The 10 tastiest gin cocktails

Summer is here and it’s the perfect time for cocktails. With gin being one of the UK’s most popular drinks, you may be wondering what does gin go with besides tonic? Yes, James Bond made the classic Martini a classic, but did you know that there are numerous other gin recipes that you can enjoy? This is because each brand of gin - whether a pink gin, a Whitley Neill gin or a Bombay gin - has a distinct taste. Despite the fact that gin is made by infusing a neutral grain spirit with juniper, there are other botanicals that enter the equation leading to a delicious and cooling drink for you to enjoy. So, without further ado, here is our selection of the 10 tastiest gin cocktails to help answer the question: what are the most popular gin drinks?

1. Gin Martini

We kick off our selection with the classic Martini. Contrary to popular belief, this one should be stirred and not shaken with ice until chilled. It consists of 2 oz. gin and 1 oz. dry vermouth. You can garnish it with a lemon twist or an olive. Don’t forget to strain the contents of the drink into a chilled gin glass. The Martini is closely related to the Manhattan and the Martinez because they each have a balanced mix of a spirit and vermouth. The name itself is believed to have come from the Martini brand of dry vermouth.

2. Cosmonaut

Ready to fill your gin glasses? Why not try a Cosmonaut? The ingredients are simple: 2 oz. gin, ¾ oz. lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of raspberry preserves. Place all the ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Afterwards, strain into a chilled glass. While it should look “pinkish” like a Cosmpolitan, its flavour will be distinctly different. This is a much more contemporary gin drink and is believed to have been created by Sasha Petraske from the Milk & Honey bar (New York) in the early 2000s. It’s supposedly a revamped version of the vodka-based Cosmopolitan.

3. Gin Gimlet

The origins of the Gin Gimlet go back to the 19th century when British doctors attempted to “find palatable ways to administer lime juice to sailors to stave off scurvy”. It even made its way into “The Savoy Cocktail Book” in 1930, which was written by Harry Craddock. This one is not only delicious but easy to make, too. Here’s what you’ll need: 2 oz. gin, ¾ oz. lime juice, ½ oz. simple syrup and a lime wheel for the garnish. This should give it a fresher and more balanced taste. To make a Gimlet, simply mix the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well to mix. Then, strain into a chilled glass and garnish with the lime wheel. When you take your first sip, you’re likely to experience a sweet, tart and acidic taste all at once, which adds a nice level of complexity to it.

4. Ramos Gin Fizz

Wondering what is a good mix with gin? If it’s not the Ramos Gin Fizz, we don’t know what is. To prepare this cocktail, you’ll need 2 oz. gin, ¾ oz. simple syrup, ¾ oz. heavy cream, ½ oz. lime juice, ½ oz. lemon juice, 2 drops of orange flower water, 1 egg white and Club Soda. There are several ways to go about creating this drink: you can either dry shake it first, shake with ice from the start, top the drink off with club soda, or add half the soda into the glass before adding the cocktail and then topping with the rest. Whichever way you choose to create this taste adventure, it’s also worth knowing that it was created in 1888 by Henry Charles Ramos, who worked at the Imperial Cabinet Saloon in New Orleans. According to the original recipe, the shaking needed to take place for 10 to 15 minutes. Quite a labour-intensive task indeed.  

5. Last Word

To create the Last Word, you’ll need ¾ oz. gin, ¾ oz. Luxardo maraschino liqueur, ¾ oz. Chartreuse and ¾ oz. lime juice. Shake all the ingredients in a shaker with ice and fine strain into a chilled glass. It is believed that this cocktail originated as far back as 1915 at the Detroit Athletic Club. However, it became prominent at the Zig Zage Cafe in Seattle in 2002.  

6. Negroni

And this is the one you’ve all be waiting for: the Negroni recipe for the UK. You’ll need 1 oz. gin, 1 oz. Campari, 1 oz. sweet vermouth and an orange peel to garnish. To create it, you need to mix equal parts of the ingredients with ice. Strain over ice into a glass and garnish with an orange twist. The origins of this cocktail appear to take place in 1919 in Italy when Count Camillo Negroni ordered an Americano with gin instead of soda. The balance of the drink is ultimately something quite beautiful and is certainly worth relishing, although the flabour is certainly somewhat bitter. 

7. French 75

Curious about how to make a French 75? Look no further! To get started, you’ll need 1 oz. gin, 2 oz. champagne, ½ oz. simple syrup, ½ oz. lemon juice and a lemon twist for the garnish. Now, here’s how to make it: simply combine the lemon juice, simple syrup and gin in a shaker and then shake with ice. After this, strain into a chilled glass and top with champagne and a lemon twist. Although the origins of this cocktail are debatable, what is known for a fact is that it offers both a strong and a festive experience because it contains the alcohol content and botanical flavour of gin which is paired with the tartness of lemon and the sparkle of champagne.

8. Tom Collins

Ready to fill your Tom Collins glass? Let’s get started! This is certainly a classic and to prepare it, you’ll need gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and club soda. It’s fantastic for cooling off on a hot day and you simply need to mix two parts gin and one part lemon juice and half a part of simple syrup together. Fill up with ice, top off with club soda and then stir. You are welcome to top it off with a lemon or a cherry to add a touch of classiness to the drink. 

9. Corpse Reviver #2

Found in “The Savoy Cocktail Manual”, this is a pre-prohibition era classic gin cocktail. The name comes from the fact that it was aimed at jolting the drinker awake. So, how do you prepare it? Here’s what you’ll need: ¾ oz. gin, ¾ oz. lemon juice, ¾ oz. Lillet Blanc, ¾ oz. Cointreau and Absinthe (for rinse). To make it, pour a little bit of Absinthe into a chilled glass and swirl it so the glass’ interior is coated. Next up, mix the rest of the ingredients in a shaker with ice and then shake until chilled. Strain into the glass and enjoy!

10. Aviation

The final gin cocktail on our list is called Aviation. For this, you’ll need 2 oz. gin, ¾ oz. lemon juice, ½ oz. Luxardo maraschino liqueur, ¼ oz. crème de violette and a Luxardo maraschino cherry for garnish. To make this creation, you’ll need to place all the ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake until chilled. Pour in a chilled glass and garnish with a cherry. It is said that this special drink was first created in the pre-prohibition era and the recipe for it appears in the 1916 “Recipes for Mixed Drinks”.

To conclude…

So, now that you know the answer to the question what are the 10 most popular gin cocktails, you can now create one (or as many) of the abovementioned cocktails as you choose. You can also enjoy a pink gin fizz cocktail as an option from all the gin offers available. And if you know someone who’s a fan of gin, why not get them a gin gift set? Here you will be able to find the perfect gift set, as well as every gin for your perfect cocktail. Your loved ones would certainly appreciate the gesture and might even treat you to one of the cocktails mentioned above. Overall, it’s totally worth it!