Gin Cocktail Drinks

A martini is a gin cocktail.

Gin is a juniper berry flavored spirit that is believed to have been created in the 1500s in Holland, where it was referred to as "Dutch Courage." Gin was very popular during the Prohibition era when moonshine versions were made. The term "Bathtub Gin" referred to gin in this time period, because the gin was often made in a bathtub. Today, gin is a much higher quality alcohol and used in a number of drinks. The martini is one of the most popular gin drinks.

Martini

The original martini, created in Turin, Italy, can be either sweet or dry. To make a dry martini, shake or stir -- as per the drinker's choice -- a splash of dry vermouth and 2 ½ oz. gin. Garnish with green olives. For a sweet martini, mix the same amount of gin with a splash of sweet vermouth. Garnish with a cherry.

Pink Lady

The Pink Lady is a bit of an acquired taste but a perfect drink for a girls' night out or bachelorette party. Shake 1 ½ oz. gin, 1 tsp. grenadine syrup, 1 tsp. light cream and one egg white in a cocktail shaker with ice. Strain into a cocktail glass and serve.

Tom Collins

A famous hoax in 1874, in Pennsylvania, had people asking "Have you seen Tom Collins?" When the other person would say no, the speaker would say Tom Collins was "nearby" or "in a local bar." A Tom Collins is made by shaking 2 oz. gin, 1 oz. lemon juice and 1 tsp. superfine sugar in a shaker filled halfway with ice cubes. Shake well and strain into a Collins glass filled with ice cubes. Fill with 3 oz. of club soda. Stir the drink, then garnish with a cherry and a slice of orange.

Salty Dog

While a Salty Dog does use fruit juice, it is a very tart drink. Fill a highball glass with ice cubes. Add 5 oz. grapefruit juice, 1 ½ oz. gin and ¼ tsp. salt to the glass, then stir well.

Negroni

The Negroni is a drink supposedly created in 1919 in Florence, Italy, by Count Camillo Negroni. Shake 1 oz. bitter Campari -- an Italian spirit, 1 oz. gin and ¾ oz. sweet vermouth in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Finish with a burnt orange twist garnish. A burnt orange twist is made by squeezing an orange peel over a flame held over the glass. The orange peel oils will fall onto the surface of the drink and give it a burnt oil flavor.

Long Island Iced Tea

This strong cocktail incorporates several spirits. The Long Island Iced Tea is made by combining ¼ oz. gin, ¼ oz. vodka, ¼ oz. tequila, ¼ oz. spiced rum, ¼ oz. triple sec and 1 oz. sours mix in a Collins glass filled with ice. Finish with a splash of cola and a lemon wedge garnish.

References

• "The New York Bartender's Guide": Sally Ann Berk: 1997
• "The Little Black Book of Cocktails": Virginia Reynolds & Kerren Barbas: 2003
• "The Modern Mixologist: Contemporary Classic Cocktails": Tony Ganim, Mario Batali & Mary Elizabeth Faulkner: 2010
• "Big Bad-Ass Book of Cocktails": Paul Knorr: 2010
• Tastings: All About Gin