Our Top 5 Favorite Classic Gin Cocktails

So, you’re looking to start crafting up some tantalizing classic cocktails to impress everyone at your next party. Well, you’ll find that one spirit is a common denominator amongst the most historical and famous concoctions out there: gin. According to VinePair, gin is “a clear, distilled spirit with dominant botanical flavors of juniper, flowers, and fresh and dried fruit.” Gin is a more complicated spirit than it appears. It comes in two different types: distilled and redistilled. It also has several different styles: London Dry Gin, Plymouth Gin, Old Tom Gin, and New Western Dry Gin. However, no matter which style or type you decide on, gin is genuinely the place to start when you venture into the world of cocktail making. Here are our Top 5 Gin Cocktails to get you started!

1. Gin and Tonic

Is there anything more classic than a gin and tonic? The sweet (but not too sweet), bitter (but not too bitter) concoction is not just easy to drink. It’s also impossibly easy to make. Serve it up at your next get-together and it will be a crowd favorite, we guarantee it. We found the perfect recipe courtesy of MoodyMixologist. 

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces gin
• 6 ounces premium tonic water
• Fresh lime or lemon

Directions:

• Fill the glass with ice.
• Pour the gin and squeeze the citrus juice over the ice, then stir to chill.
• Top with chilled tonic water and garnish with more lemon or lime.

2. Classic Gin Martini

“Shaken, not stirred” as James Bond would say, is only one of the ways to craft the perfect classic martini. The Gin Martini is a drink that is synonymous with glamour and elegance. Check out this recipe from The Spruce Eats to make yours! Serve them in our Martini Glasses for a chic and stylish presentation.

Ingredients:

•  2 ½ ounces gin
• ½ ounce dry vermouth, or to taste
• 1 dash orange or aromatic bitters, optional
• Lemon twist or 1 or 3 olives, for garnish

Directions:

• In a mixing glass filled with ice cubes, combine the gin and vermouth, pouring more or less vermouth to your taste.
• Stir for 30 seconds.
•  Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
• Add a dash of bitters, if desired.
• Garnish with a lemon twist or olives.

3. Classic Gin Gimlet

If you haven’t heard of a Gimlet, you’re truly missing out on a classic, refreshing gin cocktail. The Gimlet has been around since the 1800s. It’s a bright and vibrant cocktail that is perfect for summer. There is also a different variation using vodka, but here’s our favorite recipe using gin.

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces of gin
• 1-ounce lime cordial (the linked recipe includes a fabulous homemade lime cordial recipe)
• Lime wheel for garnish

Directions:

• Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously.
• Strain into a coupe and garnish with a lime wheel.

4. Tom Collins

If you’re looking for a simple, clean, and fresh-tasting cocktail, look no further than the classic Tom Collins. This traditionally made, lemonade-style drink dates all the way back to the 19th century, and there is a reason why it’s stuck around for so long. This delicious drink is easy to make and easy on the tastebuds.

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces London dry gin
• 1-ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed
•  ½ ounce simple syrup
• Club soda, to top
• Lemon wheel or maraschino cherry (optional)

Directions:

• Add the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup to a Collins glass.
• Fill with ice, top with club soda and stir.
• Garnish with a lemon wheel and maraschino cherry (optional).

5. Negroni

Our number five pick is giving some serious “soaking up the sun on the coast of Italy” vibes. The Negroni is a classic Italian gin cocktail. A classic negroni is the original 1:1:1 cocktail (equal parts gin, vermouth, and Campari). However, not everyone likes the taste of a classic negroni, so there are several different versions out there. Here is an updated, modern spin on the classic drink that we can’t stop thinking about from BonAppetit.

Ingredients:

• 1½ ounces gin
• 1-ounce vermouth
• ¾ ounce Campari
• 1 orange

Directions:

• Stir gin, vermouth, and Campari in an ice-filled mixing glass until very cold, about 30 seconds. Strain the cocktail through a Hawthorne strainer or a slotted spoon into an ice-filled rocks glass.
• Using a small, serrated knife, remove a 1" strip of peel from the orange. Some white pith is okay; they should be stiff enough to provide some resistance when bent. Twist over the drink to express oils; discard. Garnish with 3 very thin orange slices.

Are you ready to make your first gin cocktail? We feel certain that we’ve equipped you with the five most classic cocktails that are also the easiest to make. Check out Prestige Haus’ Instagram and Facebook for more recipes and articles like this. We also highly recommend our other gin articles, like this one. Check out our website for all of the accessories that are needed to craft and serve these delicious beverages.

Which cocktail will you be trying first?