Highgrove x bottlegreen Magnolia & Elderflower Cordial

Highgrove x bottlegreen Magnolia & Elderflower Cordial is a floral British cordial made with wild hand-picked elderflowers, magnolia petal extract and Cotswold spring water. It is one of three cordials created through a partnership between Highgrove and bottlegreen, the renowned Cotswold drinks maker, each inspired by the plants, flowers and flavours of the gardens that surround His Majesty The King’s Gloucestershire home.

The recipe began with a spring walk through the gardens. “The stunning magnolia blossom was out, its aroma intense,” recalls Lynne McAlpine, bottlegreen’s flavour expert of more than 15 years. “And we were delighted to find that the Gardens were also surrounded by elderflower bushes, which made it a must-have! "

Elderflower has been at the heart of bottlegreen’s drinks since the company was founded in the Cotswolds in 1989, just a few miles from Highgrove. Here its familiar freshness meets the more unusual, perfumed character of magnolia. The result is delicate, fragrant and quietly sophisticated: a cordial that tastes of an English garden in May.

Each batch is blended in small quantities with local spring water from bottlegreen’s original mill, using traditional winemaking methods to achieve a beautifully balanced flavour. The cordial is free from all artificial colours, flavours and sweeteners, and is suitable for vegans.

To serve, dilute to taste with chilled still or sparkling water and add a slice of lime, which cuts cleanly through the floral notes. It is just as good topped up with tonic, or added as a splash to a glass of sparkling wine for a simple garden-party aperitif.

Presented in an exquisitely illustrated 500ml bottle, the cordial makes an elegant gift for a host, a gardener or anyone who has enjoyed a visit to Highgrove. It sits alongside English Rose & Raspberry and Rhubarb & Ginger in the Highgrove x bottle green range, and the three together make a handsome set for the kitchen or a summer table.