It all started at a Kentucky Derby party.
Through a fluke, some basil leaves had gotten mixed in with the mint, but rather than get upset, the gifted bartender there decided to play with this ingredient. I won’t give away her awesome blackberry/basil recipe here on the site, but I took inspiration from her, seeing how basil played beautifully with several different kinds of fruit and spirits.

I’ve been growing basil lately, and it’s coping even better with the hot, humid Florida summer than my mint plants. The leaves resemble mint in many ways, but they’re waxier, often with smoother edges (depending on variety). The most noticeable difference is obviously the taste, with mint having a cooling effect, while basil brings a bit more spice. Wanting to combine spice with citrus, I decided to see how basil would play with mandarin oranges, and while those two balanced well, finding the right spirit was the next challenge.

Rum was far too sweet. I switched to spicier bitters (going from the bright, sweet Angostura Orange to the more herbal Hella Orange), but even this couldn’t balance the sweet rum. On the opposite extreme, new world gin was a little too neutral, and once I added soda to the mix, the basil flavor was completely lost. I was at a loss until I stumbled across a note in my cocktail journal from back when I was working on the Salvation Stinger. It read, “creme de menthe + cognac + cointreau + orange bitters = orange tic tac.” Hmm… cognac and cointreau… and I still have that Cointreau Noir from the Chocolate Orange recipe… hmm… this just might work…

St. Basil’s Refutation
6 fresh basil leaves
.5 oz turbinado syrup
1 oz Cointreau Noir
2 oz cognac
1 mandarin orange
4 dashes of Hella Orange bitters

Vigorously muddle basil and syrup;
add cognac, Cointreau Noir, bitters, and juice from orange;
shake vigorously and double-strain into rocks glass over ice;
garnish with orange slice and fresh basil sprig.
(Substitution Tip: If using regular Cointreau or some other simpler triple sec, you can add a splash of amaretto to get the nutty effect of the Noir.)

Given its spicier inspirations, the Refutation makes for a surprisingly refreshing summer cocktail. The basil is pleasantly aromatic, and the fresh orange juice keeps the whole thing bright and upbeat. As Florida heats up this summer, I’m appreciating the lighter touch of brandy, cognac, and calvados more and more, and The Refutation makes an outstanding addition to my brandy cocktails.

Speaking of summer cocktails though, I’ve got something exciting in the works for the next several weeks. More to come…