The original recipe from Town & Country Magazine by the Atwood bar in NYC calls specifically for Banks rum, but I tried Pyrat and also Appleton Estate which make it darker and richer but I think any aged rum would be fine. I also made my lavender syrup with fresh lavender buds from a plant in my yard and used honey instead of sugar. The basic simple syrup recipe is 1:1 sugar to water, but I used less of the honey, maybe ¾ cup to 1 cup water and 2 tablespoons of fresh lavender buds. Also fresh lavender buds for the garnish as well.

For the Chinese 5 spice syrup combine 1 cup each water and demerara sugar with toasted 5 spice ingredients (.5 tbsp cloves, 1 tbsp each Szechuan peppercorn & fennel seeds, 2 tbsp star anise, 1 cracked cinnamon stick). Sous vide for 2 hours at 145 degrees, plunge into ice bath, strain and bottle. Add .25 oz overproof vodka if desired to extend shelf life. Alternately use 3 tbsp of quality 5 spice powder. Or there are also several stove top recipes for 5 spice syrup available online.

To make spruce syrup: Combine 1/2 c. spruce tree needles with 1 c. water and 1 c. sugar. Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and let steep for a few hours. Strain through cheesecloth.

I made this with some sous vide strawberry syrup I had previously made (juice strawberries, add equal parts sugar and sous vide for 2 hours at 135 degrees), but the link includes a stove top recipe for the syrup