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Natural Extracts for Cocktails and Café Drinks: The Flavours to Pour in 2026

In short: Natural extracts let cocktail bars and cafés add real spice, citrus and floral flavour to drinks in seconds, with no steeping, straining or bulky syrups. Holy Lama Spice Drops go straight into spirits, coffee and soft drinks a drop or two at a time, taste the same in every serve, and keep for up to three years. Ginger, Red Chilli, Lime Zest, Cardamom, Rose, Vanilla, Cinnamon and Chai Spices cover most drinks menus.

If you run a cocktail bar or a busy café, natural extracts give you real flavour without fresh prep or infusions. Holy Lama Spice Drops are concentrated natural extracts, so a drop or two flavours a drink, and a small bottle takes up very little bar space.

Why do bars and cafés use natural extracts?

They cut prep time because there is no steeping or straining. They give consistency because every pour uses the same number of drops. And they store easily: a 5ml bottle holds around 150 drops and keeps for up to three years. Spice Drops contain no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives and are oxalate free. They are vegan, gluten free and alcohol free, and contain a plant derived emulsifier, polysorbate 80, which helps them mix into food and drink.

Which flavours work best in drinks?

Ginger

Heat and aroma for citrus serves, stirred classics and alcohol free drinks. Ginger Spice Drops give fresh ginger flavour with no peeling or grating.

Red Chilli and Lime Zest

Build a spicy margarita without fresh chillies or a zester. Red Chilli (2 drops give the heat of about 1/4 teaspoon ground chilli) and Lime Zest (4 drops give the flavour of the zest of 1 lime).

Cardamom

Warm spice for an espresso martini, a spiced margarita or a chai old fashioned. Cardamom Spice Drops won two stars at the Great Taste Awards 2015.

Rose

Floral lift for a gin fizz, a spritz or a lassi. One drop of Rose gives roughly the flavour of 1/2 teaspoon of rosewater.

Vanilla and Cinnamon

For dessert cocktails and café drinks: Vanilla in an espresso martini or flat white, and Cinnamon in a spiced latte, hot toddy or cold brew.

Chai Spices

Chai Spices build a dirty chai or a spiced alcohol free cooler in seconds. See our chai latte guide for cafés.

What quick serves can you add to your menu?

Spicy Drop Margarita

50ml tequila, 25ml lime juice, 15ml agave, 1 drop Red Chilli, 2 drops Lime Zest. Shake hard over ice and strain into a salt rimmed glass.

Cardamom Espresso Martini

50ml vodka, 25ml coffee liqueur, 25ml fresh espresso, 2 drops Cardamom, 1 drop Vanilla. Shake and double strain. Finish with three coffee beans.

Rose and Ginger Alcohol Free Fizz

2 drops Rose, 2 drops Ginger, 15ml sugar syrup, 20ml lime juice, topped with soda. Build over ice.

Find more ideas in our recipes.

How are Spice Drops made?

Spice Drops are made at our own factory in Kerala, India, by a family business that dates back to 1946. The spices are crushed in a hammer mill or under a roller without heat, then extracted, and the solvent is removed under vacuum. For some flavours the distilled oil of the same spice is added back. Leafy herbs such as Mint are distilled essential oil only. The result is real spice flavour: the natural compounds that give each spice its taste and aroma are still there, such as piperine, which gives black pepper its heat.

How do bars and cafés buy Spice Drops?

For volume use, our 100ml catering size holds around 3,000 drops. Venues, roasters, distilleries and manufacturers can open a trade account through our Trade page or HORECA page.

Frequently asked questions

Are Spice Drops suitable for cocktails and hot drinks?

Yes. They go into hot or cold drinks, with or without alcohol. Put the drops in the glass first and pour the drink on top.

How much should I use per drink?

Start with one or two drops and taste. The flavour is concentrated, so a little goes a long way.

Are Spice Drops alcohol free and vegan?

Yes. Every Spice Drops flavour is alcohol free, vegan and gluten free.

Can I use them in production as well as behind the bar?

Yes. Food and drink makers use them as a natural flavouring. See our Manufacturers page.

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