Until this drink, I’d never had a cocktail made with fresh lychees. Their bumpy shell houses a squishy, gelatinous fruit with a little seed inside that. It tastes like a sweeter more syrupy grape with an exotic fruit twist. Nolet’s Gin sent me a box of lychees and a suggestion for how to use them … a Gimlet made with lychees. How could I resist?

In case you’ve never seen a lychee before (I hadn’t), here’s a box of ’em:

Now on to the recipe! They suggested I boil the lychee with sugar and water to make a lychee syrup. That probably would have worked fine, but I already had a batch of simple syrup and I felt that the freshness of the lychee was better showcased by a method that didn’t involve cooking it.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz gin (I used Nolet’s, which they kindly sent me as well)
1/2 oz simple syrup
2 lychees, shelled and pitted
1/2 oz fresh lime juice

Directions:
Blend the lychees and simple syrup (makes about 1 1/2 oz. of lychee syrup). Pour into shaker along with gin and lime juice, then add ice and shake. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into coupe or Martini glass. Throw in a shelled and pitted lychee, if desired or garnish with a lime wheel.

How was this recipe? Please post a review!