Basil “Collins” Cocktail

This refreshing basil cocktail is a summery spin on the Tom Collins! It’s tart and bubbly, with fresh herbs and cucumber. 

Here’s a deliciously bubbly drink that’s calling your name (and ours too): the Basil Collins! This basil cocktail is a summer spin on the Tom Collins, featuring cucumber and that peppery fresh herb you might be growing in a pot or your garden. It’s got a tangy sweet flavor, a cucumber basil essence and a load of bubbles packed in that glass. Add some jingling ice cubes, and it’s a drink fit for flip flops and summer evenings.

Ingredients in this basil cocktail

This basil cocktail is a spin on a drink that makes our list of top greatest cocktails of all time: the Tom Collins! The first recipe for a Tom Collins was published in 1876. How’s that for historical? It’s stood the test of time and makes the list of the International Bartender Association’s IBA official cocktails, meaning it has an official definition. This summer spin just adds cucumber and fresh basil. Here’s what you’ll need to make a Basil Collins:

• Basil
• Cucumber slices
• Gin
• Simple syrup
• Lemon juice
• Soda water (aka club soda)

Tips for muddling basil

This basil cocktail is perfect for summer, when you’ve got a prolific basil plant. What drink to make with basil? The Basil Collins! The main skill you’ll need for any cocktail that uses fresh herbs is called muddling. What is it?

• Muddling is gently mashing herbs to release their juices, which helps the flavors incorporate into drinks. 
• The key with muddling basil is a gentle touch. Don’t mash it to a pulp! Instead, gently tap it to release its oils.
• Use a cocktail muddler or wooden spoon. Here’s the cocktail muddler we have.

Once you add the cucumber slices, you can muddle with a little more force. You’ll want to extract some of the cucumber juice, so you can give it a little more elbow grease.

How to make this cucumber basil cocktail: basic steps

This basil cocktail is simple to make: the hardest part is muddling the fresh ingredients! After that, it’s just a matter of shaking and straining. Here are the basic steps, or jump to the recipe below.

1. Muddle the basil and cucumber in the cocktail shaker. See above!
2. Add the remaining ingredients and ice, and shake! Add the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup and shake it together in a cocktail shaker with 1 handful ice.
3. Strain into a glass and top off with soda water. Strain the drink into a glass with ice cubes, then top with club soda. If you can, use clear ice! It’s crystal clear instead of cloudy like normal ice, and makes the drink look like it’s from a fancy bar.
4. Garnish! This is what makes the drink! Add a few cucumber and basil slices.

More basil cocktails

It’s not just for pesto. There are lots of ways to use this peppery fresh herb in cocktails! Here are our top ways to make basil cocktails:

• Mix up a tasty Gin Basil Smash
• Try a Strawberry Basil Cocktail, a spin on the G&T
• Grab a lemon lime flavored Gin & Basil Cocktail
• Try the classy Basil Gimlet

01

Gin Basil Smash

02

Strawberry Basil Cocktail

03

Gin & Basil Cocktail

04

Basil Gimlet Recipe

When to serve a basil cocktail

This basil cocktail is great for summer: or anytime you have a bushy herb plant that needs a use! Here are a few ideas:

• Summer drink
• Pool party or lake house drink
• Happy hour drink
• Dinner party drink
• Cocktail hour drink

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