When I went looking for a cocktail to feature for January, I wanted something that went along with all our health and wellness resolutions. With that in mind, I tasted drinks infused with Buckthorn oil, a vinegary offering laced with Kombucha and enough skinny margaritas to make me wonder if I would ever remember what a real margarita tastes like.
But then I walked into Skyloft, Laguna Beach’s newest rooftop bar atop the historic Heisler building perched above Coast Highway and Main Beach. The waves of the Pacific crashed onto the shore below, while one look at Skyloft’s ample skinny cocktail list ebbed away all my worries of finding a healthy highball. Bartenders prepare each glass with fresh-squeezed citrus juices and muddled herbs. The Day Spa libation truly tastes like refreshing spa water with a hearty dash of St. Germain. The fresh cucumbers, tart citrus and sweet black berries remind you that relaxation is a key part of the rejuvenation process. This cocktail is my first step to a happier new year.
The Day Spa
Ingredients:
5 blackberries
2 cucumber slices
2 sprigs basil
5 oz. lime juice
1-1/2 oz. Hendrick’s Gin
1/2 oz. St. Germain
1/2 oz. simple syrup
Tonic water, to taste
Method:
Muddle cucumber, blackberries and basil.
Add Hendrick’s, St. Germain, simple syrup and lime juice. Shake with ice.
Pour into a chilled glass and top off with tonic water.
