Smashed your work week like a pro? How about celebrating with a hip, modern classic like our Thursday Gin Basil Smash. For a remarkably simple drink, the flavour burst is anything but!
Like a secluded speakeasy, fresh basil or a perfectly hand crafted gin, simplicity is often overlooked. Unlock a vibrant, uncomplicated evening of endless colour with this modern cocktail direct from the world’s best speakeasy.
With a backstory steeped in hip European culture, this modern culinary cocktail direct from Hamburg, Germany has a smashingly intriguing history to boot!
Inspired by the more common Whiskey Smash, this little gem was first created in 2008 in a secluded speakeasy called Le Lion, whose owner, Jorg Meyer first experimented with gin rather than whiskey, and attempted to call it Gin Pesto! Although this new drink was wildly popular, the name was not, and so it was renamed Gin Basil Smash!
A smashingly robust, vibrant and flavourful drink, it’s insanely popular to this day, smashing records left and right! Le Lion currently sells an incredible 22,000 Gin Basil Smashes a year which open as they are six days a week from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m., is 11 per hour, so about one every 5 minutes!
Can’t get to Germany but want to make your own? Here’s our take on the recipe:
Thursday’s Gin Basil Smash Recipe
Ingredients
- 50 ml Thursday Craft Gin
- 25 ml fresh lemon juice
- 15 ml syrup
- 12 fresh basil leaves
- Ice cubes
Highball glass
Garnish: basil leaves
Method
Gently muddle basil leaves with lemon juice in a cocktail shaker. Add syrup, Thursday Craft Gin and ice. Shake until the outside of the shaker is frosted.
Double strain into an ice-filled highball glass and garnish with basil leaves.
Take a sip, and then another. Have a smashing time!
