How to: Make a Gin Basil Smash at Home!

Reading, working out, and cooking… a lot of us have discovered some new skills during this lockdown. Even if your days are similar, your Apéro beverage doesn’t have to be! It’s time to try new evening saveurs and allow your mind to escape to warmer days, with this Gin Basil Smash tutorial ..

If you’re an unofficial card-carrying member of the Apéros Frenchies crew, we can safely assume you do not need a refresher on the definition of L’Apéro.

If you need a remember of what is an Apéro, it’s time to check out our dedicated  article : But Wait! What even is an ‘Apéro’…?, we explain everything about it!  Now let’s come back to our lockdown routine, where we all miss our local bars, our favorite cocktails but most of all those incredible moments we shared with our friends, colleagues or family while siping a  good fresh drink…

Feeling nostalgic now? Here we go!  But hey, that wasn’t the point, we just want keep it positive. If this lockdown showed us how to improve our cooking, DIY skills or even work out skills, we can also most probably start to learn some bartending skills isn’t it?

This is why, after asking you on Instagram, which cocktail do you miss the most,  we selected for you a special one to do at home with only few ingredients : The Gin Basil Smash!

This has got to be one of my favorite cocktails and it’s all thanks to Jörg Meyer who owns Le Lion in Hamburg. Jörg created this masterpiece back in 2008 after being inspired by the Whisky Smash. The Gin Basil Smash is basically an alternative take on the gin mojito that swaps the mint for muddled basil, but it’s definitely in a league of its own. 

What do you need?

– 50ml of Citadelle Gin

– 1 bunch basil leaves (if in doubt as to how much, go heavy on the basil)

– 20ml fresh lemon juice

– 15ml sugar syrup (optional)

– Ice cubes

Cocktail shaker (or thermos)

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1- Place basil and lemon juice into a cocktail shaker (you can also use a thermos if you don’t have any shaker)

2- Squizz 20ml of lemons

3- Gently muddle the lemon and basil “smashing” the ingredients into the shaker.

4- Add  60 ml of Citadelle gin and top up with ice

5- Shake vigorously

6-  Double strain into an ice-filled rocks glass.

7- Garnish with basil leaves and flowers

Et voilà ! Santé! Don’t hesitate to share your creation with us on Instagram @aperos_frenchies!

You can fin our video on our IGTV !

Drink responsibly. 

Where to buy some Citadelle Gin? 

In Germany: Here

In UK: Here

In France: Here

In Netherlands: Here