Drinks Cocktails Gin Cocktails Gimlet 4.5 (4) 2 Reviews This three-ingredient classic is a gin-lovers dream. By Prairie Rose Prairie Rose Prairie Rose is Food & Wine's senior drinks editor. A trained sommelier, cocktail book author, and wine and spirits educator, in addition to Food & Wine she is also the senior editor of Liquor.com. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Published on June 16, 2024 Rate PRINT Share Close Prep Time: 1 mins Total Time: 2 mins The Gimlet is a three-ingredient classic composed of gin, fresh lime juice, and simple syrup. Early versions of the recipe called for Rose's Lime Juice Cordial, which was created as a shelf stable combination of lime and sugar, though modern iterations have since reverted to these components being mixed individually. Thought to have originated in the latter half of the 19th century, the Gimlet has roots in the British Royal Navy. Around this time, citrus had begun to be stored onboard its ships to help prevent scurvy, an ailment caused by a severe lack of vitamin C in the diet. At its worst, the malady was often incapacitating up to 90% of a ship’s crew. To help stave off the dreaded condition, sailors were provided rations of Sicilian lemon juice. The lemons were eventually replaced with West Indian limes, until a Scottish ship provisioner named Lachlan Rose created a shelf-stable product using lime juice concentrate and sugar to act as a preservative. Soon, a daily ration of lime cordial became mandatory for sailors spending extended time at sea. Understanding the 4 Main Types of Gin, According to Experts Once Rose's Lime Juice Cordial came aboard, it wasn’t long before some clever sailor had the bright idea to mix provided rations of navy strength gin with the lime syrup, and the Gimlet was born. By the mid-20th century, the Gimlet recipe was most commonly made as a 50/50 mix of Rose's Lime Juice Cordial and gin. This two-ingredient approach was generally accepted until the craft cocktail revival had many bartenders opting for fresh juice instead. Rose’s Lime was often discarded in favor of freshly squeezed lime juice and simple syrup. Though some maintain that a true Gimlet must be made with Rose’s Lime Cordial, this recipe follows the contemporary take and calls for fresh lime juice and simple syrup alongside the gin, to create the original flavor profile that Rose's attempted to emulate for sailors in the 1800s. What makes the Gimlet work The Gimlet is in the sour family of drinks, a category that include the Daiquiri, Margarita and Sidecar. Sometimes referred to as the bartender’s “golden ratio,” the formula for a traditional sour follows a 2:1:1 template, calling for two parts base spirit, one part sweet, and one part sour. As with all simple three-part sours, the Gimlet relies on the precise balance of ingredients. Robust gin with its distinctive botanical aromatics serves as a sturdy base to the Gimlet. You can swap in a higher alcohol expression such as a navy strength gin to mirror the original British Royal Navy recipe and for a richer, more pronounced flavor profile. Just be sure to adjust the other ingredients to taste. This recipe calls for equal parts fresh lime juice and simple syrup to approximate the lime cordial quality in the original formulation. The equal parts of both sweet and sour help to balance one another while creating harmonious tension against the gin base. Ingredients 2 ounces gin 3/4 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed 3/4 ounce simple syrup Lime wheel, for garnish Directions Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake for 10–15 seconds until well chilled. Double strain through fine mesh strainer into chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a lime wheel. Rate It Print