Basil Vermouth Cooler

By Rebekah Peppler

Total Time: 15 minutes, plus 3 hours’ infusing
Rating: 4(35)
Notes: Read community notes

A double dose of basil — infused in dry vermouth and used as garnish — ensures this drink is fresh and herbal throughout. A splash of olive brine and a garnish with the olives themselves add salinity and balance. Use the leftover basil-infused dry vermouth in a 50/50 martini, Vermouth Royale, a Fair Play or pour as is over a large ice cube and finish with a citrus twist.

Featured in: What’s Cooler Than Being Cool? These Cocktails.

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Ingredients

Yield:1 (750-milliliter) bottle basil-infused dry vermouth and 1 cocktail

For the Basil-infused Vermouth

10 to 15fresh basil leaves, washed and dried
1(750-milliliter) bottle dry vermouth

For the Cocktail

Ice
1½ounces fino or manzanilla sherry
1½ounces basil-infused dry vermouth
¼ to ½ounce mild green olive brine, such as Castelvetrano or Manzanilla
2ounces dry tonic
3ounces soda water
1basil sprig
1(3-inch) lemon peel
1 to 3Castelvetrano olives

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Make basil-infused dry vermouth: Place the basil in one hand and use the other to lightly slap the leaves, releasing the aromatics. Add the leaves to the vermouth either in the bottle itself or in a large, clean container. (You may need to pour out an ounce of vermouth to fit in all the leaves. If this is the case, pour the vermouth into a glass with an ice cube and garnish with a citrus twist. Drink while you infuse the rest.) Cover and set aside to infuse at room temperature for 3 hours. Strain the vermouth through a fine-mesh strainer, removing and discarding the basil leaves, and rebottle in the original bottle. Store in the refrigerator and use the basil-infused vermouth within 3 weeks.
Step 2
Make the cocktail: Fill a Collins or highball glass with ice. Add the sherry, basil-infused vermouth and olive brine. Top with tonic and soda water. Place the basil sprig in one hand and use the other to lightly slap the leaves, releasing the aromatics. Garnish with the basil, lemon peel and olives.

Ratings

4 out of 5

35 user ratings

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Katy1 year ago

What is dry tonic? Something like the Fever Tree brand?

Jenniaj1 year ago

What dry vermouth do you recommend?

UnadillaRox10 months ago

Fabulous! I put a large stem of lemon basil into a half bottle of vermouth. (This made it much easier to remove the basil with a chopstick.) Used tonic syrup so added just soda water. I rejoiced at the delicious taste of Summer, but my husband upon tasting it replied kindly, "That's a savory cocktail."

MH10 months ago

The basil wasn't as distinct a flavor as I anticipated and the club soda wasn't necessary. That said, it is a very refreshing spritzer. A wonderful drink for a hot summer day.

S kingscott10 months ago

I also am an adventurous cocktail drinker and not only did we not think the drink was tasty … we threw out the vermouth. That said, this is the only NYT recipe that has not been delicious. Maybe we did something wrong.

Katie W10 months ago

I experiment a lot with cocktails, and will drink just about anything, but I was not a fan of this combination at all. I will find other uses for the basil I fused vermouth!

Terry F10 months ago

What would be a good alternative to the olives and brine? Seems like cocktail onions could also work? Maybe?

Jenniaj1 year ago

What dry vermouth do you recommend?

Katy1 year ago

What is dry tonic? Something like the Fever Tree brand?

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