Cocktails with gin: 8 essential drinks.
Gin is the most cocktail-friendly spirit on earth. Botanical, aromatic, takes vermouth and citrus better than any whiskey. The period bartender's manuals have entire chapters on gin, Boothby's 1908 manual lists 70+. Here are 8 gin cocktails worth pouring tonight.
The 8 drinks
1. Martini
Gin and dry vermouth, stirred (always, shaking bruises gin), served up with a lemon twist or olive. Ratio is religion. The classic 2:1 (2 oz gin, 1 oz vermouth) is correct; a true dry martini is 6:1 or higher. Don't fight people over it.
2. Negroni
Equal parts gin, Campari, sweet vermouth. Stirred over ice in a rocks glass, orange peel. The most-ordered modern classic for a reason. Build: 1 oz each.
3. Aviation
Gin, lemon juice, maraschino, crème de violette. From Ensslin's Recipes for Mixed Drinks, the ultimate Aviation contains crème de violette, which most modern bars omit (it was hard to find for 70 years). Build: 2 oz gin, 0.5 oz lemon, 0.5 oz maraschino, barspoon crème de violette.
4. Tom Collins
Gin, lemon, sugar, soda water over ice. The original tall summer drink. Build: 2 oz gin, 0.75 oz lemon, 0.75 oz simple syrup, top with soda water.
5. Last Word
Equal parts gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino, lime. Resurrected in the 2000s after 80 years of obscurity. Now ordered everywhere. Build: 0.75 oz each.
6. Gimlet
Gin and lime cordial. Original was Rose's Lime Cordial; a fresh-lime version uses lime juice and simple syrup. Build (fresh): 2.5 oz gin, 0.5 oz lime juice, 0.5 oz simple syrup.
7. French 75
Gin, lemon, simple syrup, topped with Champagne. The drink that punches above its weight. Build: 1.5 oz gin, 0.5 oz lemon, 0.5 oz simple, top with Champagne in a flute.
8. Corpse Reviver No. 2
Equal parts gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, lemon, plus an absinthe rinse. From the Savoy Cocktail Book. Despite the name, it's bright and citrusy. Build: 0.75 oz each, absinthe rinse.
About gin
Gin styles vary widely. London Dry (Beefeater, Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire) is the cocktail standard, juniper-forward, dry. Plymouth is softer. Old Tom (Hayman's, Ransom) is sweeter and historically accurate for pre-prohibition recipes. New American gins (Aviation, St. George Botanivore) are less juniper-heavy and work in modern cocktails but can underwhelm in classics.
FAQ
- What's the best gin for a martini?
- London Dry. Tanqueray No. Ten is the high-end pick. Beefeater is the value pick. For a softer martini, try Plymouth. Avoid 'modern' gins (heavy citrus or floral), they fight the vermouth.
- Why do you stir martinis instead of shaking?
- Two reasons. 1) Shaking aerates and bruises the gin, softens the structure. 2) Shaking dilutes faster and over-dilutes martinis specifically. James Bond was wrong. Stir for 30-40 seconds.
- What's crème de violette and where do I find it?
- Violet-flower liqueur, essential for an authentic Aviation. Out of production from 1947 to 2007, Rothman & Winter resurrected it. Available at well-stocked liquor stores or online.
- What's the difference between Old Tom and London Dry gin?
- Old Tom is slightly sweetened and softer, this was the dominant style in the 1800s. London Dry is unsweetened and juniper-forward, became dominant after 1900. For period bartender's manuals (Thomas, Engel, Johnson), Old Tom is more historically accurate.
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