A cocktail by Byron Woolfrey · Story updated
The Spirit of the Dandelion is Trolley’d’s foraged cocktail of flower-infused white rye, vermouth, roasted-root tea and a soft root foam. Created by Byron Woolfrey for the first Wild Feasts for a New Age, it brings petals, leaves and roots into one floral, bittersweet drink, served with Trolley’d’s aviation hospitality.
A familiar flower, an unexpected cocktail
Dandelion is one of those plants we recognise before we know its name: yellow flowers in the lawn, seed clocks in the breeze. For Trolley’d, its interest begins with flavour. The flower, leaf and root give us different ways to build a drink around a single botanical.
- Flavour: floral and bittersweet, with a toasted-root note.
- Base: dandelion flower-infused white rye and Regal Rogue Lively White vermouth.
- Balance: dandelion flower syrup, lemon juice, roasted-root tea and dandelion and burdock bitters.
- Finish: root foam, a crystallised leaf and fresh petals.
The first pour at Wild Feasts
The Spirit of the Dandelion opened the first Wild Feasts for a New Age event. The series began as a collaboration between Trolley’d and Forage to Feast, bringing together forager and environmental educator Diego Bonetto and chef and designer Marnee Fox.
Byron Woolfrey created the cocktails and mocktails for the menu, drawing on wild-foraged and native botanical ingredients. The drinks were served from the Trolley’d airline trolley bar. Dandelion is the introduced botanical at the centre of this drink.
That relationship between ingredient, story and service remains central to Trolley’d’s work. A drink gives guests something to taste and talk about. The airline trolley gives the service its own character. Together, they create a hospitality moment that belongs to the event.
For a brand launch, hosted lounge or agency production, the same attention can shape a botanical menu around the occasion. See how Trolley’d brings aviation assets, drinks and hosted service together in our corporate cocktail activations.
Petals, roots and leaves
The cocktail uses three parts of the plant across five preparations: a petal infusion, flower syrup, roasted-root tea, root foam and crystallised-leaf garnish. Each has a different role in the finished drink.
Petals: aroma and sweetness
The yellow petals appear in both the white-rye infusion and the flower syrup. The infusion carries the floral character into the spirit; the syrup supplies sweetness to balance the vermouth, lemon and bitter notes. Separating the petals from the green flower parts is a small detail with a noticeable effect on flavour.
Roots: roasted depth and texture
The roasted root adds a darker note beneath the flowers. In the original drink it appears as a tea and again in the foam, giving the same botanical a second expression through texture. That contrast is what makes the cocktail more interesting than a floral garnish on a familiar drink.
Leaves: a final bitter-green detail
A crystallised dandelion leaf crosses the top of the glass, with fresh petals scattered over the foam. The garnish connects the finished cocktail back to the plant and completes the original presentation.
About the recipe: this page tells the story and flavour composition of the original cocktail. It is not a complete preparation guide for the infusions, foam or garnish.
Foraged does not mean native
The common dandelion discussed here, recorded as Taraxacum officinale in NSW Flora Online, is introduced in New South Wales. It sits alongside Australian native ingredients in our wider botanical work, with each ingredient described according to its own origin. Read the PlantNET botanical record.
Foraging starts with reliable identification and permission to harvest. Avoid plants exposed to spray, roadside pollution or other contamination, and leave anything you cannot identify confidently. These photographs are part of a cocktail story, not a complete identification guide. Work with a knowledgeable local guide when learning about wild plants.
Using several parts of a plant is one practical expression of our interest in thoughtful ingredient use. Our sustainability approach also considers the aviation assets, sourcing and service choices behind an event.
Questions about the cocktail
What does the Spirit of the Dandelion taste like?
Floral and bittersweet, with lemon bringing freshness and roasted root adding depth. The foam gives the drink a softer finish, while the white rye and vermouth form its base.
Can Trolley’d create botanical cocktails for a corporate event?
Yes. Trolley’d develops drinks and hosted service for corporate activations, experiential agencies, festivals and selected private celebrations. Menus follow the event and the season. Tell us if you are interested in this cocktail so we can confirm what is possible.
Can the experience include non-alcoholic drinks?
Non-alcoholic drinks can be included in the event brief. We develop them for the menu and guest experience; the original Spirit of the Dandelion contains alcohol.
Keep exploring
- Discover the ingredients and foraging library
- Explore more cocktail stories and recipes
- Explore botanical cocktail experiences in the Southern Highlands
Bring botanical craft to your next activation
Trolley’d creates aviation-themed experiential hospitality with real airline trolley bars, botanical drinks and hosted service. Tell us about your brand launch, client gathering, festival or private celebration, and we’ll shape the drinks and service around the occasion.
Include your date, venue or location, guest count, event objective and indicative budget so the team can assess the right format.