🌿 Curry G&T

Curry leaf-infused gin, cucumber liqueur, chile liqueur & tonic water

Gin (Curry Leaf-Infused)
4 hrs infusion
Built
Copa / Balloon Glass
~12%
Saffron Modern Indian Dining
Ingredients
  • 50ml curry leaf-infused gin (see tips)
  • 15ml cucumber liqueur (Hendrick's Midsummer Solstice or substitute: muddle 2 cucumber slices in gin)
  • 10ml chile liqueur (Ancho Reyes Verde, or substitute: pinch of chilli powder in the build)
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 120ml Indian tonic water (Fever-Tree Indian Tonic — the quinine bitterness echoes curry leaf)
  • Large ice cube
  • Fresh curry leaves & cucumber ribbon to garnish
Method
  1. 1
    Infuse ginFor curry leaf gin: combine 200ml London Dry gin with 12–15 fresh curry leaves. Infuse at room temperature for 3–4 hours. Strain. The gin turns a pale yellow-green and smells extraordinary.
  2. 2
    BuildAdd a large ice cube to a copa or balloon glass.
  3. 3
    PourAdd curry leaf gin, cucumber liqueur, chile liqueur, and lime juice.
  4. 4
    TopPour tonic water slowly. Stir once gently.
  5. 5
    GarnishFloat 3–4 fresh curry leaves on top. Add a long cucumber ribbon.

About This Cocktail

Curry leaves (Murraya koenigii) are one of the most aromatic ingredients in South Indian cooking — used in tadka (tempering) across Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh. Their flavour is complex: citrus-forward with a mild curry spice note and a slightly bitter edge that is far more nuanced than the generic 'curry' description suggests. Saffron Milwaukee's decision to infuse them into gin created one of the most interesting G&T variations on any Indian restaurant menu in the US.

Variations

Coconut Curry G&TAdd 30ml coconut water to the build — South Indian coconut-curry-leaf combination in a glass
Stranger & Sons Curry G&TUse Stranger & Sons Goan gin (which already has curry leaf as a botanical) and double-infuse with fresh leaves for maximum intensity
Curry MartiniCurry leaf gin + dry vermouth + cucumber brine (the martini version) — shaken cold, served up
Bartender Tips

Fresh curry leaves are available at Indian grocery stores year-round. Dried curry leaves have almost no flavour — do not substitute. The infusion time is important: 3–4 hours gives maximum flavour without bitterness. The cucumber liqueur adds a cooling counterpoint to the curry leaf heat. Fever-Tree Indian Tonic has more quinine bitterness than their standard tonic — this bitterness resonates beautifully with curry leaf's natural bitterness.

Source Restaurant
Restaurant
Saffron Modern Indian Dining, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Spirit
Gin (Curry Leaf-Infused)
Method
Built
ABV
~12%
Gin Guide All Indian Cocktails Indian Mocktails Cocktails A–Z
Where to drink this
Restaurant
Saffron Modern Indian Dining
Address
808 N Old World 3rd St, Milwaukee, WI 53203
Style
Modern Indian fine dining
Accolades
Milwaukee's premier Indian restaurant · regional cocktail innovator

Saffron Modern Indian Dining in downtown Milwaukee is a genuine anomaly — a restaurant that brings the sophistication of a major-city Indian cocktail programme to the American Midwest. The bar team works with the kitchen to create drinks that draw on the same ingredients and traditions, making Saffron one of the most complete Indian dining experiences in the country.

Visit saffronmilwaukee.com