The Jasmine Cocktail

 Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounces gin (Beefeater)
• 3/4 ounce lemon juice
• 1/4 ounce Cointreau
• 1/4 ounce Campari

Directions

Combine in an iced cocktail shaker:

Taste (flavor, balance, and clarity): 6

I thought that while the Jasmine was refreshing and had a clear grapefruit taste, it lacked balance.  The slightly bitter base of gin was combined with the lemon juice and Contreau to make a very tart drink – the Contreau was insufficient to balance it.  The Campari note overwhelmed others.

Versatility (when and for who the drinks works):  7

This drink works for only those who like pretty tart/bitter drinks.  My wife was not a huge fan, and to some extent neither was I.  Conversely, I served it to someone who hates sweet drinks and she liked it, as did another guests.  On the positive side, the drink works in pretty much any setting.  It can be sipped, casually imbibed at a party, and enjoyed in any weather.

Hassle (cost and time):  8

It didn’t take long to make this drink, just juicing one lime and throwing a few ingredients in a shaker.  Additionally, none of the ingredients costs especially much.  TO save cash, especially when serving this in a party, you could downgrade the gin to Gordon’s and use triple sec instead of Contreau.

Overall Score:  7
This drink was refreshing but strong.  It might have run a little bitter for my taste, though I can see the appeal.


Potential Improvements:
I've seen a version of this drink  with 1/2 oz gin, 1 ounce of Cointreau, 3/4 ounce of Campari, and 1/2 ounce of lemon juice.  I'll have to try this, as it sounds a bit more balanced.