How to Make a French Gimlet

A French gimlet is a sophisticated take on the classic! Three ingredients (St-Germain, gin, and lime juice) combine for a refreshing and chic cocktail.

The French gimlet is a sophisticated cocktail that’s refreshing and perfectly tart. Just three ingredients go into this chic drink, and it’s a fun way to mix up cocktail night.

This has become my favorite gimlet variation because of the warm floral flavor of the elderflower liqueur. If you’ve never had St-Germain, this is a great drink to start with. Here’s how to make it!

What’s a French gimlet?

A French gimlet is a gin gimlet made with elderflower liqueur. The gimlet is a classic cocktail made of 2 parts gin and 1 part lime juice, often balanced with a little simple syrup. A true 1920s cocktail, it can be made with gin or vodka. Add a bit of elderflower liqueur to make it French, and ditch the simple syrup. Here’s what’s in a French gimlet:

• Gin
• Lime juice
• St-Germain (elderflower liqueur)

Love French-style drinks? Try a French 75, a gin cocktail that swaps in lemon for lime and adds champagne. It’s a favorite bubbly cocktail around here.

Variations on the gimlet

There are a few different ways to make a gimlet! Here are a few more options:

• Gin Gimlet: This is the classic! It’s bright and botanical from the gin.
• Vodka Gimlet: This one has a more subtle flavor than the gin gimlet. It’s smooth and tangy, a nice variation on the standard.
• Basil Gimlet: This is a gin gimlet with fresh basil! This version features lime juice, gin, and muddled basil, which gives it a fresh peppery essence.

Choosing your gin

The French gimlet only has 3 ingredients, so quality is key. The better the gin, the better the drink. Don’t buy the cheapest gin on the shelf. Try to invest in a mid-price range gin. The drink will only taste as good as the gin you invest in!

All about St-Germain

Do you have a bottle of St-Germain in your cabinet? It is absolutely worth snagging for this French gimlet. The flavor is irresistible! Here are a few fun facts about St-Germain:

• St-Germain is a liqueur made with elderflowers, the small white flowers of an elderberry plant. This flavor is warm and floral.
• It was invented in 2007. Surprising, right? Doesn’t it look like it has hundreds of years of history?
• How do you say St-Germain? Don’t say “Saint.” It’s actually pronounced “Sahn-jer-MAHN.” However you want to say it to not sound pretentious with your friends, go for it!

More St-Germain cocktails

If you buy a bottle of St-Germain to make a French gimlet, what else can you make with it? Here are my favorite cocktails with St-Germain:

• St-Germain Champagne Cocktail: This elderflower drink features champagne, lemon, and gin. It’s a sophisticated, bubbly drink perfect for any occasion!
• St-Germain Vodka Cocktail: This St-Germain cocktail is very easy to drink, so beware! The flavors are perfectly balanced between sweet, tangy, and floral.
• St-Germain Gin Cocktail: This cocktail goes down easy…very easy, in fact! It’s perfectly balanced between sweet and tart, with that signature floral finish as you swallow.

When to serve a French gimlet

The French gimlet is a fancy and sophisticated gin cocktail. It’s perfect for sipping as a:

• Happy hour drink
• Fancy dinner party drink
• Late night drinks drink
• Guys’ or girls’ night drink
• Cocktail hour drink

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More gin cocktails

There are lots more great gin cocktails to try with that bottle of gin! Here are some favorites:

• Best Gin and Tonic: What’s a more classic gin cocktail than THE gin and tonic? Its crisp, botanical flavor is straightforward yet intriguing with only 2 ingredients.
• Tom Collins Cocktail: This is a nostalgic cocktail that’s about as classic as it gets! It’s a tall highball drink made with gin and lemon juice. 
• Gin Fizz Cocktail: Perfectly balanced, this one is both sweet and tart! Adding soda water magically creates a frothy egg white foam topping.