A bright and herbaceous gin with fresh basil, beautifully balanced with fragrant lemongrass, fennel and aromatic clove.
Spring G&T
Herbaceous, fresh and cooling
50ml Cooper King Herb Gin
150ml Fever-Tree light Indian tonic water
Fresh basil leaf, to garnish
To make the perfect Spring G&T, mix 1 part gin to 3 parts light Indian tonic water in a glass filled with ice. Garnish with fresh herbs or spices (rather than citrus) and serve immediately. More tonic water can be added to taste. We’ve tried all manner of garnish pairings (it’s a tough job sometimes), and have chosen basil as our personal favourite for the Herb Gin.
Note: One of the most delightfully refreshing drinks. With ties back to 19th century India where the British drank copious amounts of gin, washed down with quinine and sugar water to help fight against malaria, it is a rightfully enduring classic.
Martini
Clean, light and bright; a lesson in simplicity
50ml Cooper King Herb Gin
30ml dry white vermouth
Green olive, to garnish
Add the vermouth and gin to a frozen mixing glass, add plenty of ice and stir until chilled. Double strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with the olive.
Note: This would be described as a ‘wet’ martini due to the high ratio of vermouth to gin. For a drier martini simply reduce the amount of vermouth.
Bee’s Knees
Zesty, moreish and revitalising
1 ½ grapefruit wedges
1 heaped teaspoon raw honey
50ml Cooper King Herb Gin
Grapefruit peel, to garnish
Squeeze the grapefruit wedges into a cocktail shaker (to yield 35ml of juice), add the wedges themselves along with the honey and stir until dissolved. Add the gin and one large ice cube and shake vigorously until chilled. Double strain into a rocks glass and garnish with the grapefruit peel.
Note: Typically made with lemon juice, we prefer the added depth that grapefruit juice brings to the drink. A whole grapefruit yields approximately 200ml of juice.
Deck Chair
Sweet, fruity and thirst-quenching
4 fresh strawberries
1 small fresh basil sprig
50ml Cooper King Herb Gin
10ml sugar syrup
50ml lemonade
Reserve one strawberry for garnish. Muddle remaining strawberries and basil sprig in a cocktail shaker, add gin, sugar syrup, plenty of ice and shake vigorously until chilled. Double strain into a rocks glass over 2 large ice cubes and top with lemonade. Garnish with the reserved strawberry.
Note: Feel free to mix things up and experiment with the variety of basil. Aristotle works beautifully, though Sweet, Genovese and Thai would all create delicious variants of the drink.
Kate’s Awake
Fresh, approachable and flavoursome. Developed by leading mixologist and drinks educator Cocktail Kate.
50ml Cooper King Herb Gin
25ml fresh lime juice
15ml sugar syrup
10ml dry white vermouth
5 fresh basil leaves (slapped)
Reserve one basil leaf for garnish. Add remaining ingredients to a cocktail shaker, add plenty of ice and shake vigorously until chilled. Double strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with the reserved basil leaf.