For the Lotus Box I have taken some liberties with a classic cocktail known as the “Seelbach”.  The Seelbach cocktail hearkens back to the Pre-Prohibition era 1900’s and was created at the grand old hotel in Louisville, Kentucky that bears its name.  It’s a celebration of fine Kentucky bourbon which includes the boozy combination of bourbon, orange curacao, and two types of bitters – Angostura and Peychaud’s.  The curacao, an orange liqueur, adds a bit of sweetness.  To modify this for our purposes, I substituted the curacao for a “flower” derived liqueur – bear with me here.  I’m not aware of any “lotus” liqueur, although there may very well be some out in the world.  In lieu of lotus, I used a hibiscus flower liqueur.  There are a number of these available, but I like one called “Hum” which is rum based and includes other flavors and lime.  The orange liqueur is replaced with Hum, but we keep some fresh orange to balance it all out, and get the “Lotusbach” cocktail.  I warned you to bear with me, didn’t I? Now you will have to humor me as well.  I raise my Lotusbach to toast the Lotus Box, a magical, beautiful work of art.  Cheers!

The Lotusbach

The Lotusbach:

2 oz bourbon

½ oz Hum (or other hibiscus liqueur)

One fourth of an orange

2 dashes Angostura bitters

1-2 oz champagne

Muddle the orange in a mixing glass until its juicy.  Add the other ingredients and mix with ice to chill.  Strain into a favorite glass, top with champagne and garnish with an orange peel.

Why not take these for a spin?