Gimlet
Gin, fresh lime and sugar, shaken until icy. A short, sharp, tidy sour.
- Time
- 4 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Glass
- Coupe
- Strength
- 2.4 UK units
How to make a Gimlet
- Chill the glass. Fill a coupe with ice and water and let it sit while you make the drink.
- Shake the ingredients. Add the gin, lime juice and syrup to a shaker and fill it with ice. Shake hard for about 12 seconds, until the tin is frosty.
- Strain. Tip out the ice water, then strain the drink into the coupe. It should look pale, cloudy and slightly green.
- Garnish. Float a thin lime wheel on top, or twist a strip of lime peel over the glass and drop it in.
- Glass
- CoupeNo coupe? A small wine glass or a martini glass.
- Ice
- No ice
- Garnish
- Lime wheelOr: A twist of lime peel.
What you need to make a Gimlet
Kit
JiggerA double-ended measure, usually 25 ml and 50 ml.
Cocktail shakerA two-piece Boston tin is the easiest to use and clean.
StrainerA Hawthorne strainer fits over the tin or glass.
Citrus squeezerFresh juice makes the biggest difference of anything.
Bottles we'd use
- London dry ginA crisp, juniper-led gin such as Tanqueray or Beefeater works best here.Find it on Amazon
- Lime cordialFor the old-fashioned version. Rose's is the original.Find it on Amazon
Links to Amazon are affiliate links: if you buy through them, Bar Bandol may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
The Gimlet story
The usual story is that it was named for Surgeon Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Gimlette, who is said to have pushed lime cordial on Royal Navy sailors to keep scurvy away. The tale is neat but unproven. Another theory is that the name comes from the tool, because the drink bores into you.
The old Gimlet was gin and bottled lime cordial. This version uses fresh lime juice and sugar syrup, which tastes brighter and lets you control the balance. If you like the old, sweeter style, swap the lime and syrup for 25 ml of lime cordial.
Gimlet: your questions answered
What is in a Gimlet?
A Gimlet is made with 60 ml London dry gin, 20 ml fresh lime juice and 15 ml sugar syrup. Garnish: lime wheel.
Is a Gimlet shaken or stirred?
A Gimlet is shaken, not stirred. Shaking hard with ice chills it quickly and helps mix the juice in properly, which stirring cannot do. Shake until the outside of the shaker feels very cold.
How strong is a Gimlet?
Made to this recipe, a Gimlet contains about 2.4 UK units of alcohol per drink. That is worked out from typical bottle strengths, so it changes with the bottles you use. UK guidelines advise not regularly drinking more than 14 units a week.
What glass do you serve a Gimlet in?
Serve a Gimlet in a coupe. No coupe? A small wine glass or a martini glass.
