Name: Gin Atomic
Total time: 4 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 3 fresh Basil leaves; 60 ml Gin; 30 ml Elderflower liqueur; 15 ml Lemon juice; 2 dash Lemon bitters; 60 ml Tonic water

Gin Atomic
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Serve in a Collins glass

Ingredients:
3 fresh	Basil leaves
2 oz	Hayman's London Dry Gin
1 oz	Elderflower liqueur
¹⁄₂ oz	Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
2 dash	Fee Brothers Lemon Bitters optional
2 oz	Thomas Henry Tonic Water

Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

Select and pre-chill a Collins glass.
Prepare garnish of lemon zest twist..
Lightly MUDDLE basil (just to bruise) in base of shaker.
Add next 4 ingredients and SHAKE with ice.
POUR tonic water into the shaker before FINE straining into ice-filled glass.
EXPRESS lemon zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.
Serve with a straw.

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Review:

A nuclear gin and tonic - or at least, one that simply radiates flavour.

View readers' comments

History:

Adapted from a recipe created in 2007 by Brendan Mainini at The Ambassador Bar in San Francisco, California.

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Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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Caspian Berggren

21st November 2024 at 17:00

I feel like this, much like the Edison's medicinal cocktail, can be served dumped with some additional ice. The additional basil helps lift the gin and the freshness from the slightly-too-sweet cocktail is otherwise.

Paul Andrew

31st May 2024 at 19:08

I made this one with Thomas Henry cherry blossom tonic. I was very shocked how it greatly composed. Must try.

Yossi Burg

14th January 2024 at 00:50

I cut down the quantities to bring std drink measure down. 45 ml gin, 22.5 ml elderflower etc.
Lovely drink for upping the G&T game. Still a little sweet with the elderflower- probably up the gin and lower the elderflower next time 50-20.

David Hoyle

3rd February 2023 at 18:25

Tried this with just 2 medium sized basil leaves (usual UK supermarket type!). Their flavour marries perfectly with the celery gin, not too forward. Also used Fever Tree Light which helps retain the lemon tartness of the juice. This is a real winner and a superb take on a regular G+T.

Andrei G

17th May 2022 at 02:36

I would suggest spicy bush basil for those who find the regular basil too much. Also, if your basil is too bitter, a little splash of Midori goes nicely in this drink.