Combining the tangy taste of lemon with the fragrant and fresh flavor of basil, this lemon basil martini is a smooth way to simmer down with fresh flavors after a long day.
What Kind of Limoncello Should You Use for This Martini?
Dirty martinis laced with olive brine are everywhere lately. Some are so dirty, they’re practically salad dressing. This one is hardly dirty as it doesn’t go too far with additional flavors, but it’s a less conventional setup for a martini. For our Lemon Basil Martini, we used limoncello, olive oil, and basil leaves for a balance of citrus zest and hint of herbaceous from basil leaves. With the wrong limoncello, this endeavor could go very wrong: syrupy, treacle-y liqueur blended with olive oil could lead to despair. Lucky Sign Spirits’ Limoncello Reserve is a little unconventional for limoncello, but it goes perfectly in this cocktail because it already has notes of basil and rye spice, lightly sweetened, with a nice dryness to finish. Try your favorite limoncello in this recipe and see how you like it!
Recipe and Styling by Anna Franklin
Photography by Dave Bryce
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