Are you a Discerning Drinker?
Join thousands of like-minded professionals and cocktail enthusiasts, receive our weekly newsletters and see pages produced by our community for fellow Discerning Drinkers.
Forum
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...
Mertcan KAYA
29th August 2023 at 18:54
My favorite.
19th August 2023 at 17:02
Spectacular drink and wonderfully accommodating of minor riffs. My basil plants are growing bushy and I collect the flower clusters each week to keep the leaves blooming. Those basil flower clusters are amazingly complex and rich and when combined with ginger simple syrup, fresh squeezed lemon juice, quality gin and ample ice it's quite tasty and satisfying. The template works with other herbs and with gins ranging from St George Terrior to Monkey 47. allowing for a lifetime of experiments!
11th August 2023 at 08:11
Really excellent. My version uses 50 ml gin and adds 15 ml of Chartreuse(green); lime instead of lemon. It brings depth and herbal complexity. Now, it's outstanding!
4th July 2023 at 00:27
Strong herbal bursts of flavours. The gin comes through strongly. Great for a warm afternoon. Very refreshing.
19th March 2023 at 00:53
I’ve batched this and it was quite successful. Simply pour over ice, shake, and serve over ice.
But my favorite is to top with seltzer. The spritz really stretches the flavors. And while this is a fabulous summer garden or beachside cocktail with its refreshing basil, lime and the virtually hidden gin, the seltzer makes this a drink you can sip on all day long.
But my favorite is to top with seltzer. The spritz really stretches the flavors. And while this is a fabulous summer garden or beachside cocktail with its refreshing basil, lime and the virtually hidden gin, the seltzer makes this a drink you can sip on all day long.
19th January 2024 at 00:11
Sip on it all day long sounds like a dangerous proposal. I like the way you think!
24th January 2023 at 23:17
I noticed on La Lion Menu that they used a Celery Gin, so I muddled a 1/4 stalk of Celery with the 12 Basil leaves as well. My wife and I both really like this drink. I want to try it with a Danish Akvavit instead of the Gin, I think that will be even better. Anyone try that?
25th January 2023 at 10:50
Rutte Celery Gin, the gin Le Lion use, is made with the leaves of a variety of celery (not celery stalks). It is actually very like a London dry gin so it's being called a Celery Gin caused some confusion. So much so that I believe it is now simply called Rutte Dutch Dry Gin.
25th January 2023 at 01:08
I did try it with Stockholm’s Bränneri Akvavit (I have no Danish Akvavit) instead of the Gin and it was even better than with the Gin. The Celery, Basil, and Aquavit work well together. I would have thought northern Germany (Hamburg) would have tried this already.
28th August 2022 at 19:47
I didn’t have any fresh lemons so I juiced half a lime, used 3/4 ounce of Pallini Limoncello and eliminated the simple syrup. Delicious.
10th June 2022 at 21:04
A great drink… I’ve used this to tempt people who think don’t like gin. It’s kind of an introduction to herbal drinks with an up front herb they can’t say no to!
30th April 2022 at 18:42
Added 10ml of ouzo and this really lifted the aniseed vibe and complimented the Basil. Really enjoyed this
24th April 2022 at 11:37
I am just reading an interview with Jörg Meyer in a German newspaper.
He states that the original recipe is:
60 ml Gin
30 ml fresh Lemon juice
20 ml simple syrup
“Handful” of basil (here he emphasises to use the complete plant - leaves and stalks)
Ice
Shaker
… and shake HARD
Then use two sieves to filter out all plant particles.
I only used Diffords recipe so far. Will try the original for sure.
He states that the original recipe is:
60 ml Gin
30 ml fresh Lemon juice
20 ml simple syrup
“Handful” of basil (here he emphasises to use the complete plant - leaves and stalks)
Ice
Shaker
… and shake HARD
Then use two sieves to filter out all plant particles.
I only used Diffords recipe so far. Will try the original for sure.
30th March 2022 at 21:14
Used new Neptunia and ‘traditional’ genovese basil. Sweet, not too much, goes down too easy!
15th June 2022 at 20:08
I will add:
1. Neptunia, 2. Drumshanbo, 3. Conniption American Dry. 4. Martin Miller.
Definitely Martin Miller first and Conniption second. Different gins make different drinks!! All hail basil in the summer.
1. Neptunia, 2. Drumshanbo, 3. Conniption American Dry. 4. Martin Miller.
Definitely Martin Miller first and Conniption second. Different gins make different drinks!! All hail basil in the summer.
8th November 2021 at 08:27
I really liked this one, so refreshing, and the basil flavour is a good balance
20th April 2021 at 04:12
I tried this recipe with 6cl Gin and it's fantastic for me! Next time will try with LOVE 7cl. Fantastic cocktail!
18th April 2021 at 15:48
I absolutely love this cocktail and was surprised to learn how much of an effect the type of basil plant can have on the drink. I used Isabella basil (you can find in the Tesco Finest range) which imparted a completely different flavour to the classic. At first you’ll notice liquorice on the nose and I was surprised to find that the aniseed flavour had worked itself to the forefront of the drink. It’s got me thinking about developing a riff including absinthe! Fascinating stuff indeed!
14th April 2021 at 22:36
Delicious. I mixed a bit of mint and Thai basil w the Italian basil. Just a simple, lovely cocktail, as ideal for brunch as evening.
20th February 2021 at 16:22
A really refreshing drink, possibly needing about half as much again of the sugar syrup. This will be gorgeous on a summers evening.
18th January 2021 at 17:45
Fun to make. Popular under guests with little cocktail experience too. Pairs wonderful with light pasta dishes.
Anonymous
25th May 2020 at 01:13
2.5 oz gin. Yes.
15th May 2020 at 14:30
i tried this recipe . it is amazing. yummy