Gin Gimlet Recipe

Before you start

A gimlet is gin and lime, sweetened and served very cold. The older form uses sweetened lime cordial, which gives a smooth, candied lime flavor and a slightly soft texture. The more common modern version uses fresh lime juice and simple syrup, which tastes brighter and sharper, closer to a gin daiquiri.

Both are worth knowing. This page leads with the fresh version because the ingredients are easy to find, then shows the cordial build and a quick homemade cordial that captures lime zest oils. Commercial lime cordials vary in quality and often taste artificial; making your own takes 10 minutes of hands-on time and gives a far better drink.

Ingredients

• 60 ml (2 oz) London dry gin
• 22 ml (¾ oz) fresh lime juice — strained
• 22 ml (¾ oz) simple syrup (1:1)
• 1 cup (about 150 g) ice cubes — for shaking
• 1 lime wheel — garnish

Method

1. Chill a coupe in the freezer, or have a rocks glass with fresh ice ready if you prefer it on the rocks.
2. Juice the lime and strain the juice to remove pulp.
3. Combine the gin, lime juice and simple syrup in the shaker.
4. Fill the shaker with ice, seal it, and shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds until the tin is icy.
5. Double-strain into the chilled coupe or over fresh ice in a rocks glass.
6. Float a thin lime wheel on top or perch it on the rim.

Tips for success

• For the cordial style, stir or shake 60 ml gin with 22 to 30 ml good lime cordial. Taste and adjust; cordials vary a lot in sweetness.
• A juniper-forward gin keeps the drink from tasting like lime soda.
• Gimlets can be served up or on the rocks; on ice, they dilute further, so shake a little less.

Substitutions

Lime juice and syrup

Use 30 ml homemade lime cordial: stir the zest of 4 limes with 100 g sugar, let sit 1 hour, then stir in 100 ml lime juice until the sugar dissolves and strain. Refrigerate.

Gin

Vodka makes a vodka gimlet, which is clean and lime-forward but loses the herbal complexity.

Simple syrup

Use 15 ml rich 2:1 syrup for a silkier texture with the same sweetness.

Variations

Basil gimlet

Gently press 4 to 5 basil leaves in the shaker with the syrup before adding the gin and lime. Double-strain.

Navy-strength gimlet

Use 45 ml navy-strength gin and 30 ml lime cordial for a more intense, older-style drink.

Troubleshooting

It is too tart

Limes vary. Add 5 ml more syrup, or reduce the lime to 18 ml.

It tastes artificial

The commercial cordial may be low quality. Switch to fresh lime and syrup, or make your own cordial.

It is watery

The ice was melting or you shook too long. Use cold, dry ice and stop at about 12 seconds.

Storage

Serve immediately. Homemade lime cordial keeps in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to about 2 weeks; discard it if it turns cloudy or smells fermented.

Safety notes

Contains 60 ml of gin, about 1.4 U.S. standard drinks (one standard drink is about 14 g of pure alcohol). Serve only to adults of legal drinking age, and never drink and drive.