Lemon & Cardamom Gimlet

Adapted from Batched & Bottled: Cocktails to Make Ahead by Max and Noel Venning

In this batched Gimlet variation, Max Venning combines gin with a cordial made from lemon juice, lemon zest and crushed cardamom pods. “This involves an ancient method of flavor extraction known as an oleo saccharum, in which sugar pulls oils from citrus,” explains Venning. “Along with perfumed cardamom, it creates a delicate and easy-drinking Gimlet.”

Ingredients

Yield: 6 to 8 cocktails

  • 14 ounces gin
  • 14 ounces gin
  • 8 ounces lemon and cardamom cordial (see Editor's Note)
  • 8 ounces lemon and cardamom cordial (see Editor's Note)

Directions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a 30-ounce sterilized bottle.
  2. Store in the freezer, where it will keep up to 6 months.
  3. For an individual drink, pour into a chilled cocktail glass.
Editor's Note

Lemon and Cardamom Cordial:
10 lemons
5 cardamom pods
2 cups caster sugar

Zest 10 lemons with a fine grater, reserve the fruit. Split 5 cardamom pods and remove the seeds, then crush the seeds using a mortar and pestle. In a bowl, combine the lemon zest, crushed cardamom seeds and sugar. Muddle together for 5 to 10 minutes to combine; the sugar will turn yellowish. Cover and allow to sit for one hour. Juice the lemons, then add the juice to the sugar mixture and stir until dissolved. Strain through cheesecloth into a 1-liter jug, then transfer to a sterilized bottle and seal. Store in the fridge for up to six weeks.