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 pre-prohibition manuscripts 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 pre-prohibition manuscripts (Thomas, Engel, Johnson), Old Tom is more historically accurate.
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