4 Gin Cocktails (For When You’re Bored Of Gin & Tonics)

I love a good gin cocktail. Of course I do; I’m British. But I’ll also admit that, despite years of making them in various bars, I fall back on gin and tonics way too often. It’s just such a classic: A drink that honors the botanicals of great gin while balancing them perfectly with bitterness, lightening everything up with effervescence, and with a squeeze of citrus to bring it all together. 

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But…but. There are plenty more gin cocktails out there! And most of them are nearly as easy as a G&T – and as good, too. Here are some of my favorites.

Gimlet

This classy drink is punchy to say the least – but for all its high ABV, it’s also surprisingly balanced and smooth. Dating back to the 19th century and stemming from the tendency to mix citrus with alcohol to preserve it for sailors on long journeys (for them to avoid scurvy), it’s since become an elegant, classic cocktail. 

To make a gimlet, mix two and a half ounces of gin with a half-ounce each of lime juice and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add ice, and shake until chilled. Pour it into a coupe glass, garnish with a lime wheel, and go to town. 

Tom Collins

Think of this one as (almost) a slightly more drinkable, light Gimlet – or just a great summer cocktail. The Tom Collins is a great option for when you’re bored with tequila soda, or you want a long drink that has more of a florality to it. 

To make a Tom Collins, you need two ounces of gin, one ounce of lemon juice, and a half-ounce of simple syrup. Pour them all into a highball glass filled with ice, and then top with club soda. A maraschino cherry garnish will give it an extra pop of sweetness – and make it look so much better.

French 75

One of my personal favorites, the French 75 is a dangerous drink. Mixing champagne with gin makes the latter very easy to quaff, and if you’re not careful, you’ll be drunk before you know it. But when taken slow, this is a drink that’s perfect for people who find champagne, or other sparkling wines, to be a little dry and metallic (and sometimes, dear reader, I do), as the additional ingredients temper those tendencies.

To make a French 75, pour an ounce of gin, a half-ounce of lemon juice, and a half-ounce of simple syrup into a champagne glass. Really, you should shake them with ice first to cool them down and slightly dilute the alcohol…but if you don’t want to do that, pop them in the fridge an hour or two before you make it. Then, top it with three ounces or thereabouts of champagne. Clink. Enjoy.

Singapore Sling

Ah, the Singapore Sling. The signature cocktail of the famous Raffles Hotel in Singapore, what will stop a lot of people from making this is the additional ingredients it needs. If you’re happy to invest a couple of liqueurs, though, it might become your signature cocktail, too: Sweet, sour, herbaceous, and complex, when made right, it’s a delight.

The Singapore Sling starts with three-quarters of an ounce of gin, and a quarter-ounce each of Benedictine, Grand Marnier, and Heering cherry liqueur. Combine them with an ounce of pineapple juice, a half-ounce of lime juice, and a dash of Angostura bitters in a shaker with plenty of ice, and then shake until chilled. Strain it into a highball glass filled with ice, top with club soda, and garnish with a cherry and an orange slice.