I am not a gin drinker; gin always tastes, to me, like the water from the Christmas tree stand — too much juniper for my palate. Recently, though, Wade and I discovered Hendrick’s gin, which is infused with rose and cucumber, which sounds odd but is truly delicious. Hendricks gin has a kind of hip Edwardian house party feel to it, if you know what I mean.

This week, I had dinner at Hugo’s Frog Bar and Fish House in Naperville, IL (more on that later) and on the menu was a Basil Gimlet, made with — of course — Hendrick’s Gin. The Basil Gimlet is an easy cocktail — basil syrup, gin, lime juice — that tastes substantially more complex. A Basil Gimlet is flavorful but not sweet; the Hendricks gin gives it a more layered taste than a standard gin would but without being strong or overwhelming. And — with the basil leaf floating in the glass — the Basil Gimlet is lovely to look at.

Want to mix one up this weekend? Food and Wine has an easy-to-follow recipe that comes with a short history of the origin of “gimlet.” Delicious and educational — the perfect cocktail.