Cookies help us deliver the best experience on our website. By clicking Accept you are agreeing to the placement and use of cookies as described in our privacy policy.
The difference between a forgettable cocktail and a memorable one is often a single fresh herb. Eight cocktails below are built around herbs you can grow in two square feet of floor space, and each one outperforms its bar-version counterpart for the simple reason that the herb was alive 10 minutes ago.
Key takeaways
- Herb cocktails are the easiest cocktail upgrade you can make. Fresh herbs change the drink the way no garnish can.
- Eight cocktails cover the summer: basil smash, rosemary gimlet, sage paloma, mint julep, cilantro margarita, thyme grapefruit highball, lavender lemonade, oregano spritz.
- Each uses one or two herbs you can grow in a single Gardyn column.
- Fresh herbs need to be muddled gently (bruised, not pulverized) to release oils without releasing bitterness.
- Simple syrups infused with herbs extend the application and store for weeks in the fridge.
How to muddle herbs the right way
The most common cocktail-bar mistake is over-muddling. Crushed herbs release bitter compounds from the leaf stems and veins. Gently bruised herbs release the volatile aromatic oils you actually want. Use a muddler or the back of a wooden spoon, and press the leaves once or twice with light pressure. Stop when the leaves are bruised and aromatic, not pulverized.
1. Basil smash
The cocktail that started the modern herb-cocktail revival. Gin, basil, lemon, sugar. Done.
Ingredients (per drink)
- 2 oz gin
- 6 fresh basil leaves
- 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 oz simple syrup
- Basil leaf for garnish
Method
Gently muddle basil with simple syrup in a shaker. Add gin, lemon juice, ice. Shake hard for 15 seconds. Double-strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a basil leaf.
2. Rosemary gimlet
Rosemary brings a piney, almost floral note to gin. Made with infused syrup, it’s elegant. Made with a fresh sprig, it’s dramatic.
Ingredients (per drink)
- 2 oz gin
- 3/4 oz fresh lime juice
- 3/4 oz rosemary simple syrup
- Fresh rosemary sprig for garnish
Rosemary simple syrup
Heat 1 cup water + 1 cup sugar until dissolved. Off heat, add 4 fresh rosemary sprigs. Steep 30 minutes. Strain. Keeps refrigerated for 2 weeks.
Method
Combine gin, lime juice, and rosemary syrup in a shaker with ice. Shake. Strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a rosemary sprig.
3. Sage paloma
The classic paloma (tequila and grapefruit) gets a sage twist that grounds the brightness with earthiness.
Ingredients (per drink)
- 2 oz tequila blanco
- 3 fresh sage leaves
- 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
- 3 oz fresh grapefruit juice
- Splash of soda water
- Pinch of salt
- Sage leaf and grapefruit twist for garnish
Method
Gently muddle sage with a pinch of salt in a shaker. Add tequila, lime, grapefruit juice, and ice. Shake. Strain into a tall glass over fresh ice. Top with soda water. Garnish.
4. Classic mint julep
The Kentucky Derby drink, refined since 1862. Bourbon, mint, sugar, crushed ice. Few drinks reward fresh herbs more.
Ingredients (per drink)
- 2 oz bourbon
- 8 fresh mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon sugar (or 1/2 oz simple syrup)
- Crushed ice
- Mint sprig for garnish
Method
In a julep cup or rocks glass, gently muddle mint with sugar and a splash of water. Fill the glass with crushed ice. Pour bourbon over. Stir gently. Top with more crushed ice if needed. Garnish with a mint sprig (slap the sprig against your wrist first to release the aroma).
| “A fresh herb cocktail with herbs picked five minutes ago tastes like a different drink than the same recipe made with grocery herbs that have been sitting in a fridge for a week.”
Gardyn test kitchen |
5. Cilantro margarita
Cilantro and tequila were made for each other. This margarita is bright, herbal, and just spicy enough.
Ingredients (per drink)
- 2 oz tequila blanco
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- 1/2 oz triple sec or orange liqueur
- 1/2 oz simple syrup
- 6 cilantro leaves
- Optional: 1 jalapeño slice
- Salt for rim, cilantro sprig for garnish
Method
Salt the rim of a rocks glass. Gently muddle cilantro and (optional) jalapeño in a shaker. Add tequila, lime juice, triple sec, simple syrup, and ice. Shake. Double-strain into the salted glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a cilantro sprig.
6. Thyme grapefruit highball
Low-alcohol, refreshing, herbal. The drink you can serve at brunch and again at sunset.
Ingredients (per drink)
- 1.5 oz vodka or gin
- 3 oz fresh grapefruit juice
- 1/2 oz thyme simple syrup
- Soda water to top
- Fresh thyme sprig for garnish
Thyme simple syrup
Heat 1 cup water + 1 cup sugar to dissolve. Off heat, add 1/2 cup fresh thyme. Steep 30 minutes. Strain.
Method
Combine spirit, grapefruit juice, and thyme syrup in a tall glass over ice. Top with soda. Stir gently. Garnish with thyme sprig.
7. Lavender lemonade (alcoholic or not)
Lavender brings a floral note that’s unmistakable. The non-alcoholic version is just as good as the spiked one.
Ingredients (per drink)
- 2 oz vodka (omit for non-alcoholic)
- 1 oz fresh lemon juice
- 3/4 oz lavender simple syrup
- 3 oz soda water or sparkling water
- Fresh lavender sprig for garnish
Lavender simple syrup
Heat 1 cup water + 1 cup sugar to dissolve. Off heat, add 2 tablespoons dried culinary lavender buds (or 1/4 cup fresh). Steep 20 minutes. Strain. Don’t over-steep; lavender turns soapy quickly.
Method
Combine vodka (if using), lemon juice, and lavender syrup in a tall glass over ice. Top with soda. Stir. Garnish with a lavender sprig.
8. Oregano spritz
Italian-style, low-alcohol, savory. Oregano is the surprise herb that works perfectly with aperitifs like Aperol.
Ingredients (per drink)
- 2 oz Aperol or Campari
- 3 oz prosecco
- 1 oz soda water
- 3 fresh oregano sprigs
- Orange slice for garnish
Method
In a large wine glass filled with ice, add Aperol, prosecco, and soda. Slap the oregano sprigs against your wrist to release the aroma and drop into the glass. Garnish with an orange slice.
The cocktail-ready Gardyn
Every herb in these eight cocktails grows in a Gardyn column. A Gardyn Home easily handles basil, mint, rosemary, sage, thyme, cilantro, oregano, and lavender simultaneously, with room left for the other yCubes you want.
| Stock your bar from your garden
A Gardyn floor column grows eight cocktail herbs in two square feet. Memorial Day sale is on now. |
Frequently asked questions
Can I prep these cocktails ahead?
The herb-infused simple syrups can be made days or weeks ahead and stored in the fridge. The actual cocktails should be shaken to order. Pre-shaken cocktails lose their texture within 10 to 15 minutes.
What if I don’t want to muddle?
Use herb-infused syrups instead. Make the syrup once, use it for weeks. The flavor is slightly less bright than fresh-muddled but the convenience is dramatic.
How long do herb simple syrups last?
Two to three weeks in the fridge. Store in a clean glass bottle. If you see any cloudiness or off smell, discard and make fresh.
What’s the best gin for these herb cocktails?
London Dry style gins work best for the basil, rosemary, and lemon-forward drinks. New Western or contemporary gins (Hendrick’s, etc.) can be too floral when combined with herbs.
Can I use dried herbs for cocktails?
Dried lavender works (and is actually traditional for lavender cocktails). Most other herbs lose too much of their volatile flavor when dried. Use fresh.
Are these recipes scalable for a party?
Yes. Scale all ingredients proportionally for a pitcher. For carbonated drinks (spritzes, palomas), add the bubbles last to preserve fizz.