A History of Classic Gin Cocktails

Celebrate World Gin Day on June 14th with these timeless sips!

World Gin Day is coming up soon, and what better way to mark the occasion than with a classic tipple or two? To celebrate this beautiful spirit, join us on a journey through the origin stories of the most iconic gin cocktails we all know and love. If you’re up for a history lesson in mixology, read on!

Jump to the cocktail ahead!

1. Gin & Tonic
2. Martini
3. Negroni
4. Gimlet
5. Tom Collins
6. French 75

Gin & Tonic

It may come as a surprise to some that much of cocktail history is rooted in medicine, and the G&T is a great example! In this case, tonic water— and more specifically tonic’s main ingredient, quinine— is the key.

Quinine was one of the first mainstream treatments against malaria in the 19th century. While stationed in India, the British Army was given tonic water as preventative for the disease. Taking their daily dose proved to be unpleasant due to quinine’s bitter flavour, so, what did they decide to cut it with? Gin! An obvious choice because of the generous spirit rations of the time, gin and quinine became an inseparable pair.

Eventually, garnishes were added to further soften the bitterness as well as introduce their own health benefits. Limes were a popular choice for their vibrant acidity and vitamin C content to prevent scurvy (more on this when we talk about the gimlet).

It should go without saying that the current Gin & Tonic isn’t the medicinal elixir it once was. The tonic we mix with nowadays has a much lower concentration of quinine and added sweetness making today’s beloved G&T a true delight!

Enjoy an updated taste of history with our Empress & Tonic!

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Martini

As iconic as the martini is, the origins are fairly murky. It is widely believed, however, to be a descendent of the Martinez, a late 19th-century cocktail mixing Old Tom gin (a sweeter style that was in vogue at the time), sweet vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and bitters. If you’re interested in an Empress 1908 version, check out @jfdesfosses’s recipe for the Blue Martinez here!

Many cocktails were loosely known as “the Martini” around the turn of the 19th century, though most of the recipes are different from what we’re familiar with now. For instance, one cocktail using the Martini name can be found in the second edition of Harry Johnson’s Bartender Manual (1888), boasting a mix of Old Tom gin, sweet vermouth, curaçao, gomme syrup (a syrup with gum arabic added for thicker texture), bitters, and a lemon twist.

That being said, various bartender handbooks at that time did include cocktails mixing gin, dry vermouth, and bitters. To add to the confusion, names varied, such as the Marguerite in Cocktails: How to Make Them from 1898! As far as how we settled on this elegant trio of ingredients becoming the Martini, it’s very possible that it was simply named after the brand of vermouth (Martini & Rossi) that was most often used. All the more reason to mix a Martini unique to your taste!

Experience the highest form of sophistication with the Martini Service by @holycityhandcraft! Recipe serves 2.

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Negroni

It’s often said that cocktails are riffs on riffs, and the Negroni makes this quite evident! We can consider the root drink to be the Milano-Torino, an equal-part mix of Campari (from Milano) and sweet vermouth (Torino, a hotspot for Italian vermouth), which originated in 1860s Milan. This would soon evolve into the Americano with the addition of soda water, presumably because American tourists preferred the carbonation and dilution to counteract the intense, bittersweet flavours.

Jumping ahead to 1919 we meet Count Camillo Negroni, a regular at the Caffè Casoni (now known as the Caffè Giacosa) in Florence. His go-to order was an Americano when one day, he asked the bartender if he could stiffen his drink a bit by swapping out the soda for some gin. With such a bold and remarkable flavour profile, it’s no wonder the Negroni has stood the test of time!

Try out a more contemporary take of the Italian favourite with our Negroni Rosa!

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Gimlet

Similar to the G&T, the gimlet also has medicinal origins. In the 18th century, scurvy was rampant among sailors— a result of vitamin C deficiency. Scottish surgeon, James Lind, conducted tests with those afflicted and found that citrus was an effective remedy, so ship crews were given rations of lime juice to ward off the disease.

As the ships would be sailing for weeks on end, keeping around fresh produce was not feasible. So, the juice was preserved with spirits: rum for lower ranking sailors and gin for higher ranking officers. In 1867, Lauchlan Rose patented another method of preserving lime juice without the use of alcohol. He simply added sugar, becoming known as Rose’s Lime Cordial (that we can still find today!) Cordial allowed for greater distribution of lime juice and were soon included in the sailors’ rations. Officers would mix the cordial with their gin, thus creating the gimlet!

Our Basil Gimlet adds a fragrant touch of herbs to the classic for divine refreshment!

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Tom Collins

While we know the cocktail was first published in 1882 in Harry Johnson’s New and Improved Bartender’s Manual, there are a couple tales on how this sipper came to be. One account tells that it’s an offshoot of the John Collins, which boasted the same mix of gin, lemon, sugar, and soda. Presumably named after a head waiter from the Limmer’s Hotel in London during the late 1800s, the John Collins was made with any type of gin, but the use of Old Tom gin made it a Tom Collins. 

Another (and perhaps more fun) story recounts the cocktail being named after the Great Tom Collins Hoax of 1874. Folks in the US would tell someone that they were being made fun of by a man named Tom Collins behind their back and that they should confront him after letting them know that he’s at a nearby bar. The victim would come storming in the bar demanding to know where the fiend is, only to find out that he doesn’t exist! Bartenders caught on with the joke and one would eventually create a cocktail after “the man” so that when someone asked for Tom Collins, they’d be ordering the drink. 

@bevsbybeverly gives this classic a crisp and floral makeover with her Lavender Cucumber Collins!

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French 75

Let’s wrap it up by popping open a bottle of bubbly for the French 75! Born as the “Soixante-Quinze,” this cocktail was named after the 75mm field gun, a glorified symbol of valour, used by the French army in WWI. Some even say that soldiers served the French 75 in spent 75mm shell cartridges, though the evidence is unclear.

Interestingly, the first known spec from 1915 looked very different from what we now know as a French 75, using dry gin, calvados (a brandy from Normandy made with apples and/or pears), grenadine, lemon, and sometimes absinthe. As to the inventor, there’s debate about whether it was Henry Tépé of Henry’s Bar or Harry MacElhone from Ciro’s (both in Paris), given their similar-sounding names and how close in proximity their bars were from each other.

So we have an idea about the name French 75— but how did today’s recipe evolve? Judge Jr’s book, Here’s How, provides a French 75 recipe with gin, lemon, sugar, and champagne served in a tall glass filled with ice, much like a Tom Collins. Over time, serving the cocktail up in a flute or coupe became more popular and we still raise a glass on a special occasion with this sip today!

Celebration calls for the elegance of the Elderflower French 75 by @itscocktailhour_!

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We hope you learned a thing or two from this cocktail expedition to the past! With such rich stories and heritage, it’s no wonder why these drinks have left an everlasting legacy. Whether you mix up the classic or come up with your own twist to celebrate World Gin Day this year, just know that we’ll be sipping alongside you!

For more cocktail inspiration, be sure to check out our Instagram, Cocktail Page, or Blog!

Sip responsibly!