The beginning of summer means that it is cherry season, so to take advantage of all the sweet and juicy cherries and lazy summer evenings, we decided to make this refreshing cocktail. Using fresh spring cherries with their beautiful sweet and tart red juice, bright herbal gin and a bit of ginger to cut the sweetness, this drink brings the taste of summer to your glass. Similar to a cherry limeade but not as sweet, the tart sparkling flavors are nice and refreshing and perfect to cool you down!
A lot of folks are intimidated by drinks that use gin because they remember smelling (or tasting) their grandpa’s drink which used the cheapest gin that reminded your of Pine-Sol and socks. Gin these days is entirely different as there has been a revolution in the distilling world and gin offers a wonderful place for distillers to bring better flavors to your glass, making the gins of today definitely not your Grandpa’s gin!
Some of our favorites are Hendrick’s, Broker’s or the Botanist. We used Broker’s London Dry Gin in this drink. Broker’s is a great gin for folks who want to step into the world of gin as it is a great citrusy sweet gin with a nice dry herbal finish similar to a dry white wine. With so many different herbal combinations there is a gin out there for just about anyone, you just need to give it a try!
Ginger Cherry Smash
- 6 cherries, pitted
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 oz lime juice
- 1/2 oz ginger liqueur or 3/4 oz ginger ale
- 1 1/2-2 oz gin (2 oz if not using the ginger liqueur)
- top with club soda if using the ginger liqueur
- lime wedge
Muddle (mash) cherries and sugar in a shaker. Work until the sugar is disolved. Add lime juice, ginger liqueur, gin. Shake with ice. Strain into glass with ice, top with ginger ale or club soda. Garnish with lime wedge.