The Verbena & Mint

Serves
makes one cocktail

MATT TAYLOR-GROSS

Bar manager Jon di Pinto of Street ADL in Adelaide, South Australia, combines lemon verbena and gin for a crisp, refreshing summer cocktail.

Featured in: 21 Cocktails for our 21st Birthday

Ingredients

For the Lemon Verbena Sugar

3 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. lemon verbena leaves (8 leaves)
1 2” piece lemon zest

For the Cocktail

3 tbsp. lemon verbena sugar
1 lime wedge
1 tbsp. lemon verbena sugar
2 oz. gin
1 oz. lime juice
2 sprigs lemon verbena
2 sprigs mint

Instructions

Step 1

To make the sugar: Grind sugar, lemon verbena, and lemon zest in a spice grinder until fine.

Step 2

To make the cocktail: Combine 3 tablespoons lemon verbena sugar and 3 tablespoons water in a small saucepan over medium heat and simmer until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate syrup until ready to use.

Step 3

Place remaining lemon verbena sugar on a small plate. Rim a martini glass with the lime wedge and run the rim around the sugar; refrigerate until ready to use. Combine the gin, lime juice, and 1⁄2 ounce of the syrup in an ice filled shaker; shake vigorously, then strain into reserved glass and garnish with the lemon verbena and mint.