Violet Syrup Brut

Violet Syrup from the City of Violets

The Violet Syrup Brut from Bacanha is a French floral syrup with natural violet aroma, produced in a workshop near Paris. Sweet, floral, with a powdery note. It remains pale instead of violet, as it contains no coloring, and 400 ml is enough for about 20 glasses.

Violet Syrup is the most French of all syrups and belongs to the Sirop Brut range by the Parisian manufacturer Bacanha. In France, you encounter the violet everywhere—as perfume, soap, candy, and as a candied flower on cakes. In the glass, it tastes sweet and floral, with that powdery note known from violet pastilles.

Sweet, floral, with a powdery note

Violet scent has a peculiarity. It disappears for a moment while smelling it and then returns because it briefly numbs the olfactory receptors.

In the glass, this manifests as a soft, almost powdery sweetness that never becomes intrusive. Dose sparingly; a teaspoon in a large glass is enough, otherwise the blossom turns soapy. And do not expect a violet-colored drink, for this syrup contains no coloring and remains clear in the glass.

The label lists four ingredients: cane sugar, water, natural violet aroma with other natural aromas, and citric acid. Unlike most varieties in the range, the Violet Syrup does not carry an organic seal, which is why it is simply called Sirop Brut in the product line rather than Sirop Brut Biologique.

About 10 kilometers from Grasse lies Tourrettes-sur-Loup, a village that calls itself the City of Violets and has borne this name since the 19th century. There, the flowers are grown for perfumery and confectionery, harvested by hand, and processed in large quantities.

Every year in March, the town celebrates a Violet Festival, where carriages decorated with flowers parade through the streets. That the plant originally comes from Italy and was once brought by soldiers is something no one there thinks about anymore.

In cocktails, in lemonade, on dessert

A splash in a glass of sparkling wine, and you have an apéritif that stays in one's memory. With gin and lemon, it creates an Aviation, that classic cocktail for which one otherwise needs violet liqueur.

With soda water, it becomes a still lemonade; in cold black tea, an iced tea with character. In the kitchen, it belongs over panna cotta, in a yogurt with berries, in a cream, or in a salad dressing for bitter leaf salads.

Blossoms enjoy the company of other blossoms. The Organic Rose Syrup is its more robust sister, and those who prefer it fruitier can combine the violet with the Organic Lychee Syrup.

A flower that cannot be pressed

The syrups are mixed in a workshop in Saint-Soupplets, a good 40 kilometers northeast of Paris.

No juice can be extracted from a violet; the blossom is too small and delicate. What remains is the art of aroma extraction, a skill mastered in Grasse since the 16th century. Extraction, distillation, and enfleurage are the techniques used, and the latter was invented specifically for flowers like these.

"Preserving the authenticity of the aromas," as the manufacturer describes its work, is therefore the most difficult task for the violet in the entire range. We carry 25 varieties from Bacanha's catalog, ranging from citrus and floral to spice. A piece of Provence in a glass.

Start sparingly and work your way up

A teaspoon in a large glass of cold water is the starting point, from which you can work your way up. With soda water and a splash of lemon, the violet becomes clearer; with tonic, it gains structure. For an Aviation, count on 2 centiliters of syrup to 5 centiliters of gin and a splash of lemon juice.

For desserts, a few drops are enough, or the blossom will overpower everything else. Once opened, the bottle belongs in the refrigerator and will keep for 2 months. You can find more floral varieties in our syrup selection.