Tag: lemon

gin

White Lady | An Easy Classic Gin Cocktail with 5 Ingredients

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The White Lady is a classic gin cocktail that's tart and smooth. You'll only need 5 simple ingredients and you probably already have all of them on hand.

The White Lady is a classic gin cocktail that’s tart and smooth. You’ll only need 5 simple ingredients and you probably already have all of them on hand.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

You can never go wrong with a classic cocktail. Especially if it’s a classic gin cocktail. Gin is my favorite spirit because each brand varies so wildly from the next. If you think you’re not a gin fan, I challenge you to keep trying different brands. Your match is out there.

Whenever I try a new brand of gin, I love using it in classic cocktail recipes. If you’re used to knowing what a classic cocktail like a White Lady or a Gimlet tastes like, it’ll be easy to see how much a particular gin changes the feel and profile of the drink.

For months now I’ve had a White Lady cocktail on my list of recipes to try. Don’t know if I have the right to call myself a lover of classic gin cocktail recipes without ever having tried a White Lady. Now I can though. Because I finally made one. And it’s dang good.

The White Lady is a classic gin cocktail that's tart and smooth. You'll only need 5 simple ingredients and you probably already have all of them on hand.

If you’re a fan of classic sour drinks like a Daiquiri or a Whiskey Sour, the White Lady is a must-try. It’s a gin sour made with a silky egg white. If you’re weirded out by the thought of using a raw egg white in your cocktail, I understand. Really, I get it. I waited years before trying one and I only wish I’d tried it sooner. You can read this post to see that the chances of getting sick from a raw egg white are actually pretty slim.

I also feel a lot better about consuming raw or undercooked eggs at my house because I’ve got my own supply of eggs. We live in a rural part of Texas and currently have 5 hens in our backyard flock. I was never a fan of birds until we got chickens. Now I’m the person who bypasses the monkeys to get to the bird exhibits at the zoo.

The White Lady is a classic gin cocktail that's tart and smooth. You'll only need 5 simple ingredients and you probably already have all of them on hand. Egg white cocktails using backyard chicken eggs.

It only seemed fitting to put our own little white lady in these pics. Although the egg white in this cocktail definitely does not belong to her because she’s a freeloader. She only lays eggs when she feels like it. Which is apparently never. At least she’s sweet.

You can always make the White Lady without an egg white. It’ll still be good– it just won’t be as smooth or as silky. And you won’t have that pretty foam on the top, either. If you’re wanting the foam and the silkiness but don’t want the egg, you can use aquafaba. It’s a great vegan option and lots of mixologists use it in place of egg whites.

If you love a good classic gin cocktail, check these other recipes out:

The White Lady is a classic gin cocktail that's tart and smooth. You'll only need 5 simple ingredients and you probably already have all of them on hand.

Ingredients for a White Lady

How to Make a White Lady

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker without ice. (This is called a “dry shake”.) Shake for 20-30 seconds. You may want to shake over a sink because the lack of ice will mean that the metal cocktail shaker won’t contract to create a tight seal. I.e. it’s gonna leak. Then, add ice and shake for another 30-45 seconds. Your arm is going to scream but the more you shake, the better your foam will be. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

White Lady

A classic gin cocktail that's tart and silky smooth.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker

Ingredients
  

  • 2 oz gin
  • ½ oz Cointreau/orange liqueur
  • ¾ oz lemon juice
  • ¼ oz simple syrup
  • 1 egg white

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker without ice. (This is called a “dry shake”.) Shake for 20-30 seconds.*
  • Then, add ice and shake for another 30-45 seconds.
  • Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Notes

*You may want to shake over a sink because the lack of ice will mean that the metal cocktail shaker won’t contract to create a tight seal. I.e. it’s gonna leak.
Keyword egg white, gin, lemon, lemon juice, orange liqueur, simple syrup, white lady
The White Lady is a classic gin cocktail that's tart and smooth. You'll only need 5 simple ingredients and you probably already have all of them on hand.
rum

Kraken’s Cavern | A Spiced Pomegranate Cocktail That’s Perfect for Fall

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Kraken's Cavern is a delicious, spiced pomegranate cocktail. It's bright and fruity, thanks to the pomegranate juice, but has some warm complexity thanks to the spiced rum, cinnamon syrup, and ginger beer.

Kraken’s Cavern is a delicious, spiced pomegranate cocktail. It’s bright and fruity, thanks to the pomegranate juice, but has some warm complexity thanks to the spiced rum, cinnamon syrup, and ginger beer.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

I’ve been brainstorming ideas for a Halloween cocktail all week. I knew I wanted something that was going to be dark in color. There isn’t a lot of food out that is naturally super-rich in pigment. At least not rich enough for a small amount to saturate an entire cocktail. But then I thought about those dark, almost-black crimson bottles of pomegranate juice that I see at the grocery store all the time. If you’ve never had pomegranate juice, it’s uber tart and ultra-pigmented. Perfect for a Halloween cocktail.

Pears, apples, cranberries, and figs get all the attention in fall but did you know that pomegranates actually belong on the list of fall fruits, too? I didn’t until recently. As in, just now when I looked it up to see if I could justify making a fall pomegranate cocktail. Turns out they’re in season from late September into early December. Yep. Fall fruits.

Kraken's Cavern is a delicious, spiced pomegranate cocktail. It's bright and fruity, thanks to the pomegranate juice, but has some warm complexity thanks to the spiced rum, cinnamon syrup, and ginger beer.

If you’ve noticed a trend here on Girl & Tonic, gin is kinda my go-to spirit. I just love it so much. Each brand varies wildly from the next and it’s an extremely versatile spirit. The first time I attempted to make this Kraken’s Cavern, I used gin. And it was okay. It just… didn’t feel very fall-y. And the cinnamon simple syrup that I was so excited to use didn’t quite mesh with the gin I had chosen. I was wanting this recipe to come across much warmer… How could I warm it up?

I was already using cinnamon syrup (very warming) and ginger beer (lots of great spice & kick). Aside from actually serving the drink warm, I didn’t know what to do. Then it hit me. Spiced rum. YES. I could already imagine what it tasted like before it hit my tongue. One of my favorite go-to cocktails of all time is the Sea Monster. Unfortunately for the tastebuds of the world, it’s not a well-known drink. But I’ve been seeking to change that for a few years now.

The 4 building blocks of the Sea Monster are spiced rum, grapefruit juice, grenadine, and ginger beer. And since grenadine is a pomegranate-flavored syrup (not cherry, like many believe), I knew that the pomegranate and the spiced rum would marry wonderfully in Kraken’s Cavern. Kraken is also my favorite brand of spiced rum but any spiced rum would work well in this recipe.

Kraken's Cavern is a delicious, spiced pomegranate cocktail. It's bright and fruity, thanks to the pomegranate juice, but has some warm complexity thanks to the spiced rum, cinnamon syrup, and ginger beer.

This cocktail is so good y’all. It’s got some depth and complexity while remaining pretty simple. I used some Pomegranate Margarita mix in this recipe because I had a gifted bottle on hand. But you can definitely just use more pomegranate juice in its place. You may also want to add a little more cinnamon syrup, too, since the Pom Marg mix was pretty sweet. Or you know, keep it tart. That’s the beautiful thing about cocktails– they’re completely customizable. I mean, I used pomegranate margarita mix with rum. All cocktail “rules” are meant to be bent and broken.

If you’re looking for a more traditional fall cocktail, check out my Mulled White Wine, the Autumn in Tuscany, or Morgan Mends the Line. A good ol’ Rum Old Fashioned also makes for a great fall cocktail. But if you’re in the mood for a unique recipe, don’t sleep on Kraken’s Cavern. Or should I say in?

Kraken's Cavern is a delicious, spiced pomegranate cocktail. It's bright and fruity, thanks to the pomegranate juice, but has some warm complexity thanks to the spiced rum, cinnamon syrup, and ginger beer.

Ingredients for a Kraken’s Cavern

  • 1 1/2 oz spiced rum (Use Kraken if you’ve got it!)
  • 3/4 oz pomegranate juice
  • 3/4 oz pomegranate margarita mixer
  • 3/4 oz lemon juice
  • 1/2 oz cinnamon simple syrup (here’s an easy recipe)
  • 1+ oz ginger beer

How to Make a Kraken’s Cavern

Add all ingredients, except for the ginger beer, into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well, about 20 seconds. Pour into a lowball glass filled with ice. Top the glass off with the ginger beer and stir to incorporate. Add another small splash of pomegranate juice on top for spooky dramatic effect.

Kraken’s Cavern

A spiced pomegranate cocktail with spiced rum, cinnamon syrup, and ginger beer.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ oz spiced rum (Kraken, if you've got it!)
  • ¾ oz pomegranate juice
  • ¾ oz pomegranate Margarita mixer*
  • ¾ oz lemon juice
  • ½ oz cinnamon simple syrup**
  • 1+ oz ginger beer

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients, except for the ginger beer, into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
  • Shake well, about 20 seconds. Pour into a lowball glass filled with ice.
  • Top the glass off with the ginger beer and stir to incorporate.
  • Optional – Add another small splash of pomegranate juice on top for spooky dramatic effect.

Notes

*If you can’t find a pomegranate Margarita mixer, add in another 1/4 oz of pomegranate juice and another 1/4 oz of cinnamon simple syrup.
**It’s super easy to make your own cinnamon simple syrup. Here’s a recipe.
Keyword cinnamon, cinnamon simple syrup, kraken’s cavern, lemon, lemon juice, margarita mixer, pomegranate, pomegranate juice, spiced rum
gin

Ramos Gin Fizz| A Riff on the classic cocktail with Botanical Rum & Cardamom Simple Syrup

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This Ramos Gin Fizz is made with cardamom syrup in lieu of regular simple syrup and swaps the gin for botanical rum. It's a classic cocktail that takes extra time to whip up... but it's well worth it.

Today’s recipe is a variation of the infamous Ramos Gin Fizz. This version is made with botanical rum instead of gin and cardamom simple syrup for a warm, earthy touch. You can’t go wrong with the traditional recipe though. Both versions are creamy and slightly sweet. Try them both and see what you prefer!

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

Here’s an unofficial disclosure: this cocktail recipe may be a little difficult to achieve, but it is well worth the effort. The Ramos Gin Fizz is known for being one of the more complicated cocktails to create. The ingredients are very accessible, which is good. A Ramos Gin Fizz just requires a LOT of shaking, special pouring, and a few extra steps. But if you made any cocktail with egg white before (like a classic Whiskey Sour, Gin Campari Sour, or a New York Sour) then you’re ready to tackle this cocktail recipe.

This Ramos Gin Fizz is made with cardamom syrup in lieu of regular simple syrup and swaps the gin for botanical rum. It's a classic cocktail that takes extra time to whip up... but it's well worth it.

The Ramos Gin Fizz has been around for more than 100 years. Yup. 132 years, to be exact. It was created by a guy named Henry Ramos in 1888 in New Orleans, Louisiana. In fact, according to the article that Gin Foundry wrote about this classic cocktail, it was originally dubbed The New Orleans Fizz. The drink was so popular that the bar hired “shaker boys” who would form a line, all taking turns to shake the cocktail shaker.

There are a few different techniques to make this drink. I tried the instructions listed on Difford’s Guide and I also tried the ones in the Gin Foundry article I listed above. They both produced good results. No shaker boys needed.

The traditional Ramos Gin Fizz calls for traditional simple syrup (1:1 sugar to water ratio) but I opted to use some cardamom simple syrup. It’s so easy to make– just through a few spoons of cardamom pods into simple syrup. If you’re unfamiliar with cardamom, it is one of the key flavors in chai tea. It’s got a warm, slightly earthy flavor that’s quite distinctive but not too overpowering.

This classic cocktail is served in a Collins glass or a highball glass in order to showcase the beautiful foam the drink is famous for. Usually, I’d say you can serve your cocktail in whatever glass suits your fancy, but I recommend following tradition here.

This Ramos Gin Fizz is made with cardamom syrup in lieu of regular simple syrup and swaps the gin for botanical rum. It's a classic cocktail that takes extra time to whip up... but it's well worth it.

The Ramos Gin Fizz may be extra work but it’s a classic that every home bartender should try shaking up at least once in their life. If you do try making one of these, tag me on Instagram!

Ingredients for a Ramos Gin Fizz

How to Make a Ramos Gin Fizz

**If you use a metal cocktail shaker** place it in the freezer to chill it or shake some ice cubes in it for a few seconds. This is done to ensure that the metal will contract and form a tight seal for when we do a “dry shake” (shaking without ice) with the ingredients. If you attempt to do a dry shake in a metal cocktail shaker without first chilling it, it’s gonna leak everywhere.

Add all of the ingredients except the club soda to a chilled cocktail shaker. Do not add ice. This is what’s called a “dry shake”. Shake vigorously for as long as you can, 45-60 seconds would be amazing. It still might leak a bit, so you may want to do this over a sink. Add ice and shake again, 45-60 seconds.

Have your empty Collins glass ready. Strain the cocktail shaker into the glass while simultaneously slowly pouring the club soda. Pour from a higher-than-usual distance for optimum foam-age. Stop when the glass is full.

Place the glass into the freezer for 1 minute. The time allows for the foam to start separating from the rest of the drink and the cold temperature helps it stiffen a bit. Take the glass out and slowly pour more club soda into the center of the foam, again from a high distance. The foam should start to rise above the glass. Stop when the foam is about an inch or two above the glass.

Serve with a straw and an optional orange slice or lemon peel.

Ramos Gin Fizz

A classic cocktail made with citrus and cream.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker

Ingredients
  

  • 2 oz gin (I used botanical rum for a twist)
  • ½ oz lemon juice
  • ½ oz lime juice
  • ¾ oz simple syrup (I used cardamom simple syrup- here's the easy recipe)
  • ¾ oz half & half or heavy cream
  • 3 drops vanilla extract
  • 3 drops orange blossom water
  • 1 egg white
  • club soda

Instructions
 

  • Add all of the ingredients except the club soda to a chilled cocktail shaker*. Do not add ice. This is what's called a "dry shake". Shake vigorously for as long as you can, 60+ seconds would be amazing. It might leak a bit, so you may want to shake over a sink.
  • Add ice and shake again, 60+ seconds. The more you shake, the denser your foam will be.
  • Have your empty Collins glass ready. Strain the cocktail shaker into the glass while simultaneously slowly pouring the club soda. Pour from a higher-than-usual distance for optimum foam-age. Stop when the glass is full.
  • Place the glass into the freezer for 1 minute. The time allows for the foam to start separating from the rest of the drink and the cold temperature helps it stiffen a bit.
  • Take the glass out and slowly pour more club soda into the center of the foam, again from a high distance. The foam should start to rise above the glass. Stop when the foam is about an inch or two above the glass.
  • Serve with a straw and an optional orange slice or lemon peel.

Notes

*If you use a metal cocktail shaker, place it in the freezer to chill it or shake some ice cubes in it for a few seconds. This is done to ensure that the metal will contract and form a tight seal for when we do a “dry shake” (shaking without ice) with the ingredients. If you attempt to do a dry shake in a metal cocktail shaker without first chilling it, it’s gonna leak everywhere.
Keyword botanical rum, club soda, cream, egg white, half and half, lemon, lemon juice, lime, lime juice, orange blossom water, ramos gin fizz, vanilla extract

whiskey

Morgan Mends the Line | A Custom Cocktail with Orange Spice Tea-Infused Whiskey

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Morgan Mends the Line is a bold yet sweet cocktail made with orange spice tea-infused whiskey, tangelo juice, lemon juice, and ginger simple syrup. It blurs the lines between sweet and bold, complex and simple. It's a custom cocktail

Morgan Mends the Line is a bold yet sweet cocktail made with orange spice tea-infused whiskey, tangelo juice, lemon juice, and ginger simple syrup. It blurs the lines between sweet and bold, complex and simple. It’s a custom cocktail created especially for my Instagram friend Morgan.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

A few weeks back, Girl & Tonic hit a milestone– I got 1,000 followers on Instagram. 🎉 As a mom, I’m a pro at celebrating evverrryy milestone. As my follower count inched towards 1K, I was already brainstorming ways to commerorate this occassion. A giveaway was my first thought– that’s kinda the norm on Instagram. Reach X amount of followers, run a giveaway. I wasn’t feeling the traditional route though.

After a lot of different ideas, I did end up settling on a giveaway– a custom cocktail giveaway. To be entered, all someone had to do was comment on the post as many times as you wanted. The winner would receive a custom cocktail named after them and also a printed recipe card. I was shocked by how well-received it was.

I used a random comment picker and an awesome gal named Morgan (@morganreidmiller) won! I was honestly surprised because one of my Instagram friend’s comments equated for 1/5 of all the entries. Probability and statistics, eh? 🤔

Morgan, the inspiration behind the custom cocktail Morgan Mends the Line
Morgan, the inspiration behind Morgan Mends the Line

The idea behind a customized cocktail is to create a recipe that personifies that individual. I’ve been IG friends with Morgan for several months now so I knew some about her already. To get to know her more, I sent her a questionnaire and my Custom Cocktail Word Board. I had SO much fun thinking up a custom cocktail recipe that reflected her. Here are the reasons behind the name and ingredient choices.

Morgan has a few interests that would be so fun to explore through a cocktail, but I decided to focus on her love for fly fishing. The name Morgan Mends the Line is not only a nod to the fly fishing term, but also to Morgan’s personality.

Morgan Mends the Line is a bold yet sweet cocktail made with orange spice tea-infused whiskey, tangelo juice, lemon juice, and ginger simple syrup. It blurs the lines between sweet and bold, complex and simple. It's a custom cocktail created for the winner of my 1K followers giveaway.

To “mend the line” in fly fishing means to handle your fishing line and rod in a particular way to combat the currents of the water. This is done to keep the lure, or the “fly”, from drifting too far downstream. If a line is mended poorly, the lure will either move too slowly or too quickly to be perceived as a real fly. No fish will fall for it. Mending the line requires a steady hand and a perceptive eye that knows when to build up the slack and when to adjust.

You see, when I asked Morgan what she was most proud of, she said “my ability to work through tough situations with a level head and objectively”. Ahh. Now I can see why she’s both drawn to fly fishing and why she’s good at it. Fly fishing, and this cocktail, externalize Morgan’s inner strength–remaining at ease under tense situations.

Morgan Mends the Line is a bold yet sweet cocktail made with orange spice tea-infused whiskey, tangelo juice, lemon juice, and ginger simple syrup. It blurs the lines between sweet and bold, complex and simple. It's a custom cocktail created for the winner of my 1K followers giveaway.

“Bold” is one of the adjectives that Morgan selected from the Custom Cocktail Word Board. I wanted to add some kind of spicy kick but also needed to keep it in check because “sweet” was a selected adjective as well. Ginger simple syrup is the perfect solution.

Morgan is also a very talented barista. The obvious choice would’ve been to use coffee liqueur in the drink. But two of the words she selected from the word board were “adventurous” and “creative”, so I knew I had to push the envelope a bit. I decided to infuse whiskey (one of her fav liquors) with orange spice tea. It’s got the boldness and the caffeine of coffee but a sweet flavor and aroma that really complements the whiskey. I also tried making it with vodka and it was good, too.

I served it up in a coupe glass because Morgan selected the word “intricate”. Many whiskey drinks are typically served in a lowball or Old Fashioned glass. By serving this one in a coupe glass, it gives the drink a more delicate, gentle persona. Like Morgan.

Morgan Mends the Line is a bold yet sweet cocktail made with orange spice tea-infused whiskey, tangelo juice, lemon juice, and ginger simple syrup. It blurs the lines between sweet and bold, complex and simple. It's a custom cocktail created for the winner of my 1K followers giveaway.

There’s the story behind Morgan Mends the Line. Thank you to all of you who entered the giveaway! This definitely won’t be the last custom cocktail giveaway I do.

(Before any of you fly fishermen and fisherwomen out there come for me, I *know* the lure used as a garnish isn’t one used for fly-fishing. I used what I had on hand, okay? 😅 I’ve never fly-fished before but I would really love to. The only reason I was able to write this post is because of what I learned from Matthew Bernhardt’s article on Drift Hook.)

Ingredients for Morgan Mends the Line

How to Make a Morgan Mends the Line

To make the orange spice tea-infused whiskey, pour 5 oz of whiskey into a small jar and add one bag of orange spice tea. Let the whiskey and the tea infuse at room temperature for 30 minutes. Remove the teabag. Store the extra whiskey in an airtight container. It’ll keep for a long time.

Add ice, the orange spice tea-infused whiskey, tangelo juice, lemon juice, and ginger simple syrup to a cocktail shaker. Shake well. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a slice of lemon (or a fishing lure but not really bc that’s dangerous, y’all).

Morgan Mends the Line

A bold and sweet cocktail made with orange spice tea-infused whiskey, citrus, and ginger simple syrup.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ oz orange spice tea-infused whiskey*
  • ½ oz tangelo juice (can sub clementine, orange, or cara cara juice)
  • ¼ oz lemon juice
  • ½ oz ginger simple syrup**

Instructions
 

  • Add ice, the orange spice tea-infused whiskey, tangelo juice, lemon juice, and ginger simple syrup to a cocktail shaker.
     
  • Shake well.
  • Strain into a coupe glass.
  • Garnish with a slice of lemon (or a fishing lure but not really bc that's dangerous).

Notes

*To make the orange spice tea-infused whiskey, pour 5 oz of whiskey into a small jar and add one bag of orange spice tea. Let the whiskey and the tea infuse at room temperature for 30 minutes. Remove the teabag. Store the extra whiskey in an airtight container. It’ll keep for a long time. (You can also use vodka if you prefer. It will have a more mild flavor, which some may prefer.)
**Click here for an easy ginger simple syrup recipe.
Keyword ginger, ginger simple syrup, lemon, lemon juice, orange spice tea, simple syrup, tangelo, whiskey
Morgan Mends the Line is a bold yet sweet cocktail made with orange spice tea-infused whiskey, tangelo juice, lemon juice, and ginger simple syrup. It blurs the lines between sweet and bold, complex and simple. It's a custom cocktail created for the winner of my 1K followers giveaway.
vodka

Black Lemon and Basil Cocktail| A Sublime Cocktail with Lemon Basil & Black Lemon

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This Black Lemon and Basil Cocktail is an exotic drink with a clean taste; it's made with fresh lemon basil, black lemon sparkling tea, lemon juice, and simple syrup. This lemon basil & black lemon cocktail is perfect for lemon lovers who want to venture beyond the Lemon Drop.
This Black Lemon and Basil Cocktail is an exotic drink with a clean taste; it’s made with fresh lemon basil, black lemon sparkling tea, lemon juice, and simple syrup. This lemon basil & black lemon cocktail is perfect for lemon lovers who want to venture beyond the Lemon Drop.

I never win anything. Giveaways, cherry pies in cakewalks, knock-off plushies in claw machines, money from lottery tickets, free sandwiches. Nada. Statistically speaking, I’m sure most people in the world would say “me either.”

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

I don’t feel like a “lucky” person. I guess I don’t fully *believe* in Luck (maybe It knows). But when I think about my old coworker who’s won TWO cars and tens of thousands of dollars from gambling, I’ve gotta chalk it up to something. I guess it is luck and I just don’t have much of it.

But that changed a few weeks ago. I WON A GIVEAWAY. An Instagram giveaway, at that. I must’ve quadruple-checked the message when I saw it. And before you get all excited and start trying to figure out where I live, I didn’t win anything crazy.

I won a sampler of Sparkling Botanicals sparkling teas. A 12-pack y’all 🙌 I had seen these gorgeous cans sporadically in my Instagram feed and oohed and ahhed at all the flavors. Ooh and ahh is all I did though because these babies are pri-cey. I hopelessly entered the giveaway, as I often do, and went about my life until the fateful DM that ushered in my stroke of luck.

This Black Lemon and Basil Cocktail is an exotic drink with a clean taste; it's made with fresh lemon basil, black lemon sparkling tea, lemon juice, and simple syrup. This lemon basil & black lemon cocktail is perfect for lemon lovers who want to venture beyond the Lemon Drop.

A couple days later a friend texted me. “I went to the farmers’ market today and got some lemon basil. The guy gave me a one-pound bag– I’ll never be able to eat it by myself. Can I bring you some tomorrow?” Seriously. Get you some friends that support your cocktail creating habits. As soon as I saw the words “lemon basil”, I knew I wanted to use it in combination with the black lemon flavor of Sparkling Botanicals.

Just in case you’re wondering if you read that right, yes- it does say black lemon. I’d never heard of it before but I was intrigued. Turns out, black lemons are actually limes (usually) that have been dried. They’re soaked in a brine solution before being left to dry out in the sun. Black lemon is a common ingredient in Iranian cooking and has a distinguishable taste. If you’re intrigued, too, you can buy a bag of them on Amazon. Supposedly they’re a sublime addition to stews and soups.

This Black Lemon and Basil Cocktail is an exotic drink with a clean taste; it's made with fresh lemon basil, black lemon sparkling tea, lemon juice, and simple syrup. This lemon basil & black lemon cocktail is perfect for lemon lovers who want to venture beyond the Lemon Drop.

If you can’t purchase Sparkling Botanicals’ black lemon flavor, you can use lemon sparkling water instead. Instead of calling it a Black Lemon and Basil, you can just dub it a Lemon and Basil. It won’t taste the same but it’ll still be good, especially if you’re able to get your hands on some lemon basil.

Lemon basil tastes exactly what it sounds like and it smells straight-up divine. This was my first time ever having it & that’s a crying shame. I put some of these cuttings in a bottle of water to propagate and they’re just about ready to transplant into a pot. Then I can have an endless supply of lemon basil at home. Well, if I keep it alive. If you need some tips on how to grow your own basil at home, check out this great article written by Okra In My Garden.

This Black Lemon and Basil Cocktail is an exotic drink with a clean taste; it's made with fresh lemon basil, black lemon sparkling tea, lemon juice, and simple syrup. This lemon basil & black lemon cocktail is perfect for lemon lovers who want to venture beyond the Lemon Drop.

If you’re looking for other exotic drinks, check out my Golden Pothos cocktail that also calls for cardamom simple syrup and turmeric, and my Rub of the Green that utilizes matcha simple syrup and cardamom bitters.

Have you ever had a black lemon cocktail or used lemon basil in a cocktail? Let me know in a comment below!

Ingredients for a Black Lemon and Basil Cocktail

  • 1 1/2 oz vodka, or gin
  • 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
  • 4-6 lemon basil leaves
  • 1/2 oz cardamom simple syrup
  • 3+ oz black lemon sparkling water

How to Make a Black Lemon and Basil Cocktail

Add the liquor, freshly-squeezed lemon juice, cardamom simple syrup, and lemon basil leaves to a cocktail shaker. Gently muddle the basil, making sure to only bruise the leaves and not obliterate them. Add ice and shake well for about 20 seconds. Strain into a highball or Collins glass that’s been filled with ice. Top off the rest of the glass with the black lemon sparkling water. Garnish with additional lemon basil leaves.

Black Lemon & Basil Cocktail

This cocktail has bright notes of lemon warmed up by black lemon sparkling water and cardamom syrup. It's refreshing with a subtle complexity that'll make you want to take sip after sip.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker

Ingredients
  

  • 1½-2 oz vodka, or gin
  • ½ oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed
  • 4-6 leaves lemon basil
  • ½ oz cardamom simple syrup*
  • 3+ oz black lemon sparkling water

Instructions
 

  • Add the liquor, freshly-squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup, and lemon basil leaves to a cocktail shaker.
  • Gently muddle the basil, making sure to only bruise, not obliterate them.
  • Add ice and shake well for about 20 seconds.
  • Strain into a highball or Collins glass that's been filled with ice.
  • Top off the rest of the glass with the black lemon sparkling water.
  • Garnish with additional lemon basil leaves and a lemon wheel.

Notes

*You can find the easy recipe for cardamom simple syrup here.
Keyword beet simple syrup, black lemon, gin, lemon basil, sparkling water, vodka
This cocktail has bright notes of lemon warmed up by black lemon sparkling water and cardamom syrup. It's refreshing with a subtle complexity that'll make you want to take sip after sip.