Gin Basil Smash (low-calorie)
Muddle; Shake ∙ 4 min ∙ 18.2% ABV ∙
The Gin Basil Smash is a lower-calorie muddled gin sour of fresh basil, London dry gin and lemon juice, with a sugar-free sweetener in place of syrup. Muddling releases a bright, peppery aromatic lift, while the fine strain leaves it silky and crisp, with a tart finish that stays light rather than syrupy.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- In the base of the shaker, muddle: Fresh basil leaves 12 pcs
- Add the remaining ingredients: London dry gin 45 mlLemon juice 25 mlSugar-free sweetener syrup 15 ml
- Shake with ice
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with a basil sprig
Tips
- Shake hard and briefly with plenty of ice so the sugar-free sweetener blends evenly with the lemon juice.
- Fine-strain to catch the muddled basil leaf fragments, keeping the poured drink clear rather than flecked.
History
This low-calorie version follows the same herbal, citrus-forward formula as the Gin Basil Smash but swaps in a sugar-free sweetener for the traditional simple syrup, trimming the drink's calorie count without changing its basic profile. No separate creation story is documented for this variant; it reads as a modern, health-conscious adaptation of the original rather than a drink with its own named inventor or bar.
The Gin Basil Smash itself was created in 2008 by German bartender Jorg Meyer at Le Lion, his bar in Hamburg, Germany. It emerged as a gin-based twist on Dick Bradsell's Basil Smash-style muddled drinks, built around fresh basil, gin, and lemon muddled together, and it spread quickly through European and American bars as a modern classic once Meyer shared the recipe online.
FAQ
How many calories are in a Gin Basil Smash?
This Gin Basil Smash has about 111 calories per serving, kept low by using a sugar-free sweetener syrup instead of regular sugar syrup.
What is the lowest calorie gin drink?
A gin drink built with fresh citrus, muddled herbs, and a sugar-free sweetener instead of regular syrup or soda keeps calories low. This Gin Basil Smash is one example, coming in at around 111 calories thanks to the sugar-free sweetener swap.
What is the healthiest thing to mix with gin?
Fresh citrus juice and muddled herbs are among the lightest mixers for gin, since they add flavor without the sugar load of syrups or sodas. This recipe mixes gin with fresh basil and lemon juice, using a sugar-free sweetener instead of regular syrup to keep it low-calorie.
