French Blonde

Bright, fresh, and floral, the French Blonde consists of Lillet Blanc, freshly squeezed grapefruit juice, gin, elderflower liqueur, and lemon bitters.

With recent claims that the drink was Taylor Swift’s favorite cocktail, the French Blonde has suddenly found itself in the spotlight after emerging some time in the mid-aughts. Lillet Blanc, the sweet, floral French aperitif, made from fortified white Bordeaux grapes, takes center stage in this cocktail as the primary alcohol by volume, while London Dry gin takes a backseat with about half the amount. This makes the cocktail’s build resemble a sort of Reverse Martini template, with inverted proportions of gin to lower-alcohol aromatized wine, but then combined with citrus-forward elements like grapefruit and lemon bitters. 

The generous amount of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice not only helps to lengthen the drink and lower the overall alcohol content but also makes the French Blonde an ideal brunch cocktail. 

What makes the French Blonde work

Though this recipe only calls for an ounce of gin, the spirit’s higher abv and bold botanicals help to provide a sturdy backbone to an otherwise delicate concoction. 

The half-ounce of elderflower liqueur amplifies the floral qualities in the Lillet Blanc and lends a more intense sweetness that balances out the bright, tart flavors of the fresh grapefruit juice. 

Adding a few dashes of lemon or citrus bitters will increase the complexity of the drink and help to make this French Blonde extra zesty. Essentially, the botanicals that would have come from a heavier pour of gin were instead recreated here using a handful of lower-proof but highly flavorful ingredients.