Surprise! Gin IS Delicious! Late Summer, Blackberry Lemonade Cocktail

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I have been enjoying cocktails for over 40 years and enjoy just about everything – except gin. I have never liked gin – until today!

I have never liked gin - until today! Hendrick's Gin is smooth and delicious with no pine tree taste.

Irene was coming for a visit on Labor Day and I wanted to have something new for her to try at cocktail hour. I am NOT ready for pumpkin anything! Nor apples and cinnamon. It’s still summer in my world and I wanted something light and still summery. It’s the season for beautiful, plump blackberries and they said “late summer and seriously NOT fall” to me! I decided on a blackberry and lemonade combination. I love herbs so looked for a cocktail that incorporated them. A tweak here and there and the result was one of the most enjoyable cocktails I have ever had! Seriously. If you’re only going to try one cocktail, this is the one! All of the gin-haters changed their minds and Irene not only enjoyed this cocktail, she enjoyed three!

My sister not only enjoyed this cocktail, she enjoyed three!

I started with a really good gin. That may be the reason I never liked it before – it always tasted like pine trees. I guess you get what you pay for. Hendrick’s Gin was on sale for $38, so I splurged. I do not regret it! Smooth, clean, delicious and no pine tree taste!

Hendrick's Gin was on sale for $38, so I splurged. I do not regret it!

INGREDIENTS
  • Good Gin (I recommend Hendrick’s)
  • Blackberries
  • Lemons
  • Sage
  • Sugar
  • Water
PREPARATION

There are a few things that should done ahead of time: Make a pitcher of lemonade, ice cubes and Sage Simple Syrup.

LEMONADE: I prefer homemade (water, 3/4 c sugar, fresh squeezed lemons including the pulp to equal 1 cup juice) but you can substitute the frozen kind.

ICE CUBES: I placed one blackberry in each section and used my homemade lemonade to fill the tray. They were ready in 2 hours. It looks pretty and when it melts, it doesn’t water down the drink.

SAGE SIMPLE SYRUP: Put 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in small saucepan. Stir. Bring to boil and remove from heat (Watch it or it will burn quickly!). Let cool (about 30 minutes). Remove 8 small leaves for drink garnish and crush remaining bunch of sage leaves and stems using your hands. Place in the Simple Syrup and let steep for about 2 hours.

COCKTAIL

(Makes 4 cocktails – Don’t worry! It’s not too much! Trust me, you will finish them all whether there are 4 of you or if it’s just you.)

Put 4 blackberries aside for garnish later. Muddle 6 blackberries with 1/2 c Sage Simple Syrup. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze juice into muddled blackberries. Just give it a squeeze. You’re not trying to get every drop out. Just squeeze it.

Muddle 6 blackberries with 1/2 c Sage Simple Syrup. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze juice into muddled blackberries.

Pour muddled blackberry mixture into a cocktail shaker. Add 5 oz gin. Add a few ice cubes (made with water) and shake well.

Place 2 ice cubes (I used lemonade cubes with a blackberry frozen inside) in a tumbler. Strain the cocktail into the tumbler, leaving about 1/2 inch space at the top. Pour lemonade on top to fill. Add a lemon slice and 2 reserved sage leaves and a blackberry on top.

Add a lemon slice and 2 reserved sage leaves and a blackberry on top.Hendrick's gin, blackberries, lemon and sage is my new favourite drink.

We each wanted another, but had no more blackberries. I just added gin, lemon juice and Sage Simple Syrup to the leftover mash in the cocktail shaker and the second round was as good as the first.

Do you have a favourite cocktail using gin? Fruit? Herbs? We’re always on the lookout for a great drink so share your favourites with us!

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