If summer had a signature cocktail, it would muddle up a fresh strawberry, wink at a basil leaf, and shake hands with a good vodka. The Strawberry Basil Vodka Smash is exactly that — fruity, herbaceous, a little sassy, and entirely too easy to drink. Made with TAG No.5 Vodka, ripe strawberries, and fresh basil, this is the Ontario patio cocktail that makes everyone ask for the recipe. Consider yourself warned.

Ingredients

2 oz TAG No.5 Vodka
2 fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
3 fresh basil leaves (plus one more for garnish)
¾ oz fresh lemon juice
½ oz simple syrup
Ice

How to Make It

Drop the strawberries and basil into your shaker. Muddle firmly — you want the strawberries fully broken down and the basil fragrant, not bruised to oblivion. Add TAG No.5 Vodka, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup. Fill with ice and shake hard for 15 seconds. Strain over a rocks glass packed with fresh ice. Garnish with a fresh basil leaf and a strawberry slice on the rim. It looks like it took an hour. It took five minutes. That's the magic.

Pro Tips

Use ripe, in-season strawberries — the flavour difference is enormous. Muddle the basil gently just until fragrant; over-muddling makes it bitter. Taste the mix before straining and adjust with a touch more simple syrup if your berries are tart. For a sparkling version, top with a splash of soda water. For a frozen version, blend everything with crushed ice and serve in your best glass.

More fresh vodka cocktails? Try our Lemon Drop Martini or the Hugo Spritz. Shop TAG No.5 Vodka — order online and get it delivered anywhere in Ontario. Maverick Distillery: proudly Ontario-made since 2009. Free shipping over $150, $20 off your first order.