You ever drink something so fresh, it makes you want to clean your whole house?
That’s La Lina.
It doesn’t punch. It doesn’t slap. It glides.
Cool cucumber. Crisp green apple. A touch of lime. Then just when you think it’s done, the mint and basil show up — like the spa treatment you didn’t ask for but desperately needed.
And the best part?
It takes less time to make than it does to regret your last online purchase.
This isn’t a cocktail. It’s a reset button. In a glass. With gin.
Some cocktails are loud. They command attention, start fights, or demand you sit still and focus on them.
Not La Lina.
She’s quiet. Effortless. Like someone who walks into a room in linen and doesn’t have to say a word. It’s the cucumber. It’s the green apple. It’s the citrus cutting through the herbs and the gin that ties it all together.
It’s refreshing in a way you didn’t know you needed.
There’s no syrupy sweetness. No burning alcohol hit. Just smooth, cool, fresh layers — each sip as crisp as the last.
It’s the kind of drink that doesn’t shout for your attention.
It earns it.
You don’t need to be a bartender. You don’t even need to try that hard.
Here’s what goes into La Lina:
30ml Imbibis Clarity Gin
15ml sugar syrup
20ml lime juice
70–100ml Long Rays Soda
Fresh cucumber slices
Green apple slices
Lime wedges
Ice
Fresh mint and basil to garnish
A bamboo straw (because vibes)
Start by pouring 30ml of Imbibis Clarity Gin into a shaker. This gin’s known for being bright and clean — no rough edges, no overwhelming botanicals. It plays nice with fresh ingredients, which is exactly what this cocktail’s built on.
Add 15ml of sugar syrup and 20ml of fresh lime juice. That’s your sweet-sour backbone.
Then add the soda. Long Rays is perfect here. It brings the fizz without stealing the spotlight.
Give it a gentle stir. Don’t shake. This isn’t one of those drinks.
This part’s all about layering flavour and texture before the liquid even hits the ice.
Start with your serving glass — something tall, see-through, and built for showing off.
Drop in a few cucumber slices, thinly sliced green apple, and a wedge or two of lime. Then add your ice. Build it up — the more, the better. This is a cocktail that deserves to stay cold from first sip to last.
Now pour in your stirred mix from the shaker.
Watch the bubbles rise. Let the colours settle.
Then — and this is important — garnish with a few sprigs of fresh mint and basil. Together, they add an earthy, aromatic lift that cuts through the citrus and enhances everything else in the glass.
Add your bamboo straw, give it a slow spin, and that’s it.
What It Tastes Like
The first thing you notice is the temperature. Cold. Real cold. The kind that makes you pause and appreciate it.
Then you get the cucumber — cool and clean. The green apple follows up with this gentle tartness, while the lime cuts through and brightens everything.
The sugar syrup doesn’t make it sweet. It makes it smooth. Balanced.
The mint and basil hit you last. Just a hint of earthiness on the nose with each sip, giving it a subtle complexity that keeps the drink from fading into the background.
And then there’s the gin. Imbibis Clarity, in this case. Sitting quietly in the background like a good host — making sure everything works together without ever taking over.
It’s the cleanest cocktail on the menu. And somehow, one of the most interesting too.
This is the drink you make when the air’s a bit too warm and you’ve had just enough sleep to feel kind of put together.
It works for daytime hangs, mid-afternoon resets, or as the first drink before dinner when you’re easing into the evening.
You could serve it at brunch. You could make it for your in-laws. You could drink it alone in your backyard while contemplating your entire existence.
No one would judge you.
Because this drink? It feels like a fresh start.
La Lina doesn’t need to prove herself.
She’s clean. She’s cool. She’s loaded with fresh produce and served with a straight face. There’s no fluff, no fire, no flair bartending required.
And the best part?
You could make one right now. With what’s probably already in your fridge.
So go on. Slice an apple. Steal some herbs from your neighbour’s garden. Pour yourself something ridiculously clean.
And let La Lina do the rest.
Come see our video tutorial for this cocktail by watching the video below:
