The Refreshing Garden Collins Makes a Perfect Summer Drink

Put a twist on the classic Tom Collins with this cocktail.

By Ian PalmerPublished: Jul 9, 2024

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a glass of lemonade and a lemon slice on a table

Ian Palmer

Summer is the ideal season for simple and refreshing cocktails, and in our opinion, nothing hits the mark better than a Tom Collins. The classic combination of gin, lemon juice, sugar, and soda is easy to make and deliciously thirst-quenching on hot summer days.

However, summer is also the time of year when most backyard herb gardens are absolutely overrun with ready-to-harvest herbs, making it the perfect time to prune those plants back and incorporate the harvest into a tasty cocktail!

Our take on the classic Collins style cocktail starts with an easy summer herb syrup, utilizing two essential backyard herb-garden ingredients – mint and basil. This are paired with honeysuckle vodka, fresh lemon juice, and soda for a light, bright, and invigorating summer cocktail.

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Yields:

1 serving(s)

Prep Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

20 mins

Ingredients

1 1/2 oz.
Honeysuckle vodka, such as Cathead
3/4 oz.
fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedge for garnish
3/4 oz.
summer herb syrup (recipe below)
Soda water
Basil and mint sprigs, for garnish

Directions

1. Step 1Combine vodka, lemon juice, syrup, and ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake until well chilled, 10 to 15 seconds.
2. Step 2Strain into a collins glass. Top with ice and soda water. Garnish with a lemon wedge and mint and basil sprigs.
For Summer Herb Syrup:
1. Step 1Combine 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup fresh basil, 1/2 cup fresh mint, and 1 cup water in a small sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, cover, and steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Chill in an airtight container for up to 5 days. (Yields about 1 cup.)