The White Lotus-Inspired Thai Martini You Can Sip Without The Drama

Few TV shows have been such a surprise hit in recent years as HBO's "The White Lotus." This popular satirical dramedy-cum-murder mystery is everything you could want in a show, with each season set in a different luxury resort belonging to the White Lotus hotel chain. If you are tuning in to follow the exploits of season 3's wealthy hotel guests and employees in tropical Thailand, why not get in the mood with this White Lotus-inspired lychee and Thai basil martini recipe?

Conceived in the kitchen of recipe developer Jennine Rye, this cocktail adds a simple modern twist to the classic martini to create a sophisticated drink that will help you feel like you too are a guest at the luxury White Lotus resort. Using sweet lychee syrup gently muddled with Thai basil in London dry gin, this martini leans into the flavors of Thai cuisine to produce a martini that is complex and botanical, with a light fruity sweetness and distinct spiced-licorice taste. While we can't all afford to stay in a resort like the White Lotus, we all deserve to enjoy life's little luxuries like this lychee and Thai basil martini.

To begin this White Lotus-inspired lychee and Thai basil martini recipe, first, you will need to gather the ingredients. You will want gin, tinned lychees in syrup, Thai basil leaves, and ice cubes to make this martini. To make your martini exceptional, you will want to select the right kind of gin for this martini. Luckily, you don't need anything too specific or niche for this drink, we recommend reaching for a London dry gin such as Bombay sapphire or Tanqueray to give your drink a light botanical base with a touch of spice, which will work wonderfully with the other flavors in this martini.

Add the gin to a cocktail shaker.

Add the lychee syrup to a cocktail shaker.

Add the Thai basil leaves to a cocktail shaker.

Muddle well.

Add a handful of ice to the shaker.

Stir for 15 seconds.

Strain and pour out the martini into a martini glass.

Garnish with a lychee and further Thai basil leaves.

One of the wonderful things about a martini is that it is more of an iconic concept than a fixed recipe, meaning that there is plenty of scope for adaption. With the age-old debate about whether gin or vodka is required for the perfect martini, the most obvious modification would be switching the gin in the recipe for your vodka of choice. While the gin adds more botanical complexity, a vodka will step back and let the other flavors shine due to its neutral flavor.

This "White Lotus" martini is inspired by the opening of the third season of the hit series, set in Thailand. So if you want to keep things topical (and tropical!) any flavor switches should be in keeping with this theme. If you find Thai basil leaves hard to come by, we recommend using lemongrass instead for an equally delicious yet different take on this martini. If you enjoy a bit of heat, ginger or even a pinch of chile powder work well and give the drink a real kick. If you prefer to keep things sweet and fruity, a squeeze of lime will add plenty of zing to your martini, or a splash of mango puree or mango liqueur will add a different dimension whilst pairing wonderfully with the lychee. Adding other popular Thai fruits, either to the drink itself or as garnishes, will work wonderfully: think guava, papaya, or pineapple, for a sophisticated cocktail to sip as you enjoy season 3 of "White Lotus."

When it comes to this iconic drink, the martini glass is as much a part of the drink as every other element. After all, would it even be a martini if it was served in a flute or a rocks glass? This evergreen cocktail is all about style after all, and the type of glass you use makes all the difference. When it comes to gastronomy, appearance is an important element of the dining experience, but the importance of choosing the right glass for your cocktail is actually a little bit deeper than that.

The classic martini is thought to have been first conceived at the end of the 1800s, and would have likely been served in champagne coupes. The iconic V-shaped glass that we know today was invented in the 1920s during the prohibition era, and became the receptacle of choice for a martini. Both glasses work well for this particular style of drink, for a variety of reasons. Firstly, the long stem helps to keep hands away from the bowl, keeping the gin-based cocktail chilled for longer. Secondly, the wide rim allows the martini plenty of oxygen exposure, bringing out the aromas and flavors of the drink. Your final choice really comes down to which style you prefer. The V-shaped martini glass is timelessly cool but can be top-heavy and easy to knock over, or the coupe martini glass, which may not be as iconic but offers added stability along with its own charm and elegance.