Gin Basil Smash is a perfect cocktail for summer or those who like a fresh and herbaceous flavour in their drinks. It’s a great alternative to traditional gin-based cocktails like the gin and tonic or the Martini. The Gin Basil Smash recipe is a simple one; it’s made with gin, fresh basil leaves, simple syrup, and lemon juice.
Jörg Meyer invented Gin Basil Smash in 2008 in the cocktail bar “Le Lion” in Hamburg, Germany. The drink became an instant sensation and was named “Best New Cocktail” by the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards that same year. As the years passed, bartenders started to create twists on the original recipe, adding new ingredients to it, such as berries, syrups, and even other herbs, to give it a different flavour profile. Gin Basil Smash recipe has been featured in countless articles and can now be found in the repertoires of almost every bartender worldwide.
Ingredients
- 50ml gin
- 8-10 fresh basil leaves (depending on size)
- 20ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 20ml simple sugar syrup (proportion 1:1 – 1 part of water to 1 part of brown sugar)
- ice cubes
Equipment
- Shaker
- Mudler
- Fine Mesh Strainer
How to make Gin Basil Smash
Gently muddle basil in base of shaker with lemon juice. Add gin and sugar syrup, shake with ice and fine strain into ice-filled glass.
Glass
Rocks glass.
Garnish
2-3 Basil sprigs.