🌅 Golden Hour Spritz

Saffron, honey, yuzu, ginger & sparkling water

8 min
Serves 1
Floral & Honeyed
Champagne flute or stemless wine glass
0% ABV
Ingredients
  • 20 saffron strands in 60ml hot water (steeped 15 min)
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • 15ml yuzu juice (or ½ lemon + ½ lime)
  • 1cm fresh ginger, grated
  • 150ml sparkling water or Champagne alternative
  • Ice
  • Saffron strands & an orange twist to garnish
Method
  1. 1
    Steep saffronSteep saffron in hot water for at least 15 minutes until deep gold. Cool completely.
  2. 2
    Mix syrupStir honey into the saffron water until dissolved. Add grated ginger. Steep 5 more minutes.
  3. 3
    StrainFine strain to remove ginger and saffron threads.
  4. 4
    BuildAdd citrus juice to a flute or stemless glass. Add saffron-honey mixture.
  5. 5
    TopPour sparkling water slowly. Garnish with saffron strands and an orange twist.

About This Drink

Ariya is Virgin Voyages' Indian restaurant, designed to bring modern Indian fine dining to international waters. Their Golden Hour Spritz is the signature welcome drink — saffron steeped in hot water until it turns a deep amber, sweetened with honey, lifted with citrus and ginger.

Bartender's Tips

Kashmiri saffron gives a visibly deeper golden colour and more distinct flavour than Iranian saffron. The steeping water should be hot (not boiling) — boiling water can diminish saffron's volatile compounds. The longer the steep, the more golden the drink.

Origin
Restaurant / Source
Ariya restaurant at Virgin Voyages
Origin
Ariya, Virgin Voyages
Difficulty
Easy · 8 min
Related
🍹 All Indian Mocktails Browse all 24 recipes 🍸 Cocktails A–Z Classic cocktail recipes
Where to drink this
Restaurant
Ariya by Virgin Voyages
Address
Onboard Virgin Voyages cruise ships (Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady, Resilient Lady, Brilliant Lady)
Style
Modern South Asian at sea
Accolades
Virgin Voyages' flagship Indian restaurant · widely praised as the best Indian food at sea

Ariya is Virgin Voyages' modern South Asian restaurant, found on all four ships in their fleet. Executive chef Sharad Puri's menu draws from North and South India, with a mocktail programme that holds its own against anything in a land-based restaurant. If you're aboard a Virgin Voyages sailing, Ariya is a destination dinner — and the mocktails are among the reasons.

Visit virginvoyages.com