Basil Martini Recipe

Prepare basil and jar

Rinse the fresh basil leaves gently and pat dry. Lightly bruise the leaves with your fingers to release oils, then place them into a clean 16-ounce (or larger) glass jar.

Combine gin and basil

Pour 2 cups of gin over the basil leaves, ensuring they are fully submerged. Seal the jar with a lid.

Infuse

Let the gin infuse at room temperature for 2 to 6 hours, tasting every hour after the first 2 hours until you detect a bright but not overpowering basil aroma. For a stronger flavor, infuse up to 12 hours but refrigerate after 6 hours to preserve freshness.

Strain and store

Once the desired intensity is reached, strain the gin through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter or cheesecloth into a clean bottle to remove solids. Label and store the basil-infused gin in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Chill glass

Place a martini or coupe glass in the freezer for 10–15 minutes or fill it with ice water while you mix the drink to ensure the glass is well chilled.

Muddle basil

In a mixing glass, place 3 fresh basil leaves. Gently muddle them with a muddler or the back of a spoon just until fragrant — do not shred into bits to avoid bitterness.

Mix cocktail

Add 3 oz basil-infused gin and 0.5 oz dry vermouth to the mixing glass. Fill the mixing glass with ice and stir gently for 20–30 seconds until well chilled and slightly diluted.

Strain

Discard the ice (or water) from the chilled serving glass. Double-strain the mixture into the chilled martini glass using a Hawthorne strainer and a fine mesh strainer to remove muddled basil bits and ice shards.

Garnish and serve

Express the oils of a lemon twist over the drink if using, or gently slap a basil leaf between your palms to release aroma and float it on top. Serve immediately.