The Jasmine is a cocktail I came across and have adored ever since. Made with gin, Campari, orange liqueur, and fresh lemon juice, it’s tart, lightly sweet, and a little bitter. It also tastes remarkably like grapefruit, although there isn’t any in it. That surprised me, too.
Paul Harrington created the drink while tending bar at Townhouse in Emeryville. His friend from architecture school, Matt Jasmin, asked him to “make me something you’ve never made before.” Harrington turned to the Pegu Club for inspiration, replacing Angostura bitters with Campari and lime juice with lemon. He later included the drink in his 1998 book, Cocktail: The Drinks Bible for the 21st Century, helping it reach a wider audience. Only afterward did he realize he’d misspelled his friend’s last name. Jasmin has no “e,” but the cocktail kept it.
Campari
Despite its pale pink color, the Jasmine isn’t an overly sweet drink. The lemon gives it a good amount of tartness, the orange liqueur adds just enough sweetness, and the Campari leaves a lingering bitter finish. You can still taste the gin beneath it all, which is part of what I love about it.
I also love this drink for fall. Here in Northern California, warm afternoons often linger well into the season, and a chilled citrus cocktail still feels right. It’s especially good before a dinner of roasted chicken or something a bit richer, when I want a refreshing drink without being sugary. This one is worth keeping in the rotation.
Jasmine Cocktail
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 ounces gin
- 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/4 ounce Compari
- 1/4 ounce Cointreau
- Dehydrated lemon wheel, for garnish (optional)
Directions:
- Place a good amount of ice in a lowball glass and set aside.
- Using a cocktail shaker, add the gin, lemon juice, Campari, and Cointreau, and a handful of ice. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
- Strain into the prepared cocktail glass, garnish with a lemon wheel, and serve immediately.
