Saturn recipe
A luminous gin Tiki classic of lemon, passion fruit, falernum and orgeat, crowned with a planetary citrus ring.
Method: Flash blend ·
Glass: Tall Tiki glass or highball ·
Time: 5 min ·
Difficulty: Intermediate ·
Family: Tiki & Tropical
Ingredients
- 1.25 oz London Dry Gin (A juniper-forward style)
- 0.5 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- 0.5 oz Passion Fruit Syrup (Prefer a bright, tart syrup)
- 0.25 oz Velvet Falernum
- 0.25 oz Orgeat
How to make a Saturn
- Chill a tall Tiki glass or highball with crushed ice while you assemble the drink.
- Add the gin, lemon juice, passion fruit syrup, falernum and orgeat to a blender or drink mixer tin.
- Add a generous scoop of crushed ice and flash blend for about 5 seconds, just until the drink is aerated and frosty.
- Pour the drink unstrained into the chilled glass, then top with a little more crushed ice to create a snowy cap.
- Thread a maraschino cherry through a wide orange-peel spiral to make Saturn’s ring, place it on top, and finish with an edible flower if using.
Garnish
A maraschino cherry inside an orange-peel ring, plus an edible flower if desired.
Pro tip
Keep the blend brief. The goal is a frosty, textured Tiki drink rather than a smooth frozen cocktail; too much blending will dilute the gin and blur the crisp lemon-passion fruit balance.
History of the Saturn
California bartender J. “Popo” Galsini created the Saturn in 1967, winning the International Bartender’s Association World Championship with the gin-based Tiki drink. Initially called the X-15, it was renamed Saturn in the Space Age. The recipe was later recovered and published by Tiki historian Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, helping bring the cocktail back to modern Tiki menus.
Flavour profile
Gin-led, Tropical, Citrusy, Almond-rich
Practise making the Saturn in the free Virtual Bar game.