Aromatics & Essences

Orange Flower Water

Orange flower water is the scented water collected when bitter orange blossom is distilled with water; the traditional kind contains no alcohol and no sugar. Some bottles sold under the name are alcohol-based flavourings instead, and much stronger. Our Ramos Gin Fizz takes three dashes, as the IBA gives it.

Quick Facts

ABV0%

Legal categoryFood

OriginMediterranean and Middle East, where bitter orange blossom is distilled

Flavour Strengthvery bold

SeasonYear-round

Our keeping timeSix to twelve months once opened for the best aroma; longer in the fridge.

Storage

Store tightly sealed in a cool, dark place away from heat and light. In our experience refrigeration is optional but helps preserve the aroma once opened. Use a dasher or dropper for controlled dosing.

Allergens

None of the 14 listed allergens.

The ingredient

About Orange Flower Water

Flavour Profile

Primary Flavours

Orange blossomWhite floralLight citrusDelicate bitterness

Tasting Notes

Highly aromatic and floral with soft citrus notes and a faint bitter edge. Intense on the nose, subtle on the palate when used correctly.

Two different products carry the name

The traditional orange flower water is a by-product of distilling bitter orange blossom with water: the scented water collects alongside the oil, called neroli, and is bottled. Steenbergs, for one, distils the flowers with water one to one and lists nothing else. Other bottles on British shelves are flavourings, made with alcohol or glycerin, orange oil and flavourings, and they are far stronger. The label tells you which you have.

What can be in a bottle sold as orange flower water

Example

Distilled flower water: Steenbergs Orange Blossom Water
Alcohol-based flavouring: Nielsen-Massey Orange Blossom Water
Orange bitters: Regans’ Orange Bitters No. 6

Made from

Distilled flower water: Orange blossom distilled with water
Alcohol-based flavouring: Cane alcohol, glycerin, orange oil, flavourings
Orange bitters: Orange peel and spices in spirit

Alcohol

Distilled flower water: None
Alcohol-based flavouring: Yes
Orange bitters: 45%

Leads with

Distilled flower water: Blossom
Alcohol-based flavouring: Blossom and orange oil
Orange bitters: Peel, bitterness

Starting dose

Distilled flower water: Three dashes
Alcohol-based flavouring: One or two drops
Orange bitters: One or two dashes

	Distilled flower water	Alcohol-based flavouring	Orange bitters
Example	Steenbergs Orange Blossom Water	Nielsen-Massey Orange Blossom Water	Regans’ Orange Bitters No. 6
Made from	Orange blossom distilled with water	Cane alcohol, glycerin, orange oil, flavourings	Orange peel and spices in spirit
Alcohol	None	Yes	45%
Leads with	Blossom	Blossom and orange oil	Peel, bitterness
Starting dose	Three dashes	One or two drops	One or two dashes

Three dashes carry the Ramos Gin Fizz

Our Ramos Gin Fizz follows the IBA: three dashes of orange flower water with two drops of vanilla extract, shaken with gin, cream, egg white and citrus. At our dash of about 0.8ml, that is roughly 2.5ml. The foam lifts the scent to the nose, which is why so little goes so far, and why a heavy hand turns the drink soapy.

Buy small and keep it dark

The scent is what you pay for, and it fades once the bottle is open. We keep it sealed, cool and dark, aim to use it within six to twelve months of opening, and refrigerate it to make it last longer. A dropper or a dasher bottle keeps the dose honest.

Using it

Using Orange Flower Water

Usage

Three dashes in a Ramos Gin Fizz, about 2.5ml, shaken in with the cream and egg white so the foam carries the scent. With an alcohol-based flavouring, start with a drop or two instead; it is far more concentrated.

Pro Tip

If a Ramos tastes of soap, the orange flower water is too strong for the dose, not wrong for the drink. Note the brand, cut to two dashes or a few drops next time, and keep the rest of the recipe as written.

Top Tips

Read the ingredients. “Orange blossom water” alone usually means a distilled water; alcohol or glycerin first means a concentrated flavouring.
Measure with a dropper or a dasher bottle. Shaken from an open neck, a dash becomes a splash.
Buy a small bottle. In our experience the scent fades over months once opened.
Taste the drink, not the bottle. Neat, it smells like soap; in a drink it should read as blossom.

Possible Substitutions

Orange: Expressed peel: citrus oil rather than blossom, and less floral
Rose Water: Floral in the same way but rose, not orange blossom; use half as much

Production Method

Bitter orange blossom distilled with water; the scented water that collects is bottled. Steenbergs, for example, distils the flowers with water one to one. Some flavourings sold under the name blend alcohol or glycerin with orange oil and flavourings instead.

Go further

More to explore

Common Questions

What is orange flower water?

A clear, fragrant water made by distilling the blossom of the bitter orange tree with water. It smells strongly of orange blossom and tastes of very little on its own. Cooks use it in pastries and Middle Eastern sweets; in a drink, a few dashes add scent rather than flavour.

Does orange flower water contain alcohol?

The traditional distilled kind does not: Steenbergs, for example, lists orange blossom water as the only ingredient. Some bottles sold under the name are flavourings made with alcohol or glycerin, such as Nielsen-Massey’s, which lists cane alcohol first. Check the ingredients if alcohol matters.

How much orange flower water goes in a Ramos Gin Fizz?

Three dashes, as the IBA lists it, about 2.5ml at our usual dash. That assumes a distilled orange flower water. If yours is an alcohol-based flavouring, start with a drop or two, because it is far more concentrated and the drink will taste of soap.

Is orange flower water the same as orange blossom water?

Yes. The two names are used for the same product, the distilled water of bitter orange blossom. Neither is orange juice, orange extract or orange bitters, and none of those can stand in for it: they bring peel and fruit, while orange flower water brings the flower.

Can I use orange bitters instead of orange flower water?

No. Orange bitters are a high-strength spirit carrying peel and spice, and they add bitterness; orange flower water is floral and has none. In a Ramos Gin Fizz, bitters would make a different drink. If you have neither, leave it out: the fizz still works, with less scent.

Does orange flower water need to go in the fridge?

Not necessarily. In our experience, sealed and kept somewhere cool and dark, it holds its scent for six to twelve months after opening, and longer in the fridge. Follow the date on the bottle. A distilled water with no preservative is the one most worth keeping cold.

Can I use rose water instead?

It changes the drink. Rose water is distilled the same way from rose petals, so it brings flowers, but rose is sweeter and more perfumed than orange blossom. If you try it in a Ramos, use about half the dose, one or two dashes, and taste.

Sources.

Correct as of 16 October 2026.

Steenbergs, “Organic Orange Blossom Water”.
Nielsen-Massey, “Orange Blossom Water”.
IBA, “Ramos Fizz”.

Make something

Made with Orange Flower Water

Featured In These Cocktails

Ramos Gin Fizz

Often Used With

Updated 16 October 2026

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