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CUCUMBER ROSEMARY GIN AND TONIC (aka “the drunk cucumber”) is a lightly sweetened gin cocktail filled with fresh cucumber and hints of rosemary to make a deliciously crisp and beautiful drink you’ll be sipping all summer long.
Learn how to make a classic gin and tonic here.
The gin and tonic. Oh goodness, my friends, if only you knew my love for this classic “old man” cocktail.
Actually, ignore that last bit. I have no idea if gin and tonics are old manish at all. I mean, they were literally my beverage of choice all through college (21+, of course) and no one ever said anything about it. Now that I’m old, however, whenever I ask for a gin and tonic, people look at me like, we all know you’re old now, but do you want to look like you’re old?
Anyway, where am I going with all of this? Ah, yes. Gin and Tonics are legit.
Period.
Table of Contents
What is a Gin and Tonic?
In it’s most basic form, gin and tonic have three ingredients
- gin
- tonic water
- fresh lime juice
This is the classic gin and tonic.
You do not add additional sweeteners to a gin and tonic as tonic water is already slightly sweetened. Of course, you could add a sweetener like simple syrup if you wanted to, but this drink is popular due to its mild sweetness and lower calorie content, not super sugar fruitiness.
Key Ingredients
- gin
- tonic water
- fresh lime juice
- cucumber
- fresh rosemary
- watermelon radish- don’t fret about this, it’s just a garnish (I love the color), so you don’t need it for flavor.
This cucumber rosemary gin and tonic, as you can see, is quite similar to a classic gin and tonic. That said, those two simple additions- the cucumber and the rosemary- are HUGE.
It’s also where I drew inspiration for the nickname The Drunk Cucumber. And The Drunk Cucumber, my friends, is my new favorite cocktail. Cold, crisp, and refreshing, this Gin and Tonic is the best excuse to eat some vegetables (wink wink…I’m so serious, though…wink wink).
Equipment Needed
Until recently (like super recently) I never had anything special for making cocktails. I didn’t even know what a cocktail shaker was or why I needed it. A muddler? Forget it! And while it is true that you can absolutely get by making most cocktails without any special equipment, for this specific drink the flavor will be better if you have these two things:
The muddler is used to mash the cucumber and rosemary with the gin. This essentially infuses the flavors into the gin.
A cocktail shaker, less important in this case, does exactly what the name describes. If you’ve ever had a poorly mixed cocktail, you may understand why a cocktail shaker comes in handy. It also helps to sufficiently chill the drink before serving.
If you try making this Cucumber Rosemary Gin and Tonic, please leave me a comment and let me know! I always love to hear your thoughts.
For more cocktail recipes, check out:
- Fall Sangria Recipe
- Blackberry Cranberry Moscow Mule
- Spicy Orange Margaritas
- Frozen Peach Wine Slushies
- Elderflower Grapefruit Gin and Tonic
- Candy Corn Inspired Carrot and Orange Juice Gin Cocktail
Cucumber and Rosemary Gin and Tonic Recipe (aka The Drunk Cucumber)
Ingredients
- 1 small cucumber, sliced into ribbons or “noodles”
- 1 lime, sliced into 6 wedges
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 2 fluid ounces gin
- Ice
- 4 fluid ounces tonic water
- 1 small watermelon radish, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Add 2 cucumber “noodles”, juice from one lime, one rosemary sprig, and 2 ounces gin to a cocktail shaker or highball glass. Muddle with the back of a spoon.
- Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean cocktail glass (highball glasses are typically used for gin and tonics). Fill glass with ice and top with tonic. Garnish with additional cucumber ribbons, rosemary sprigs, and 1-2 thinly sliced watermelon radish rounds.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
The best thing about this cocktail is that it is beautiful. The radish and cucumber really look nice in the glass. But we felt that we would honestly rather prefer a regular lime gin and tonic. Also, the instructions are not perfect. When you double, for instance, it says to use 2 cucumbers. You just need a few slices.
Was delightful!
Cucumber caipirinha is like the best idea ever.