When I stopped in at the
Sapphire Hotel on Hawthorne recently I knew I’d encounter some amazing specialty cocktails. What I didn’t expect to discover was something as uniquely delicious as their “Retrosex” cocktail, created with
Gin,
St. Germain Elderflower liqueur,
Grapefruit,
Lemon and a
Basil tincture.
A tincture is basically the essence of something, a very strong concentration, so adding the basil tincture to this cocktail made it the main flavor component.
Prior to this, the only time I had basil was on pizza, so I have a strong flavor association between fresh basil and tomato. My first sip of The Retrosex was nearly like drinking marinara sauce!
Now, I know that sounds pretty bizarre, but as my hands warmed up the glass and the ice melted to cut the strength of the cocktail, it became like
drinking a liquid garden. I realized at that moment I was hooked on herb infused drinks!
At the McMenamins
High Street Brewery and Cafe in Eugene, OR I had a
sweet iced tea and
vodka cocktail with muddled
mint and fresh
raspberries. I’ve never been a fan of mojitos so this was a nice alternative, and it inspired me to find more drink recipes online.
For an easy at-home version of the Sapphire's "Retrosex" you can try this
Basil-Gimlet recipe from the New York Times. Or for a tradition mint option you may want this
Southern Mint Julep from DrinksMixer.com
Would you consider adding herbs to your cocktails? What alcohol might you pair with Sage, Tarragon, or Rosemary?
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