No other spirit has been and continues to be used to create as many drinks as gin!
And this is no coincidence: gin is so individual in itself due to its various combinations of botanicals that it doesn't need many other ingredients and mixed drinks to make a fancy cocktail. One of Germany's most famous bartenders, Charles Schumann, who runs the internationally renowned Schumann's in Munich, once said: "If I had to choose just one spirit, it would definitely be gin." This is because gin can be combined in many ways, not only with tonic water, but also with other soft drinks, juices and syrups. Surprisingly, it even harmonises well with eggs and cream. Gin goes well with light alcohol in cocktails, such as the'Martini Dry': the so-called 'king of cocktails' consists of Vermouth Dry (usually 15-20%), gin and a green olive or a slice of lemon - depending on the flavour. The ratio between vermouth and gin also varies greatly depending on the flavour and recipe. The Dry Martini was a popular drink long before James Bond: shaken or stirred - opinions and tastes differ. While James Bond preferred his martini "shaken, not stirred", some bartenders favour stirring. This is because shaking can cause small pieces of ice to come loose, creating bubbles and making the drink appear cloudy.
One of the most popular long drinks is undoubtedly the gin & tonic. It has become increasingly popular over the course of the 2010s. At the end of the 20th century, there were only a handful of gin and tonic varieties to choose from for your mix, but in the years that followed, a wide range of different gin varieties with different botanicals and dozens of tonic water brands and varieties appeared on the market. Mixing what was once a simple long drink has become a science in itself. In addition to the 'classic' tonic water, there are now also differentiated flavours such as 'dry', 'floral & fruity' or 'spicy'. Originally, tonic water - like gin itself - was a medicinal drink: during the colonial period in India, English soldiers were advised to drink the drink, which contained a high level of quinine, regularly to prevent malaria infection. Because the tonic water of the time tasted very bitter due to its high quinine content, the soldiers began to mix it with gin from their homeland to soften it. Fun fact: the quinine is also responsible for the fact that tonic water glows in black light. Gin and tonic is usually garnished with a slice of cucumber, citrus fruit or berries.
The gin fizz is both simple and unforgettably good, which is why it is one of the International Bartenders Association's 'Unforgettables'. It is a well-shaken sour made from gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup, topped up with a shot of sparkling soda water and served with a fresh slice of lemon.
The list of ingredients for the refreshing Tom Collins afternoon drink is similar to that of the Gin Fizz: gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup and soda water. The differences between the two gin cocktails are small but subtle and still divide the bar scene today. While the Gin Fizz is served without ice in a smaller tumbler or fizz glass, the Tom Collins is enjoyed from a slightly larger 'Collins glass' filled with ice cubes. The Tom Collins probably owes its name to the Old Tom gin often used for this purpose in the 19th century.
The Gimlet is a world-famous before-dinner drink. The stirred cocktail made from gin, lime syrup and a slice of lime is as simple as it is effective. In the Gimlet, the proportion of gin is greater than the proportion of syrup, while the so-called Marlowe's Gin Gimlet contains equal parts gin and syrup. This variation is named after the novel character Philip Marlowe, who was portrayed by Humphrey Bogart in 'Dead Men Sleep Well', among others. The English naval surgeon Sir Thomas Desmond Gimmlette (1857-1943) allegedly invented the cocktail to make the daily ration of "navy strength gin at 57% vol" more pleasant, which was intended to ward off scurvy, among other things.
A creamy drink for the evening is the Gin Alexander: it is shaken from gin, white crème de cacao chocolate liqueur and cream. The digestif was first mentioned in 1916 in the notes of a New York bartender, but the now more well-known version with brandy or cognac instead of gin was created much later. In the 1920s, Prohibition in the USA banned the production, transport and sale of all alcoholic beverages, meaning that gin was illegally mixed in many private households. As a result, the quality of gin available in the United States also declined. Chocolate liqueur and cream were well suited to cover up the less convincing flavour of cheap gin in cocktails. Prohibition passed, gin improved and the Alexander cocktail remained popular. Today, it is still a classic and a sweet treat.
Although the Singapore Sling was invented in Singapore, it is now a world-famous classic in the international bar scene. The long drink consists of gin, cherry liqueur and Bénédictine herbal liqueur. Depending on the recipe, sweet and sour juices and syrups such as lemon or lime juice, pineapple juice, grenadine, Angostura bitters or soda water are also added. The drink was first served in a luxury hotel in Singapore at the beginning of the 20th century. The bartender Ngiam Tong Boon developed various recipes for the Singapore Slings and kept them in his safe, which can still be seen today in a museum along with a handwritten recipe note.
