Straight from the garden: 5 botanical cocktails you need to try

1. Thyme Salty Dog  

The Salty Dog is a simple cocktail made from gin and grapefruit juice in a salt-crusted glass. Thyme’s minty, herbal flavour is an excellent addition to this zingy cocktail.

Combine 1 1/3 oz gin,and 3 1/3 oz grapefruit juice into a cocktail shaker with ice. Slap some fresh thyme between your palms to release its essential oils and drop it into the shaker. Shake vigorously and strain into a salt-rimmed highball glass, straight up. Garnish with another sprig of thyme and serve.

2. Charleston Fizz  

You don’t have to be from North Carolina to love the Charleston Fizz. Made with earthy tarragon, floral St-Germain, gin, sugar and grapefruit juice, all topped up with club soda, it’s aromatic and dangerously easy to drink. Who says tarragon was just for cooking? 

Muddle sprigs of fresh tarragon in a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice and add 3 oz grapefruit juice, 2 oz gin, 1/2 oz St-Germain and 1 oz simple syrup. Shake vigorously until chilled and strain into an ice-filled Collins glass. Top with club soda. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit and a fresh tarragon sprig.

3. Lavender Martini 

Queen Elizabeth I loved the taste of lavender, and ordered that there always be lavender jam on the royal table. After trying this cocktail, we understand why. Vanilla vodka, lemon juice, and lavender simple syrup make up this delicious floral take on the Martini. It turns out lavender can taste just as good as it smells. 

Combine 1 1/2 oz vanilla vodka, 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice and 1/4 oz lavender simple syrup into a shaker with ice. Shake well until cold, strain into a chilled Martini glass and garnish with a fresh lavender sprig.

4. Gin Basil Smash 

Not only does this cocktail taste great, you’ll also feel healthy drinking it. It’s vivid green and  perfectly crisp, ideal for sipping after dinner or while lounging in the sun. Made only from gin, fresh basil, lemon juice and simple syrup, it’s also remarkably easy to mix.

Muddle a handful of basil leaves in a shaker with 1 oz fresh lemon juice and 2/3 oz simple syrup. Add 2 oz of gin and some ice. Shake well. Double-strain into an ice-filled rocks glass, garnish with a fresh sprig of basil and serve.

5. Rosemary Gin Fizz 

The Gin Fizz is a New Orleans classic, once so popular that entire teams of barmen would need to work in rotation to keep them flowing. It’s a light and refreshing cocktail, appropriate for almost any drinking situation. A rosemary-infused simple syrup adds a distinctive, woody herbal flavour.

Combine 2 oz gin, 1 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1 oz rosemary simple syrup in shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled highball glass. Top off with club soda and garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary.