Shiso Delicious

The Shiso Delicious is an elegant and aromatic modern cocktail that perfectly balances herbal, floral, and citrus notes. Fresh shiso leaves and cucumber are muddled to release their vibrant flavors, then shaken with gin, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, and simple syrup. The optional addition of egg white gives it a silky texture and a beautiful foam top. The result is a crisp, complex, and beautifully verdant drink that is both sophisticated and immensely refreshing.
Shiso Delicious

Preparation

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Preparation time
Difficulty

Drink Classification

The Shiso Delicious is categorized as a modern classic cocktail. It belongs to the sour family of drinks, characterized by a base spirit, a sour element, and a sweet element, but is elevated by its use of fresh, muddled herbs.

Serving

This is a moderately strong cocktail served "up" (chilled, without ice) in a pre-chilled coupe or cocktail glass to maintain its cold temperature and elegant presentation.
Serving size
Approximately 150 ml / 5 oz
Alcohol content
Estimated 18-22% ABV
Alcohol strength
Serving temperature
Cold
Glass type
Coupe
Glass treatment
Chilled

Backstory

Created by renowned bartender Jim Meehan at PDT (Please Don't Tell) in New York City, the Shiso Delicious emerged during the modern craft cocktail revival of the mid-2000s. It showcases the creative use of fresh, culinary ingredients like the Japanese shiso leaf in a classic sour template. The drink quickly gained popularity among cocktail enthusiasts for its unique, clean, and herbaceous flavor profile.
Origin
Created by Jim Meehan at PDT (Please Don't Tell) in New York City, USA, around 2008.

Shiso Delicious

The drink is primarily known as the Shiso Delicious, its original name. It can sometimes be described as a Shiso Gin Sour, which accurately highlights its key herbal flavor and its place within the sour cocktail family.
Original name
Shiso Delicious
Alternative name
Shiso Gin Sour

Characteristics overview

This cocktail has a vibrant herbal and floral aroma, with a taste that is a refreshing balance of sour and sweet. Its appearance is a delicate pale green, with a silky texture especially when made with egg white, making it an ideal summery drink.
Flavor
herbaceous, refreshing, citrusy, floral, crisp, slightly sweet, savory
Aroma
shiso, cucumber, botanical, lemon, elderflower
Taste balance
sour, sweet
Aftertaste
clean, herbal, short
Fizziness
none
Color appearance
pale green, cloudy, frothy white top (with egg white)
Texture
smooth, light-bodied, silky (with egg white)
Seasonality
refreshing, summery

Flavor intensity & Experience

This is a flavor-forward but not overpowering drink, balancing bright sourness with gentle sweetness and complex herbal notes. The alcohol is well-integrated, providing structure without a strong burn.
Sweetness
Saltiness
Sourness
Bitterness
Spiciness
Fruitiness
Creaminess
Carbonation

Ingredients

This recipe calls for London Dry Gin, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and elderflower liqueur. Its signature character comes from fresh shiso leaves and cucumber slices muddled directly in the shaker.
  • London Dry Gin60 ml / 2 oz
    A classic botanical-forward gin works best.
  • Shiso Leaves3 leaves
    Use fresh green shiso (aojiso). Plus one for garnish.
  • Cucumber3 slices
    Thinly sliced, skin on.
  • Lemon Juice22.5 ml / 0.75 oz
    Must be freshly squeezed for best results.
  • Simple Syrup15 ml / 0.5 oz
    1:1 ratio of sugar to water.
  • Elderflower Liqueur7.5 ml / 0.25 oz
    St-Germain is a common choice.
  • Egg White15 ml / 0.5 oz(optional)
    Adds texture and foam. Can be substituted with aquafaba for a vegan version.

Ice type

  • Cubed

Mixing equipments

You will need a cocktail shaker and a muddler to extract flavors from the fresh ingredients. For a clean, smooth drink, double straining with both a Hawthorne and a fine-mesh strainer is essential.
  • Cocktail shaker (tin-on-tin or Cobbler)
  • Jigger or measuring tool
  • Muddler
  • Hawthorne strainer
  • Fine-mesh strainer

Instructions

The preparation involves gently muddling fresh shiso and cucumber, adding the liquids, and performing a two-stage shake if using egg white. Double straining into a chilled glass is crucial for a professional finish.
1. Place your coupe glass in the freezer to chill.
2. In the bottom of a cocktail shaker, gently muddle the 3 shiso leaves and 3 cucumber slices with the simple syrup to release their oils and juices.
3. Add the gin, fresh lemon juice, elderflower liqueur, and the optional egg white to the shaker.
4. If using egg white, seal the shaker and perform a 'dry shake' (without ice) for about 15 seconds to emulsify the ingredients and create a rich foam.
5. Open the shaker, fill it with cubed ice, and seal it again.
6. Perform a 'wet shake' by shaking vigorously for 12-15 seconds until the outside of the shaker is frosty and well-chilled.
7. Double strain the contents through a Hawthorne strainer and a fine-mesh strainer into your chilled coupe glass.
8. Garnish by floating a single fresh shiso leaf on the surface of the foam.

Garnishing

Garnish simply with a single, fresh shiso leaf. Placed on top of the foam head (if using egg white), it adds a final aromatic touch as you drink.
  • A single fresh shiso leaf, floated on top of the drink's foam.

Dietary Information

This drink is vegetarian but not vegan due to the common use of egg white. It can be made vegan by omitting the egg white or using a substitute like aquafaba. It is typically dairy-free, nut-free, and gluten-free.
✓ Contains alcohol
✓ Caffeine-free
✓ Dairy-free
✕ Egg-free
✓ Soy-free
✓ Nut-free
✓ Gluten-free
✕ Vegan-friendly
✓ Vegetarian-friendly

Nutrition information

This cocktail is moderately caloric, with its energy coming primarily from the alcohol and sugar in the syrup and liqueur. Its sugar content is relatively low for a sour-style cocktail.
Calories
Averagely 190-220 kcal / 795-920 kJ
Calories level
Carbohydrates
Averagely 10-12 g
Carbohydrate level
Sugar
Averagely 9-11 g
Sugar level

Occasions

This cocktail is perfect for warm weather, making it an excellent choice for summer parties and garden gatherings. Its light and refreshing nature also makes it a superb aperitif before a meal or a sophisticated option for a weekend brunch.
  • Summer Parties
  • Aperitif
  • Cocktail Hour
  • Brunch

Pairing suggestions

The cocktail's herbaceous and citrus notes pair exceptionally well with Japanese cuisine such as sushi and sashimi. It also complements light seafood, fresh salads, and other delicate, herb-forward dishes from Southeast Asian cuisines. Its clean profile cuts through richness without overpowering delicate flavors.
  • Sushi and sashimi
  • Light seafood dishes like ceviche or grilled fish
  • Fresh salads with vinaigrette
  • Vietnamese summer rolls

The Shiso Delicious: An Herbaceous Taste of Modern Mixology

The Shiso Delicious is a sophisticated modern gin cocktail that masterfully highlights fresh, culinary ingredients. Its blend of herbaceous shiso, cool cucumber, and floral elderflower creates a unique and deeply refreshing flavor profile, balanced by the classic tartness of a gin sour. Perfect for discerning drinkers looking for something beyond the standard classics, it's an elegant and aromatic experience that captures the essence of the craft cocktail movement.

Similar Cocktails

Gin Basil Smash

A similar German modern classic that uses a large amount of muddled basil instead of shiso and cucumber, resulting in a more assertively sweet-herbal profile.

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