Latitude 42 Vodka · Recipe 13
Green Goddess
Chlorophyll, citrus, and a little nerve.
Ingredients
- 55 ml Latitude 42 Vodka
- 20 ml fresh lime juice
- 25 ml cucumber-basil syrup
- 2 dashes celery bitters
- pinch of sea salt
Method
Shake & double strain (optional). Serve in a Rocks glass. Garnish with Basil oil drop (1 drop olive oil infused with basil).
Cucumber-basil syrup: blend 1 cucumber, large handful basil, 200ml 1:1 syrup, fine strain.
The story
The 'Green' category of cocktails — Chartreuse-adjacent, herb-forward, verdant in colour — has a dedicated following. Ryan Chetiyawardana of White Lyan fame helped establish the category in the modern era with drinks that smelled like forests and tasted like decisions. This version is entirely ingredient-driven and requires no unusual spirits beyond what's in your kitchen. The green colour comes from blanched basil and cucumber blitzed briefly in a blender with simple syrup — a process that requires straining but rewards patience with a vivid, almost electric green syrup.
Tasting note
Bright as new leaves — cucumber freshness carries on the nose, while basil and lime weave across the palate. The celery bitters add a savoury undercurrent that makes this drink memorable rather than merely pretty.