The Gin Basil Smash is Hamburg’s contribution to the modern classic: gin, lemon, sugar, lots of basil. Green, loud, a sour you can smell. Jörg Meyer created it in 2008 at Le Lion Bar – as an attempt to bring basil into the glass without cucumber. Today it appears on almost every serious bar menu.
And here’s what you need for the Gin Basil Smash
5 cl Gin
3 cl lemon juice
2 cl sugar syrup
10–12 basil leaves
Garnish: basil
This is what matters
The drink’s character is decided during muddling: too gentle and it tastes like green lemonade, too hard and it turns bitter. You want to bruise the leaves, not chop them – ten to twelve firm stirs with the muddler are enough. The green should stick to the shaker – that’s when enough essential oils are released. And: double-straining is unnecessary; the tiny basil fragments in the glass belong there. Anyone who wants it smooth has missed the point of the drink.
Variations
- Gin Basil Smash with cucumber — muddle 2–3 cucumber slices – closer to Meyer’s original concept, which he later discarded.
- Strawberry Basil Smash — muddle 3–4 strawberries, possibly reduce syrup to 1.5 cl. Works better in summer than expected.
- Mezcal Basil Smash — replace gin with mezcal – smoky, polarizing, but logical.
Frequently asked questions
Which basil?
Genovese, large-leafed. Thai basil is a different drink – we have it separately.
Which gin?
London Dry with a clear juniper note. Tanqueray, Beefeater, Hayman’s. Floral gins disappear behind the basil.
Can I skip the syrup?
No. Without sugar the drink is just sour and herbal – not a sour, just an accident.
Why does it sometimes turn brown?
Shaken too long or too warm. Basil oxidizes quickly, so shake hard and short, then serve immediately.
