Gimlet Recipe

May 3, 2022

Categories: Classic Cocktail Recipes, Cocktail Recipes, Gin Cocktail Recipes, Sour Cocktail Recipes, Three Ingredient Cocktail Recipes

Gimlet

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An easy to make classic cocktail, the Gimlet is essentially Gin and Lime Juice, with a little bit of sweetness. These cocktails are very enjoyable and even more refreshing. Perfect before or after dinner, the Gimlet is a great way to enjoy and explore Gin.
If you like a Classic Daiquiri, you'll see some similar ingredients here! We're basically making a Dairquiri with Gin instead of Rum. We're not classifying this as a Daiquiri, but it's pretty close! While the Daiquiri has a tropical quality to it, for some reason the Gimlet has a sophisticated quality to it. Perhaps it's just the difference between a Rum and a Gin based drink. Either way, have fun.
Total Time 3 minutes
Servings 1 cocktail

Ingredients

  • 60 mL Gin
  • 15 mL Lime Juice
  • 15 mL Simple Syrup
  • Garish with wheel of lime

Instructions

  • Add Gin, Lime Juice, and Simple Syrup to a cocktail shaker with lots of ice. Shake until very cold.
  • Strain into a glass of your choosing.
  • Garnish, drink, enjoy.

Notes

If you prefer Vodka, you can also make a Vodka Gimlet by swapping out the Gin for Vodka. In a lot of ways it's like the difference between a Gin Martini and a Vodka Martini. The Gin version is the "proper" version, but you'll be OK if you only Vodka.
With that in mind, considering this cocktail has been around since the early 1900's, we can assume that the standard recipe we see today has change a fair bit. Most notably, early recipes often called for more sugar. More modern tastes usually like their drinks to be less sweet, so you'll notice less sugar. If you like your drinks a little sweeter, feel free to make your Gimlet "the old fashioned way" and add a bit more sugar.

Our Review of the Gimlet

The name “Gimlet” reflects how old this cocktail recipe is. “Gimlet” is an older word that means sharp or piercing, which kind of works for a lime juice based cocktail. It’s quite sharp! But not overly so thanks to the simple syrup.

For those who like a little bit more sharpness, they’re welcome to use less sugar, but for those who want a bit more balance to their cocktail, it work perfectly with the 50/50 ratio of sugar and lime juice.

While this recipe has already been compared to a Daiquiri, it’s actually quite different. Gin is much drier that rum, and it really changes up how this cocktail presents. There can be a lot more to a Gimlet because of the complexity of a good gin. Of course rum can be complex as well, but gin has so many different flavours to it, it creates a unique cocktail all its own, not just a cocktail recipe that’s a spin on the Daiquiri.

All that being said, Daiquiri lovers may not be fans of the Gimlet. It’s very similar but also extremely different. Coming into a cocktail like this with thoughts of a Daiquiri may lead to disappointment. 

So this review of the Gimlet is getting a bit strange. I’ve spent most of it comparing it to a Daiquiri, but I’m also saying don’t compare it to a Daiquiri! I guess it just goes to show how much changing up a spirit can radically change a cocktail recipe. This makes the Gimlet extremely fun.

While it’s possibly not as famous as its cousin, the Daiquiri, it’s well worth approaching the Gimlet with an open mind as something new to discover and enjoy.

7/10

  • Review by Chas

We have some more cocktail recipes for you!

Take a look through our site, you’ll find more than a few cocktail recipes. To get you started we’ll point you at a few categories the Gimlet belongs to:

Top 20 classic cocktail recipes: the Gimlet is a classic! Take a look at some more classic with our favourite fifteen.

Top 10 Gin cocktail recipes: Gin is a great spirit. If you’re enjoying the Gin in the Gimlet, see if you like some of the cocktail recipes we come back to time and again.

Top 15 easy cocktail recipes: or, if you’re just after making something easy, we have a list of our favourite cocktails that have three ingredients or fewer.

All Gin cocktail recipes: finally, we have quite a few Gin cocktail recipes on the website. This is where you’ll find all of them.

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One Response

  1. 4 stars
    Classic for a reason! I liked it but if I did it again I’d make it with less sugar. I like things a little more tart.

    Reply

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