Somerset
A Refreshing Gin Spritz
Cucumber Gin Cocktail Recipe
Cucumber gin cocktails are what you want in your glass. In recent years, cucumber has become a go to addition to gin drinks. Like gin, cucumber is light and refreshing. The two together make an extra refreshing cocktail. First, light anise notes and fresh green flavor complement gin botanicals beautifully.
This drink takes advantage of that pairing and adds basil and elderflower soda to the mix. Elderflower is also terrific addition to a summer cocktail. In this cucumber gin cocktail, elderflower soda brings all the components together.
Ingredients
There are a couple of tricky ingredients in this drink. Okay, maybe just the elderflower soda. Putting it all together is pretty simple.
- Gin – This is a cocktail that works well with a contemporary gin that goes a little easier on the juniper. Look for something that leans on floral, citrus and lighter botanical notes.
- Cucumber – Thinly sliced english cucumbers are best. Look for ones that are not to thick around. You want lots of juicy seed area and less flesh. Fresh delicious cucumber slices muddled in the bottom of a cocktail shaker is a glorious thing.
- Fresh Basil Leaves – This should be easy enough to find at the grocery store. Or, better yet, in your herb garden. Keeping a cocktail herb garden is truly a worthwhile hobby. If you like, you can swap fresh mint for basil.
- Elderflower Soda – Depending on where you live, this may be impossible to find or readily available. If you can’t find soda it is often easier to find elderflower syrup. Check your local specialty foods store. If that doesn’t work, Ikea and Amazon both carry it. If you can’t find it, you can replace it with club soda.
- Maraschino Liqueur – Maraschino liqueur is distilled from the tart and aromatic Marasca cherries, this liqueur has a flavor like no other. It is a great addition to your cocktails for an extra layer of complexity.
- Fresh Lime Juice – Fresh lime juice is always the way to go.
- Vanilla Syrup – Vanilla syrup is readily available, but it is an easy syrup to make. Just add a touch of vanilla extract to simple syrup and you’re good to go.
Method
This is a tall gin sour cocktail. It is made with lime juice, which means it will be shaken and strained into a tall glass filled with ice.
SOMERSET
CUCUMBER & BASIL GIN SPRITZ
MAKES 1 SERVING
TALL GLASS
- 2 cucumber wheels
- 2 basil leaves
- 4 oz Elderflower Soda
- 1 ½ oz London Dry Gin
- ½ oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- 1 oz vanilla simple syrup
TO BUILD
Place cucumber wheels, basil leaves and ice in a tall glass.
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add gin, maraschino, vanilla syrup and lime juice.
Shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds to mix, chill and dilute.
Stain into prepared glass.
Top with elderflower soda.
Garnish with basil tip.
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Summer Cocktails
This gin cucumber cocktail appears in the Cocktail Monkey Guide to Summer Cocktails. The guide contains many of our favorite summer cocktail recipes. It also has recipes for bitters, sodas and cocktail cherries. Get your copy when you subscribe to receive email updates.
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