7 Cocktail Recipes with this ingredient.
The Negroni is the perfect aperitivo — bitter, sweet, and boozy in equal measure. Equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth stirred over ice and served with an orange peel. It was allegedly invented in Florence in 1919 when Count Negroni asked his bartender to strengthen an Americano by swapping the soda water for gin. Use a quality London dry gin and Carpano Antica Formula or Cocchi Torino for the vermouth.
The Aviation appeared in Hugo Ensslin's 1916 'Recipes for Mixed Drinks' and is one of the great pre-Prohibition gin cocktails. Two unusual liqueurs — maraschino and crème de violette — give it an extraordinary pale lavender-blue color and floral, cherry complexity. For years it was made without the violette (it was hard to find), but Rothman & Winter revived domestic production. The violette is non-negotiable — without it you have a gin sour, not an Aviation.
The Gimlet was originally made with Rose's Lime Cordial — a preserved, sweetened lime juice — and served to British sailors to prevent scurvy. The fresh-juice version is an entirely different and superior drink. London dry gin and fresh lime juice with a touch of simple syrup, shaken and strained. Crisp, clean, and bracingly tart. Some bartenders do a 50/50 split of fresh lime and Rose's for a nod to the original while keeping some brightness.
The Bee's Knees is a Prohibition-era gin sour that used honey and citrus to mask the rough edges of bathtub gin. Today, with quality London dry gin available, it's a revelation — bright, floral, and perfectly balanced. The honey syrup is the key: make it 3:1 honey to hot water so it's thick and rich. It integrates beautifully with the botanicals of the gin. A classic that deserves far more attention in modern bar programs.
The Last Word dates to the 1920s at the Detroit Athletic Club and was rescued from obscurity by Ted Saucier in his 1951 book 'Bottoms Up.' It's an equal-parts cocktail — gin, Green Chartreuse, Luxardo maraschino liqueur, and fresh lime juice — and possibly the most complex drink ever to emerge from such a simple formula. The Chartreuse brings an overwhelming burst of alpine herbs, balanced by the cherry sweetness of maraschino and the brightness of lime.
Named after the 75mm field gun used by the French army in WWI — the drink's kick supposedly had a similar impact. A proper French 75 is gin-based (not cognac, despite common menu confusion), shaken with lemon and simple syrup, then topped with Champagne in a flute. It's elegant, celebratory, and dangerously easy to drink. A floral gin like Tanqueray No. Ten or Hendrick's works beautifully here.
The Clover Club predates Prohibition, originating at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia around 1910. It's a gorgeous, delicate cocktail: London dry gin, fresh lemon juice, raspberry syrup, and egg white. The foam is dense and pink, and the flavor is bright, fruity, and incredibly elegant. Make your own raspberry syrup with fresh or freeze-dried raspberries for the most vibrant flavor. Dry shake the egg white first — no shortcuts.