15 Gin-Based Cocktails and Their Recipes

The precise origin of the Gin and Tonic remains somewhat unclear. Gin was consumed for medicinal purposes as early as the 1600s. Quinine, the bitter bark extract that gives tonic its distinctive flavor, was used against malaria even earlier. The first known quinine-based tonics were commercialized in the 1850s.

The popularity of tonic in British colonies, particularly in India, is well-documented. Schweppes launched its first carbonated quinine tonic in 1870, naming it Indian Tonic Water.

The gentlemen and ladies of the Raj also consumed remarkable quantities of gin, so it’s accepted that the gin and tonic emerged in India during the latter half of the 19th century, partly to ward off malaria.

Ingredients:

- 6 cl Citadelle Gin

- Hysope Tonic Water

- Garnish: lime wedge or cucumber slice

Method:

Pour the ingredients into a glass filled with ice and serve.

The Negroni is believed to have originated from a popular aperitif in Northern Italy in the early 20th century.

It evolved from the Americano, which itself was based on the Milano-Torino.

Going back to its roots, the Milano-Torino is said to have been invented in the 1860s at Caffè Camparino in Milan, Italy.

The drink became popular among Americans who, during a time of economic prosperity and affordable travel, traveled widely and requested a splash of sparkling water in their Milano-Torino, giving rise to the Americano.

The story goes that in 1919, an Italian count named Camillo Negroni, a well-known playboy and regular at the Casoni Bar in Florence, Italy, once asked for a little extra punch in his Americano.

The bartender replaced the sparkling water with gin, and this combination became the count’s regular order.

Other bar patrons quickly began asking for "one of Count Negroni’s drinks," and over time, the drink simply became known as the Negroni.

Ingredients:

- 3 cl Portofino Gin

- 3 cl Campari

- 3 cl Cocchi Storico red vermouth

- Garnish: orange zest

Method:

Fill an old-fashioned glass with ice, then add the ingredients. Stir until slightly diluted and garnish with an orange zest or slice.

The origins of the Martini are a topic of much debate.

Many believe that a man named Julio Richelieu created this drink in 1874 for a gold miner and that its name comes from the Californian town of Martinez, where the miner enjoyed this libation.

Another legend attributes the creation of the Dry Martini to a bartender named Martini di Arma di Taggia, who worked at the Knickerbocker Hotel in New York in 1911.

Originally, the Martini, like the Martinez, was sweet and quite heavy by today’s standards.

Ingredients:

- 5 cl London No. 3 gin

- 1 cl Cocchi Extra-Dry vermouth

- Garnish: olive or lemon zest

Method:

Stir the gin and vermouth with ice in a mixing glass, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an olive or a lemon zest.

The Tom Collins as a cocktail appears to have been first mentioned in the 1876 edition of Jerry Thomas's Bartender's Guide, authored by the famous American bartender. It was originally made with Old Tom Gin, which is sweeter than modern gins.

Ingredients:

- 6 cl Cotswolds Old Tom Gin

- 3 cl fresh lemon juice

- 1.5 cl sugar syrup

- Soda water

- Garnish: lemon slice and cocktail cherry

Method:

Mix the gin, lemon juice, and sugar syrup in a glass filled with ice. Top with soda water. Garnish with a lemon slice and a cocktail cherry.

Legend has it that this drink was created by Harry MacElhone at his Harry's New York Bar in Paris in 1925. It is said to be named after the 75 mm field gun used by the French army during World War I (1914-1918) as a nod to the cocktail's alcoholic strength.

Ingredients:

- 4.5 cl Le Gin de Christian Drouin

- 1.5 cl fresh lemon juice

- 1.5 cl sugar syrup

- 10 cl champagne

- Garnish: lemon zest

Method:

Mix the gin, lemon juice, and sugar syrup in a shaker with ice, then strain into a champagne flute. Top with champagne. Garnish with a lemon zest.

In 1867, Lachlan Rose, a shipyard owner in Leith, Scotland, sought to extend the freshness of citrus on board ships. He patented a process to preserve fruit juice with sulfites, without alcohol, which he named "Rose's Lime Cordial."

As the benefits of lime juice became more widely known, British sailors consumed so much of it that they were affectionately nicknamed "Limeys."

Back on land, British naval officers began mixing Rose's Lime Cordial with gin, giving birth to the famous Gimlet cocktail.

The creation of the Gimlet arose from practical circumstances, combining ingredients with a perfect balance of unrefrigerated gin (as there were no refrigerators at the time) and lime cordial.

While Rose’s Lime still exists today, top bars now serve the Gimlet with fresh lime juice.

Ingredients:

- 6 cl Nikka Coffey Gin

- 1 cl fresh lime juice

- 1 cl lime syrup

Method:

Mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

The Aviation is a classic gin-based cocktail prepared in a shaker and served in a cocktail glass. It's a variation of the Gin Sour, with lemon juice balanced by maraschino liqueur and originally crème de violette, which lends a slight blue hue to the drink, evoking the sky and giving it its name.

The Aviation cocktail first appeared in 1916 at the bar of the Wallick Hotel in New York.

Ingredients:

- 4.5 cl Cotswolds Dry Gin

- 1.5 cl maraschino liqueur

- 1.5 cl fresh lemon juice

- 1 teaspoon Combier crème de violette

Method:

Mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Like many other gin-based cocktails, the Gin Fizz dates back to the 18th century, when sailors began mixing gin with other ingredients to combat scurvy.

The Gin Fizz is simply a blend of gin, lemon, sugar, and sparkling water—a cocktail recipe that has stood the test of time.

Ingredients:

- 4.5 cl gin Citadelle Rouge

- 3 cl fresh lemon juice

- 1.5 cl sugar syrup

- Sparkling water

Method:

Mix the gin, lemon juice, and sugar syrup in a shaker with ice, then strain into a glass. Top up with sparkling water.

The creation of the Bee's Knees is often attributed to Frank Meier, a famous bartender at the Ritz in Paris, although versions of the cocktail were likely prepared in various speakeasies across the United States.

Ingredients:

- 6 cl Height of Arrow’s Gin

- 2 cl fresh lemon juice

- 2 cl honey

Method:

Mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

The origin of this cocktail dates back to around 1920, before Prohibition.

The Last Word remained popular during and after Prohibition but gradually fell out of favor and was eventually forgotten.

In 2004, Murray Stenson, a bartender at the Zig Zag Café in Seattle, found the recipe for this cocktail in a 1952 copy of Ted Saucier's book. Murray added it to the menu at Zig Zag Café, where it was well-received by regulars.

The Last Word then spread to cocktail bars in Chicago and San Francisco and eventually reached several cities in Europe, especially London and Amsterdam.

Ingredients:

- 2 cl Drumshanbo Gin

- 2 cl green Chartreuse

- 2 cl maraschino liqueur

- 2 cl fresh lime juice

Method:

Mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

According to records, the origin of the White Lady dates back to the 1930s when Harry Craddock created the recipe and published it in his book, The Savoy Cocktail Book. He popularized his creation at the American Bar of the Savoy Hotel in London.

Ingredients:

- 4 cl Nilgiris Gin

- 3 cl Maison Ferrand Dry Curaçao

- 2 cl fresh lemon juice

Method:

Mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

The Singapore Sling is said to have been created by Ngiam Tong Boon, born in China, who crafted this cocktail while working at the Long Bar of the Raffles Hotel. This places the invention of the drink between 1899, when Boon started working at the hotel after its expansion, and 1915, the year he passed away after returning to Hainan, China.

Ingredients:

- 3 cl Colombo Gin

- 1.5 cl Ableforth’s Cherry Brandy

- 0.75 cl Maison Ferrand Dry Curaçao

- 0.75 cl Bénédictine

- 12 cl pineapple juice

- 1.5 cl fresh lemon juice

- 1 dash grenadine

- 1 dash Angostura Bitters

- Garnish: pineapple slice and cocktail cherry

Method:

Mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice, then strain into a highball glass filled with ice. Garnish with a pineapple slice and a cocktail cherry.

The Corpse Reviver #2 is an old cocktail that regained popularity among bartenders in the 2000s. Since modern Lillet has changed significantly from the original Kina Lillet used in the recipe, bartenders often substitute Cocchi Americano Bianco, which has a bitterness closer to the original version. Strong in alcohol, it’s said to be able to “wake the dead.”

Ingredients:

- 2 cl Elephant Gin

- 2 cl Maison Ferrand Dry Curaçao

- 2 cl Cocchi Americano Bianco

- 2 cl fresh lemon juice

- 1 dash La Fee Parisienne absinthe

Method:

Mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

The Clover Club is a classic cocktail originating in Philadelphia, United States. It was created in the early 20th century and is named after the Clover Club, a gentlemen’s club founded in 1882.

Ingredients:

- 4.5 cl Fair Gin

- 1.5 cl raspberry syrup

- 1.5 cl fresh lemon juice

- 1 egg white

- Garnish: one or two raspberries

Method:

Mix all ingredients in a shaker without ice to emulsify the egg white. Add ice, shake again, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

The Southside is often associated with the legendary Twenty-One Club in New York, a private club founded in 1922 that popularized this cocktail among its exclusive members.

Another version of the Southside, served with crushed ice, is said to have originated in Chicago during Prohibition (1920-1933). The cocktail was reportedly a favorite among gangsters on the South Side of Chicago.

Ingredients:

- 6 cl Bluecoat Gin

- 2 cl fresh lime juice

- 1.5 cl sugar syrup

- 1 mint leaf

Method:

Mix the gin, lime juice, sugar syrup, and mint in a shaker with ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

La Maison du Whisky has three boutiques in Paris:

• 20 rue d'Anjou 75008 Paris
• 6 carrefour de l'Odéon 75006 Paris
• 11 rue Tiquetonne 75002 Paris

In each of these boutiques, you’ll discover a wide range of whiskies, rums, gins, and other spirits.

Our advisors will be delighted to introduce you to essential gin brands.