Gimlet Cocktail

A Gimlet Cocktail is one of the simplest there is. With only three ingredients, this one is all about quality! The flavor of the gin has a huge impact on the drink, so make sure you use one that you really enjoy.

This drink is one of the oldest modern cocktails! It was widely used to prevent scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) by the British Navy in the 1800's. Rather than drinking the juice on its own, the sailors would mix it together with gin. (Why not??)

Because it's such a simple drink, it's stayed popular for all this time, and for good reason! It's quick and easy to make, and always refreshing to sip on.

Another classic cocktail to try featuring lime juice and gin is the Last Word. The beautiful and tasty French Gimlet is a sweeter variation to try too! Or for a bit of a flavor twist on the original, try out this absolutely delicious Blackberry Bergamot Gin Gimlet.

Since there are only three ingredients in this drink, each one is important. While you can adjust the amounts to your taste, it always comes down to these three:

• Gin
• Lime juice
• Simple syrup

A note about Rose's: In Raymond Chandler's 1953 book, The Long Goodbye, in which a character says that the Gimlet is a mix of half gin and half Rose's Lime Cordial. Nowadays, the U.S. version of Rose's uses different ingredients like high fructose corn syrup. But if you can get your hands on a Rose's that was not produced in the U.S., it is still pretty close to the original. (The one I have linked above is the U.K. version, which is why it's so much more expensive for anyone in the U.S.!)

Personally, I will always go for the fresh ingredients, but Rose's is still loved by many!

Substitutions

• Gin - if you really don't like gin, you're going to want to substitute it out here, since it's the main flavor. Give a Vodka Gimlet a try, or a Tequila Gimlet is great too. Just substitute the spirits in an equal amount to the gin.
• Lime juice - you can use lemon juice, although it won't be quite as tart as the lime juice.
• Simple syrup - you can use a sugar substitute (like allulose or erythritol) syrup, or use a spoonful of honey instead if you are avoiding refined sugars.

Variations

There are a ton of ways to create variations on this drink, since it's so simple. Jazz it up however you like!

• Spicy Gimlet - infuse your gin with fresh jalapeños for a deliciously spiced-up version.
• Cranberry Gimlet - give your drink a little bit of fall flavor with a half ounce of cranberry juice added in to the mix.
• Ginger Gimlet - add in a teaspoon of ginger juice for a tasty zing.

Equipment

Since this drink has citrus juice, you'll want to shake it with ice. You'll need a cocktail shaker, a strainer, and a cocktail serving glass. I double-strained using a fine-mesh strainer underneath the regular strainer to get out more of the lime pulp, but that is totally optional.

My favorite bar equipment is from A Bar Above, and you can use my code LKDrinks for 10% off on their website.

Instructions

Start out by cutting your lime garnish. For this, you'll just need to cut a slice of lime so it looks like a wheel. Set the lime wheel aside and prepare the rest of the drink.

Juice the rest of your lime, measure it and add it to your cocktail shaker. Then, add the simple syrup to the shaker.

Finally, add the gin to your cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice, seal it up and give it 15-20 good shakes to chill and dilute the drink.

Strain the drink into your cocktail serving glass, add the lime wheel garnish, and serve immediately.

Hint: You can also cut a large piece of lime rind and twist it over your serving glass after pouring the cocktail. This will cause some of the lime oil from the rind to spray over the drink, giving it an extra punch of lime flavor and aroma.

Top tip

Although you could serve this in any cocktail glass, a stemmed glass like a coupe glass or a Martini glass are more traditional. Since it's served up, without ice, this allows you to hold the drink without your hand warming up the drink!

Just be sure to use a smaller size glass, and not a jumbo 8-ounce glass, or it will look like a tiny amount of liquid in a giant glass. Look for a 4 or 5 ounce glass for this drink.