Choosing the right garnish for a drink can be a tricky thing to navigate. Beyond aesthetics, garnishes have the power to transform our drinks and our senses. Sight, smell, taste even sound. They typically match and compliment key flavours, or contrast and balance them equally.

Here are some of our favourites to inspire you and the drinks you make at home. There are no rules as such, and much of this comes down to personal preference. So explore the flavours that suit you best - experimentation can often lead to wonderful surprises! 

Leaves

Rosemary
Rosemary offers a lovely scent with each sip, plus is a great stirring device. It works well with sweet, acidic flavours like citrus (Lemon, Lime & Orange), cranberry and tomato.

Bay
Bay is a great way to invigorate a drink with a delicate wall of flavour. It's a lovely pairing with lemon, and adds a rich dark green accent of colour too.

Rock Samphire
Rock samphire has an aromatic warm taste, and adds a saltiness and crunch quality when eaten. Great paired with spiced flavours or a lovely contrast to citrus.

Scots Pine
Scots pine is a wonderfully fragrant and decorative garnish - an excellent choice in the winter months.

Sage
Sage has a herbal taste and scent. It pairs well with lime and other sweet and bitter flavours.

Mint
Mint offers that reassuring freshness and scent. It's a brilliant pairing with citrus and fruit flavours in drinks, offering a lightness and delicate quality.

Fennel
Fennel is has a refreshing, liquorice flavour and is a beautifully delicate visual addition to a drink. It compliments sweet, savoury and bitter flavours equally.

Tarragon
Tarragon has a subtle herbal, anise-like note and works well with citrus and fruit flavours.

Citrus

Lemon Peel
Classic lemon peel cannot be overlooked as a sturdy garnish for many drinks. Beautifully bright, and adding aromatic essential oils in their peel as well as citrus and bitterness. 

Grapefruit
Grapefruit offers the same quality, with added bitterness. Brilliant with lime, berry fruit flavours or simply on its own with tonic.

Flowers

Nigella Flower
Nigella flower is an exquisite edible flower with a delicate fragrance and a mild, fresh taste. The seeds of nigella have a strong aroma and spicy taste too.

Spice

Turmeric
Turmeric offers a delicate spiced addition, with it's vibrant orange-yellow hue. Excellent pairing with other spice notes. Turmeric is also bursting with anti-inflammatory anti-oxidant properties so adds heaps of feel good factor too!

Ginger
Ginger is another brilliant spiced dimension to a drink and also helps cleanse the palette.

Food

Olives
Olives are a great option if fresh ingredients are low, and the perfect foil for herbal, woody flavours. Most iconically use in a martini.

For more inspiration and drinks recipes, head to our drinks and cocktails page. Happy mixing :)