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Gin Basil Smash
Jörg, the creator of this cocktail, says, "Better too much than not enough basil in this drink". He also specifies that the basil is muddled rather than...
Egg McKenzie
14th July at 19:08
I made this with some fairly lacklustre basil from the windowsill and it was still delicious. I will be buying some much more vibrant basil at the weekend to unlock the drink’s true potential. I followed mr jörg’s tip that ‘70ml gin is love’ and did not regret it.
19th July at 07:01
well I bought better basil and it was too much. I guess there’s a lot of variety in the size etc of basil leaves. will have to try again!
3rd July at 17:48
Also, can we add photos? I can’t see a way to do it,
6th July at 09:39
You can't add photos to this page, but you can click "Add your version" (under the photo at the top) to create a page with your own version and photograph of this cocktail.
3rd July at 17:25
Tried this today on a lovely, lazy, balmy summer late afternoon. It was just a bit too sour for me so added another drop of cane sugar syrup and that did the trick. So simple, yet gorgeous and refreshing. When I got near the bottom I didn’t want to waste all the lovely basil garnish (I was generous! 😂) so I added another measure of gin and topped up with tonic. Sipping it now - absolutely delicious.
30th June at 19:42
Has anyone tried to make a basil syrup? For quicker expedite.
12th April at 14:38
Adding some drops of Japanese Umami Bitters adds more depths.
28th March at 18:45
I added a shot of Kalani. We loved it. Summer vibes!☀️😎
14th March at 22:28
What was the original measurement of rich simple syrup before switching the recipe to Monin syrup? The original was delicious but the new recipe seems overly sour.
15th March at 07:58
The same. Both syrups are almost identical in sweetness so a direct swap. Monin Pure Cane Syrup = 65.0 brix. Rich sugar syrup 2:1 by volume = 65.1 brix
14th March at 01:21
Original recipe is solid. I also tried making it with Gin Mare, which is Mediterranean style with basil as a botanical, and upped it to 70 ml. That was a different drink, but also quite good.
23rd February at 17:14
100% upcoming summer on heavy rotation since no yellow chartreuse for Slow & Unsteady. Basically perfect cocktail. Thanks Jorg!!!!!
24th June at 21:51
I agree. Recipe I first saw had 3/4 oz simple syrup (1:1), and came out a little sweet for my taste. This Diffords recipe seems about right.
16th February at 03:34
Try adding a little bit of malibu coconut liquor to this. Balances the acidity perfectly and puts a tropical twist to the drink
13th February at 20:42
Love this cocktail it’s so fresh and summery.. even in February!
2nd February at 15:10
I’ve made it with Mezcal, lime juice and agave. Really tasty.
24th June at 21:52
Good perhaps, but is it the same drink? I think not. Call this one a Gillian. :)
30th January at 06:47
This was a great cocktail honestly. I think the key is using fresh Basil and lemon. Adding the Gin Basil Smash to my summer cocktail list.
-Nebrija Nebrija
-Nebrija Nebrija
2nd February at 22:30
Tried again last night but I only had Prince Albert gin. Had to compensate with extra Basil.
-Nebrija Nebrija
-Nebrija Nebrija
10th January at 10:31
A problem with many videos that accompany cocktail recipes is that, by their editing, they obscure important information, in this case for example, for how long and with what ferocity the muddle should be performed. But of course, and thankfully, trial and error are a great teacher.
10th January at 10:00
If Thai basil is used, the drink has some lovely subtle mint notes.
9th January at 09:03
Under "How to make" is indicated "FINE STRAIN into chilled glass". However, both the photo and video make it clear that this should be into an ice-filled chilled glass...which also has the virtue of adding a cute rhyme. File under pedantry.
6th August 2024 at 22:00
Very nice, drinking it Collins style in the summer is a perfect summer drink
1st August 2024 at 20:57
Very fresh summer cocktail. Perfect for this warm summer evening in Copenhagen.
28th March 2024 at 23:00
This is one of my favorite drinks. I just made a party batch using a 1:1 sugar syrup but I infused it with strawberry. It's much sweeter and great for an easy-going party.
27th March 2024 at 22:25
Very good, but really hard to crush the basil leaves.
1st June 2024 at 04:41
try muddling with sugar syrup
10th February 2024 at 21:29
Made with Gray Whale gin, yuzu super juice, and a whole lot of basil. Crisp and refreshing, but with a longer than expected basil finish. An excellent drink that is definitely more than the sum of its parts. Tengentially, I made a basil infusion with the leftover sprigs, a few pink peppercorns, and a very small amount of gentian. Should be fun, or at least interesting.
12th February 2024 at 01:17
Update: the infusion was indeed interesting, but also pretty terrible. Back to the drawing board there.
25th January 2024 at 21:06
As with pesto alla genovese you have to really mash the hell out of fresh, springy basil to get the oil out of the plant and onto your tongue. I also put the gin and lemon juice in and a quick stir before adding the ice. Tasted amazing.
25th January 2024 at 17:46
This is now my go to cocktail in the sun. A smidgen of salt when muddling bought the Basil out even more.
21st January 2024 at 13:59
Absolutely delicious and a crowd pleasure, but I never made it that green! Great to hear it from the man himself as well! This drink is on the menu tonight for a get together and I will be muddling a lot more basil.
22nd January 2024 at 09:45
And muddle the stems as well. Whole sprig!
20th January 2024 at 05:57
This turned out to be more interesting and refreshing than I expected. Definitely, a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for me.
19th January 2024 at 00:16
Somebody erect a statue to celebrate this great genius! I am down to growing my basil in an hydroponics setting, a small leaves variety with a subtle mint aftertaste, it is heaven! I also found that adding a bar spoon of Chartreuse brings some herbal depth.
I feel indebted with Herr Meyer, thank you very much indeed.
I feel indebted with Herr Meyer, thank you very much indeed.
18th January 2024 at 23:57
As a sour cocktail lover, I loved it. Basil is a good choice when it comes to making sour and fresh cocktails.
9th November 2023 at 21:25
Very delicious, brilliant green, and an excellent way to showcase a modern gin. The ratio is intriguing, I did notice that with a normal sour ratio (2-1-0.5) it was surprisingly too sweet, hence, I suppose, the lower-than-average sugar syrup here. I’ve noticed, on the other hand, a 2-0.75-0.5 ratio is perfect for a Whiskey Smash, so it appears mint has the opposite effect. I suppose it has something to do with the amount of essential oils.
3rd November 2023 at 23:51
Just back from a long night in Le Lion. They certainly don't skimp on the amount of basil (and they include the stalks), plus they also don't mess about when muddling - they really go to town on it. Wonderfully bright and fresh, A+ cocktail.
5th November 2023 at 11:36
Thanks, Chris. I've added a note re stem in the method above.
9th October 2023 at 23:01
Very good! The basil gives it a definite herbal scent and flavor. Don’t scrimp on the basil. If you love basil, you can’t make a mistake.