehips from a source suitable for food, avoiding fruit treated with garden chemicals. For a smaller batch, use 1 cup of rosehips, 1 cup of water and ¼ cup of sugar.

Rooibos-thyme tea: batch preparation

• 5 g loose-leaf rooibos tea
• 500 mL water
• ½ teaspoon dried culinary thyme

Use dried thyme sold for cooking and steep it with the rooibos. The batch makes enough tea for several cocktails; measure 40 mL of the chilled infusion for each drink.

For one Rose Hip Thyme cocktail

• 40 mL Chivas Regal 18 or another medium-bodied blended Scotch whisky
• 40 mL homemade rosehip syrup, chilled
• 40 mL rooibos-thyme tea, chilled
• 20 mL freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 5 g floral honey
• A small pinch of finely grated fresh ginger
• 10 mL pasteurized egg white, or 15 mL plain aquafaba for an egg-free version
• Ice, for shaking
• Finely grated lemon zest and a few fresh culinary thyme tips, for garnish

For an egg-free cocktail, use 15 mL of plain aquafaba in place of the egg white. To make the drink vegan, also replace the 5 g of honey with 5 g of maple syrup. If you prefer a cocktail without foam, omit both egg white and aquafaba.

Directions

1. Make and strain the rosehip syrup

Remove the stalks and dried flower ends from the washed rosehips, then roughly chop or crush the fruit. Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan, bring to a boil and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the rosehips, reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 1 hour.

Let the mixture cool enough to handle, then strain it through a double layer of fine muslin. Pass the liquid through a fresh double layer a second time, letting it drain without squeezing the pulp. Rosehips contain tiny irritating hairs, so a bare kitchen sieve is not enough. River Cottage’s rosehip syrup method also uses two rounds of muslin straining to remove them.

Transfer the strained syrup to clean, small containers and refrigerate promptly, within 2 hours of finishing cooking, at 40°F / 4°C or below. Let it chill completely before mixing the cocktail. Use refrigerated syrup within 3–4 days or freeze it promptly in small portions. Keep this homemade syrup in the refrigerator or freezer; pouring it hot into a bottle does not make it suitable for long-term storage.

2. Brew the rooibos-thyme tea

Pour 500 mL of freshly boiled water over the rooibos and dried thyme. Steep for 5–7 minutes, then strain out both ingredients. Cool promptly and refrigerate, using the tea on the day you brew it. Measure 40 mL of the chilled infusion for each cocktail.

3. Shake and serve the cocktail

1. Chill a coupe glass. Stir the honey into the measured rooibos-thyme tea until dissolved.
2. Add the whisky, rosehip syrup, honey-tea mixture, lemon juice, ginger and pasteurized egg white or aquafaba to a cocktail shaker.
3. Close the shaker securely and dry-shake without ice for about 15 seconds to combine the ingredients and build the foam.
4. Add ice and shake again for about 15 seconds, until the shaker is cold.
5. Fine-strain into the chilled coupe, garnish lightly with lemon zest and fresh thyme tips, and serve immediately.

Use pasteurized egg white labeled as suitable for uncooked use, and follow its storage instructions. Free-range labeling does not mean an egg has been pasteurized. The FDA recommends pasteurized eggs or egg products for egg-containing drinks that are served without cooking.

What Does Rose Hip Thyme Taste Like?

I get smooth oak and vanilla notes alongside fruity rosehip and herbal thyme. As the cocktail warms in my hand, the balance gradually shifts, giving the different flavors room to come through. It remains pleasant to the last sip, with the whisky and herbs keeping the fruit from taking over.

I use Chivas Regal 18, though another medium-bodied blended Scotch with oak and vanilla notes is also a suitable choice. For another whisky to pair with this drink, our Scottish Leader 25-year-old review looks at its flavor and character. Store-bought rosehip syrup can save preparation time; if it is sweeter than homemade syrup, start with less than the 40 mL specified here and adjust to taste. Check that it is made from rosehips, since rose-petal syrup brings a different flavor.

What I enjoy most about Rose Hip Thyme is the combination of fruit, whisky and herbs. Preparing the syrup takes most of the effort, leaving a straightforward shake once everything is cold. It suits an evening at home when making the drink is part of the pleasure.

Frequently Asked Questions About Rose Hip Thyme

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