Basil Gin Gimlet Cocktail

There’s just something about the beautiful marriage of fresh basil, lime, and a good gin.

Little did I know how much I’d love a Gimlet. Recently, while strolling through D.C., my husband and I stopped in for a cocktail at the nostalgic Old Ebbitt Grill. While this recipe isn’t your traditional Gimlet the twist of adding fresh basil adds another delightful layer of flavor that’ll have you dusting off your martini glasses in no time.

I’d never heard of a Gimlet, much less a Basil Gimlet.

I’d like to think I’m spontaneous but the truth is, I don’t venture into the unknown very often. Especially when it comes to food.

I want to try new things, be creative, expand my horizons but I most often order the same drinks, meals, and types of wine.

Shaking off my pattern, I left my tastebuds in the hands of the bartender at The Old Ebbitt Grill in D.C. and I’m so glad I did.

He asked me what I wanted and I started to say an Old Fashioned, but paused and told him I wanted to try more drinks with Gin.

My last real experience with Gin was in the early ’90s and that didn’t go so well. One day when ordering the usual Tanqueray and Tonic, I realized that I really didn’t like them! I only ordered them because everyone else did and I was so unfamiliar with cocktails it just became the routine.

A few minutes later he arrived with a traditional Gimlet. I was hooked. So perfectly mixed with Sipsmith Gin.

On the drive home I asked my husband if he would stop so we could buy some Gin. We couldn’t find Sipsmith so we settled on Barr Hill Gin.

What I love about Bar Hill is the delicate sweetness.

From the Barr Hill site —

“Barr Hill Gin is our ode to the hardworking bees of the Northeast. Each batch is distilled in our custom-built botanical extraction still. The juniper-forward botanicals are brought to a perfect balance by the floral depth of the raw honey. The results are distinctive and unparalleled. How do we extract such complexity from simple raw materials? Our secrets are kept in the hive.”

Fast forward a few nights, add a Google search for a Gin Gimlet and we’re off to the races. The first attempt yielded a drink that had way too much lime.

A few adjustments later and voila! We were drinking Gimlets.

On our next cocktail hour at the house, I decided to muddle some fresh basil and toss it into the shaker.

My new favorite cocktail just got elevated. The delicateness of the basil complimented the Gimlet so perfectly. Give the recipe a shot if you’re looking for something new and refreshing.

Cheers!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Hi there! Let me know if you made the Basil Gimlet. Leave a comment below. I’d also love to hear what your favorite Gin cocktail recipe is! 

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