Gin Cocktail Recipes That Aren't Just Gin & Tonics
Gin has a herbal flavor lends itself to refreshing cocktails from gimlets and punches to smashes and martinis. Bottoms up, because these gin cocktails make me want a drink. Like, now.
Cucumber Gin Cocktail
Makes 2 Servings
This herb-infused rocks drink is fresh, cooling, and thirst-quenching, perfect for day drinking.
INGREDIENTS
1 English hothouse cucumber
5 kaffir lime leaves or four 2-inch strips lime zest
2 teaspoons raw sugar
4 lemon wheels, divided
4 ounces gin
1 ounces fresh lime juice
Club soda (for serving)
RECIPE PREPARATION
Using a vegetable peeler, shave 4 long, thin ribbons from cucumber; set aside. Cut a 4" piece from remaining cucumber and coarsely chop. Muddle with kaffir lime leaves, sugar, and 2 lemon slices in a cocktail shaker. Add gin and lime juice and fill shaker with ice. Cover and shake until outside of shaker is frosty, about 20 seconds.
Strain into 2 ice-filled Collins glasses. Top off each with club soda. Gently stir to combine; garnish each with 2 reserved cucumber ribbons and remaining lemon slices.
Aviation
Makes 1 Servings
Maraschino liqueur sounds obscure but it's often hiding in plain sight. Seek it for this simple, classic cocktail.
INGREDIENTS
2 ounces London dry gin
¾ ounce fresh lemon juice
¾ ounce maraschino liqueur (such as Luxardo)
Maraschino cherry (for serving)
RECIPE PREPARATION
Combine gin, lemon juice, and maraschino liqueur in a cocktail shaker. Fill shaker with ice, cover, and shake vigorously until outside of shaker is very cold, about 20 seconds.
Place cherry in a martini glass and strain cocktail through a Hawthorne strainer or a slotted spoon into glass.
Summer Babe
Makes 1 Servings
The bartenders at Reynard, in Brooklyn, use Greenhook Ginsmiths’s botanical American dry gin in this citrusy cocktail, but feel free to make it with your favorite.
INGREDIENTS
2 ounces gin
¾ ounces Génépy des Alpes
¾ ounces fresh lemon juice
Lemon twist (for serving)
RECIPE PREPARATION
Combine gin, Génépy des Alpes, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake until outside of shaker is frosty, about 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with lemon twist.
Blackberry-Gin Fizz
INGREDIENTS
1 6–ounce container blackberries
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups gin
1 cup fresh lime juice
Club soda
8 sprigs Thai basil or sweet basil