Jasmine
The Jasmine recipe
This Jasmine cocktail recipe layers Bulldog gin’s juniper spine against Campari’s bitter-orange snap and a citrus lift from lemon juice and Grand Marnier, finishing dry, bright, and faintly bittersweet. It belongs to the same shaken, citrus-driven family that built the modern aperitivo repertoire — a drink for the hour when appetites sharpen and conversation slows. Pale amber in the glass with a fine bead of aromatic oil from its lemon twist, it reads as compact and precise rather than sweet.
| 1.5 Part 1.5 Oz 45 Ml 4.5 Cl | Gin |
| 0.75 Part 0.75 Oz 22.5 Ml 2.25 Cl | Freshly squeezed lemon juice |
| 0.5 Part 0.5 Oz 15 Ml 1.5 Cl | Campari |
| 0.5 Part 0.5 Oz 15 Ml 1.5 Cl | Triple Sec |
| 1 | Combine the gin, lemon juice, Campari, and Triple Sec in a shaker filled with ice. |
| 1 | Combine the gin, lemon juice, Campari, and Triple Sec in a shaker filled with ice. |
| 1 | Combine the gin, lemon juice, Campari, and Triple Sec in a shaker filled with ice. |
| 1 | Combine the gin, lemon juice, Campari, and Triple Sec in a shaker filled with ice. |
| 2 | Shake vigorously until the shaker turns cold to the touch. |
| 2 | Shake vigorously until the shaker turns cold to the touch. |
| 2 | Shake vigorously until the shaker turns cold to the touch. |
| 2 | Shake vigorously until the shaker turns cold to the touch. |
| 3 | Double strain into a chilled coupe glass to leave behind any ice shards or citrus pulp. |
| 3 | Double strain into a chilled coupe glass to leave behind any ice shards or citrus pulp. |
| 3 | Double strain into a chilled coupe glass to leave behind any ice shards or citrus pulp. |
| 3 | Double strain into a chilled coupe glass to leave behind any ice shards or citrus pulp. |
| 4 | Garnish with a lemon twist, expressing the oils over the surface before setting it on the rim. |
| 4 | Garnish with a lemon twist, expressing the oils over the surface before setting it on the rim. |
| 4 | Garnish with a lemon twist, expressing the oils over the surface before setting it on the rim. |
| 4 | Garnish with a lemon twist, expressing the oils over the surface before setting it on the rim. |
Serve the Jasmine drink in a well-chilled coupe glass — its shallow bowl keeps the drink cold longer and shows off the clarity you work for at the shaker. Pour it fresh, right after straining, since this is not a drink built to sit; the aromatics from the lemon twist are most vivid in the first few sips. Treat it as an aperitivo-hour opener, poured just before guests arrive rather than midway through the evening.
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Jasmine history
The Jasmine cocktail history traces to the American craft cocktail revival of the early 1990s, when bartenders began reworking classic gin sours with a splash of Campari for color and bitterness. It is widely credited to bartender Paul Harrington, who is said to have created it at a bar in Emeryville, California, and named it after a regular customer rather than any botanical reference. Despite what the name suggests, this is not a Jasmine flower cocktail steeped in blossom syrup or floral bitters — no petal touches the glass, and the connection to actual jasmine begins and ends with a person’s name. Structurally, it sits close to the Cosmopolitan and the classic gin sour, swapping cranberry or plain citrus for Campari’s bittersweet edge. That small addition gave the drink its defining amber hue and its place in the broader lineage of Campari-forward sours that followed.
When to Drink a Jasmine
Reach for this Jasmine drink at the start of an evening, when the aperitivo hour calls for citrus lift rather than heavy bitterness — a warm-weather aperitivo for a terrace table, a rooftop, or a kitchen counter before dinner is plated. Its brisk, chilled character suits late spring and summer especially well, when lemon and orange feel more like relief than indulgence. It works equally as a solitary ritual to mark the transition from work to evening, or as the first round poured for friends gathering before a meal.
Jasmine VS Negroni
Because both drinks share Campari, gin, and a bittersweet thread, some drinkers search for a Jasmine Negroni expecting a variation on the Italian classic — but the two occupy different corners of the aperitivo world. The Negroni is stirred, spirit-forward, and built for slow sipping over melting ice; the Jasmine is shaken, citrus-driven, and served cold and clarified in a coupe. One is a ritual to linger over, the other a brisk opener to a night that's just getting started.
Jasmine
VS
Negroni
Most Asked Questions
Are there variations on the classic Jasmine cocktail recipe?
Bartenders often swap the base gin for a more floral or citrus-forward bottling to shift the drink's character, and some replace Triple Sec with Grand Marnier for a rounder, more layered orange note against Campari's bitterness. A few versions add a small bar spoon of simple syrup for drinkers who prefer a softer finish, though the classic ratio stays dry and citrus-led. The bones of the drink — gin, lemon, Campari, orange liqueur — remain fixed even as the details shift.
What are the best garnishes for a Jasmine cocktail?
The lemon twist is the standard and the most effective choice, since expressing its oils over the drink's surface lifts the citrus notes already at play in the glass. Some bartenders add a thin orange peel alongside it to echo the Triple Sec, though this is a flourish rather than a requirement. Avoid heavier garnishes like fruit wedges or cherries — they compete with, rather than complement, the drink's clarity.
Can Grand Marnier replace Triple Sec in this Jasmine drink?
Yes, and it's a favored substitution among bartenders who want more depth. Grand Marnier's cognac base and vanilla-inflected orange character add a richer, slightly warmer finish than a standard Triple Sec, while keeping the drink's citrus backbone intact. The swap works in equal measure — no adjustment to the 0.5 oz pour is needed.
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