Gin Basil Smash

The Gin Basil Smash feels like a classic cocktail. Hard liquor, herb, citrus, and sugar. Simple, well balanced, and elegant. Surprisingly this drink is actually fairly modern and was invented in 2008 by Jorg Meyer where it first appeared in Bitters Blog. Classic or not, this cocktail is incredible. I might even put Gin and Basil at the top of all liquor-herb pairings.

The Elements

• 2oz Dry Liquor (I used an American Dry by Durham Distillery)

• .75oz Lemon juice

• .5oz Simple Syrup

• 10 Basil leaves

The How To

1. Add basil leaves to base of shaker.

2. Muddle basil, be careful to not break apart the leaves.

3. Add remaining ingredients to shaker with ice.

4. Shake vigorously until chilled.

5. Strain into a low ball glass with fresh ice.

6. Garnish with your favorite basil leaf.

Enjoy!