Gimlet recipe
Three ingredients, no hiding. This is where you find out if your gin is any good.
Method: Shake ·
Glass: Coupe ·
Time: 2 min ·
Difficulty: Beginner ·
Family: The Daiquiri Family
Ingredients
- 2.5 oz London Dry Gin (Plymouth or Tanqueray)
- 0.75 oz Fresh Lime Juice
- 0.75 oz Simple Syrup
How to make a Gimlet
- Add gin, lime juice, and simple syrup to a shaker with ice.
- Shake for 12-15 seconds until very cold.
- Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
- Garnish with a lime wheel on the rim.
Garnish
Lime wheel.
Pro tip
Some people insist on using Rose's Lime Juice for 'authenticity.' Those people are wrong. Fresh lime juice makes a dramatically better drink. The original recipe used preserved lime because fresh citrus didn't survive long sea voyages — we don't have that problem anymore.
History of the Gimlet
Named after the gimlet surgical tool (or possibly Sir Thomas Gimlette, a Royal Navy doctor), this drink was born at sea. British Navy officers mixed gin with preserved lime juice to prevent scurvy. The lime cordial masked the harsh gin, and a classic was born out of necessity.
Flavour profile
Tart, Botanical, Clean, Crisp
Variations
- Vodka Gimlet — Use vodka for a cleaner, less botanical version
- Eastside — Muddle cucumber and mint before shaking
- Elderflower Gimlet — Replace simple syrup with St-Germain
Practise making the Gimlet in the free Virtual Bar game.