Drink This: Monte Mora

Remember the days of gin and tonics? While they're still a refreshing classic, gin is a much more diverse cocktail ingredient these days. With the evolution of craft-cocktail recipes, gin drinkers have more options than ever.

So even if you're not a diehard when it comes to this juniper-flavored spirit, this rejuvenating cocktail makes bold use of St. Germain and fresh basil leaves to please every palate.

Think of it as a gin version of a mojito — and the perfect cocktail to sip in your summer whites over Labor Day weekend. Matthew Serrano, of the Table Creekside and Phillippi Creek Oyster Bar, shows you how to make one yourself.  

The Monte Mora:

Ingredients:

2 oz. Malfy gin

1 oz. St. Germain

2 to 3 basil leaves

4 to 5 blackberries

½ oz. cane sugar

Instructions:

Muddle blackberries and basil with cane sugar.

Add gin and St. Germain to a shaker with ice and shake well.

Pour into a pilsner glass, finish with club soda and garnish with basil leaf.