When summer herbs flourish in the garden, we turn to the Basil Smash – a modern classic that transforms fresh basil into an extraordinarily refreshing cocktail. While many herbal cocktails merely hint at their botanical ingredients, this vibrant green masterpiece puts basil front and center, creating an experience that’s both sophisticated and wonderfully approachable.
Watch 🎥: How to Make a Gin Basil Smash
What Is a Basil Smash Cocktail?
The Basil Smash is a contemporary gin cocktail created in 2008 by Jörg Meyer at Le Lion Bar de Paris in Hamburg, Germany. It’s a brilliant variation of the Whiskey Smash that swaps whiskey for gin and mint for basil, creating a drink that perfectly balances herbaceous notes with bright citrus.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
What You Need to Make a Basil Smash Cocktail
How to Make a Basil Smash Cocktail
- Add your basil leaves and fresh lemon juice to a shaker. The acid helps extract the basil’s essential oils during muddling.
- Gently muddle the basil until fragrant. You’ll know it’s ready when the leaves release their oils but aren’t completely pulverized.
- Pour in the simple syrup and gin.
- Fill your shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 10-12 seconds.
- Double strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice to remove any basil particles.
Expert Recipe Tips
- Tip 1: For maximum flavor extraction, tear larger basil leaves before muddling
- Tip 2: Double straining prevents small basil pieces from floating in your finished cocktail
- Tip 3: Thai basil can be substituted for a more complex, anise-like flavor profile
How to Serve This Basil Smash Cocktail
Serve in a rocks glass over fresh ice, garnished with a fresh basil sprig. The garnish should be positioned near the nose to enhance the aromatic experience with each sip.
More Cocktail Recipes
Love herbal cocktails? Explore our collection of garden-to-glass recipes, including our Rosemary Gin Fizz and Thyme Collins.
Gin Basil Smash Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 oz gin
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 1 oz simple syrup
- 12-15 fresh basil leaves
Instructions
- Add the basil leaves and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker.
- Muddle the basil leaves until all the flavor has been released.
- Add the simple syrup and gin.
- Fill the shaker with ice and shake.
- Strain into a glass filled with ice and garnish with basil leaves.
Video
Recipe FAQs
While honey or agave can be substituted, we recommend simple syrup for its clean sweetness that lets the basil shine.
The key is vigorous muddling of fresh basil leaves. Older leaves or gentle muddling won’t release enough chlorophyll for that signature color.
Multiply the recipe liquid ratios, but muddle basil fresh for each serving – it loses its vibrancy quickly once muddled.
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When I first moved to Germany in 2011, I was introduced to this cocktail. It is truly one of the best things ever. It made me learn to love gin. The right gin is everything in this drink. Can’t wait to get drinking one soon. It’s also the reason I grow my own basil too, since I’ve since moved back to the states. Thanks for sharing this great drink!
Thanks, Jacob! The right gin is so crucial to any drink, but once you’ve tasted a good one, there’s no going back.