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The gin gimlet cocktail is a classic drink made with lime juice and gin. Here’s an easy gimlet recipe that takes only 5 minutes to shake up!
Some of my favorite cocktails start with gin. For a little context, I’m a cocktail expert and certified mixologist with over 300 cocktail recipes in my library!
For something super refreshing and the perfect balance of sweet and tart, a gin gimlet has to rank pretty high up there. It’s a classic with just 3 ingredients, but it’s still showy enough to impress guests.
What is a gimlet?
A gin gimlet is a classic cocktail made of lime juice, gin and simple syrup. It’s sometimes served with a splash of soda water.
While it became popular in the 1950’s, the very first printed recipe for a gin gimlet cocktail was in a 1930’s cocktail book. Gimlet-like cocktails date back even further when doctors realized citrus, a key component in the cocktail, was a good preventative for scurvy.
Some sources think the name comes from one of these doctors, Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Gimlette. He started serving gin and citrus to sailors as a form of medicine. Others say it was named for a tool called the gimlet, used for drilling small holes on navy ships. Whatever the case, the gimlet has now solidified itself as one of history’s great gin cocktails.
Making a gimlet
A gin gimlet tastes tangy and sweet, with an aroma of gin but balanced on the back end. It’s pretty botanical and gin forward, so you’ll want to use a quality bottle of gin. If you’re not a fan of strong drinks, I’d recommend trying a gin fizz or adding a splash of soda water to mellow out the flavors.
Here’s how to make a gin gimlet cocktail:
- Step 1: Add 2 oz gin, ½ oz lime juice, and ½ oz syrup to a cocktail shaker, and shake with ice.
- Step 2: Strain into a cocktail glass.
- Step 3: Garnish with a lime wheel.
Sweetener variations
I love naturally sweetened drinks, so you’ll catch me using ingredients like pure maple syrup as a swap for simple syrup when we make cocktail recipes. It sweetens drinks in a gentler way than simple syrup and adds nuanced flavor notes.
When I taste cocktails back-to-back, drinks made with maple syrup always win over simple syrup! You can also use agave syrup or honey syrup, but maple syrup is my preferred alternate sweetener.
Gimlet glassware
A gin gimlet is traditionally served in a cocktail glass, which is a similar shape to a martini glass. A cocktail glass is slightly smaller and more rounded, though, while a martini glass is more of a cone shape with a shorter stem.
That said, there’s no need to buy a cocktail glass for this one if all you have is martini glasses. You can serve this gin gimlet cocktail in whatever glass you like and it’s still a gimlet. I serve my Basil Gimlet, another favorite, in a lowball glass.
Best gin for a gimlet
Gin is one of the more varied liquors out there, with lots of differences in flavor between top brands. The best choice is a gin you love, but here some of my recommendations:
- Malfy, Aviation, and Beefeater London Dry have a botanical flavor that blends well in cocktails.
- Locally distilled gin is a great option! In Indianapolis, I like 8th Day Distillery, Hotel Tango, and Big Heart Gin.
- Steer clear of strong flavored sipping gins in cocktails. This includes brands like Tanqueray gin, which is very floral, and Opihr gin, which has very forward spices. These overpower the subtlety in many mixed drinks.
A note about Rose’s
If you’re a cocktail connoisseur, you’ll know that Rose’s lime cordial, often called Rose’s lime guice or just Rose’s, was traditionally used in a gin gimlet. Purists think that a gimlet is only a gimlet if it’s made with Rose’s, citing historical recipes and the distinct flavor the cordial imparts. However, most modern bartenders agree (myself included!) that using fresh lime juice makes a fresher, more balanced drink.
Types of gimlet recipes
Once you’ve mastered the gin gimlet, there are a few different variations to try! You can vary the liquor by swapping in vodka, or add new flavors that compliment the gin like fresh herbs or liqueurs.
Vodka Gimlet
Swap out the gin for vodka! The vodka gimlet has a smoother flavor than the gin gimlet: it's tart and balanced.
Basil Gimlet
Add basil to your gimlet for an herbaceous spin! This version features lime juice, gin, and muddled basil, which gives it a fresh peppery essence.
French Gimlet
The French gimlet adds elderflower liqueur for warm, floral notes. Three ingredients (St Germain, lime and gin) combine make a refreshing and chic cocktail.
Cucumber Gimlet
Try the Cucumber Gimlet! This drink is crisp and refreshing, accentuating the vegetal cucumber with a pop of lime.
Frequently asked questions
No! There’s nothing better than fresh squeezed citrus for cocktails.
The traditional gimlet recipe calls for a 2:1 ratio of gin to lime juice. However, you can adjust this to your personal preference. Some people prefer a sweeter gimlet with a 3:1 ratio or even a more tart version with a 1:1 ratio.
A classic gin gimlet cocktail is shaken with ice in a cocktail shaker.
Gin Gimlet Cocktail
The gin gimlet is a classic cocktail made of lime juice and gin. Here’s an easy recipe for this refreshing drink that takes only 5 minutes to make!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Mixed
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 ounces* gin
- ½ ounce lime juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup (or pure maple syrup)
Instructions
- Add gin, lime juice, and syrup to a cocktail shaker.
- Fill with ice and shake until cold.
- Strain into glass.
- Garnish with a lime wheel and serve.
Notes
*To convert to tablespoons, 1 ounce = 2 tablespoons.
Reading all of Raymond Chandler Books; Phillip Marlowe drank ‘Gimlets’ frequently especially at a particular bar in memory of a man that was alive then dead, alive then dead over a few books.
So I had to put one together (myself being older than the character in most of the books and growing up in the town most of them were staged, like a roadmap of my life, street/location wise) I needed to add that to the experience and ran into your site for proper instructions to the real thing.
Thanks (ordered what was described in the book “Roses” whilst using ‘mastermix’ lime juice and my heavy simple syrup 1to1.) site; https://americanpulps.com/drink-like-a-character-gimlet-the-long-good-bye-1953/
Is there a certain maple syrup that’s best to use??
Any grade A will work.
Great cocktail. Surprised that the maple simple worked, but it did. In keeping with the maple syrup, we used Vermont Barr Hill gin. Delicious! Thank you.
You don’t shake a classic Gimlet, team. Especially if you’re using gin. :-)
There are two methods for making a gimlet: you’ll find recipes with it both shaken and stirred. Difford’s Guide recommends shaking and straining it, because if you don’t strain it the drink has floating lime zest from the citrus. If you want a perfectly clear drink, it should be shaken. If you use Rose’s Lime Juice you can make it stirred, but we prefer it with fresh citrus. See: https://www.diffordsguide.com/cocktails/recipe/831/gimlet-cocktail-diffords-recipe
The maple syrup recommendation is brilliant. Also recommend the splash of soda. Delicious!
Just made this and it is awesome 👏
Made mine with local Lime Gin and added a couple of sprigs of lemon thyme at the end. Perfect.
I also have a sodastream so I added a dash to fill the glass.
Thank you 🙏 🍸 😋
Sounds awesome!