Classic co*cktails from A-Z: G is for Gimlet (2024)

FAQs

What is a gimlet made of? ›

The classic Gimlet co*cktail is a three-ingredient masterclass in simplicity and balance. Composed only of gin, lime juice, and sugar, it helped pave the way for countless co*cktails to follow, from the Margarita to the Daiquiri and the Sidecar.

Embury's six basic drinks are the Daiquiri, the Jack Rose, the Manhattan, the Martini, the Old Fashioned, and the Sidecar. Embury's preferred recipe for each is: Daiquiri.

A martini co*cktail glass is one of the most popular glasses that serve a wide variety of co*cktails. With long stems to reduce any heat transfer from hands to the glass and a domed shape to enhance the aroma, these glasses are primarily used for Cosmopolitan, Martinis, Manhattans and Gimlets.

But a crisp, dry London-style gin like Tanqueray, Beefeater, or Gordon's also make for good choices. Save your more delicate or aromatic gins, like Hendrick's, for spare co*cktails like a Martini, where those subtleties can be appreciated.

A traditional gimlet these days is 2 parts gin to 1 part each lime juice and simple syrup (some feel that ¾s part lime juice and simple syrup is ideal). What follows is the recipe for the Jeffrey Morganthaler gimlet as well as his fabulous lime cordial.

Etymology. The word "gimlet" used in this sense is first attested in 1928. The most obvious derivation is from the tool for drilling small holes, a word also used figuratively to describe something as sharp or piercing. Thus, the co*cktail may have been named for its "penetrating" effects on the drinker.

In the pantheon of co*cktails, the Martini is king.

Lowballs are also known as old fashioned glass or rocks glass. So, typically, that would be co*cktails like Old Fashioneds, Whiskey on the rocks and Negroni.

Gimlets are traditionally served up, or shaken with ice then strained into a co*cktail glass. While the drink looks great in fancy stemware, it's not the best option for the co*cktail. What is, is a short rocks glass filled with ice.

The Gimlet is classically stirred but once you've added fresh citrus juice (unless you've clarified your juice) even if stirred this co*cktail won't be perfectly clear. So do as Harry Craddock directs in his 1930 Savoy co*cktail Book and use some elbow grease to shake and invigorate this upper deck's co*cktail.

Is Hendricks good for a gimlet? ›

The best gin for gimlets comes down to your personal preference, but popular options for gimlet recipes include affable Bombay Sapphire, reliable Hendrick's, and Bluecoat, an American-made gin named for the Bluecoat revolutionaries who pushed back Redcoat British during the War of Independence.

Stir until the outside of the container feels very cold. Strain the mixture into your chilled glass and garnish with a slice of lime and an edible flower.

While both co*cktails are gin-based, the Gimlet uses lime juice for a citrus addition, while the Tom Collins requires lemon juice. Furthermore, the Tom Collins is sweetened with a touch of simple syrup and topped off with soda water.

The Gimlet is like a Daiquiri made with gin instead of rum—and it turns out both drinks have roots in the 18th century, when British sailors used to mix their daily rations of booze with lime (handed out to prevent scurvy) and sugar.

Gin rickeys are very similar to gimlets in that they are both made with gin and lime juice. The main difference is that a gimlet is additionally sweetened with simple syrup, and the unsweetened gin rickey is finished off with a pour of club soda.