The Cocktail Pub
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Best Gin Cocktails — 8 Recipes to Make at Home

Gin is the most versatile spirit behind the bar. From the clean juniper hit of a London Dry to the floral complexity of a New Western craft gin, there's a style for every palate and a cocktail for every bottle.

What makes gin unique is that it starts life as a neutral spirit and gains its character entirely from botanicals during distillation. Juniper is the one legal requirement — everything else, from citrus peel to cardamom to cucumber, is the distiller's signature.

Below are eight gin cocktails covering the full range — from the simplest serves to the ones worth making an event of.

1

Classic Gin & Tonic

Easy

Glass: Highball or copa glass

Ingredients

  • 50ml gin
  • 150ml premium Indian tonic water
  • ice
  • lime wedge

Method

  1. 1.Fill your glass to the brim with ice — the cold is essential.
  2. 2.Pour in the gin.
  3. 3.Add the tonic slowly, pouring over the back of a spoon to preserve carbonation.
  4. 4.Squeeze the lime wedge over the drink and drop it in.

Tip: The ratio matters: 1 part gin to 3 parts tonic is standard. Use a copa (balloon) glass if you have one — the wide bowl concentrates the aromatics. Fever-Tree Indian Tonic is the benchmark.

2

Negroni

Easy

Glass: Rocks glass

Ingredients

  • 30ml gin
  • 30ml Campari
  • 30ml sweet vermouth
  • large ice cube
  • orange peel

Method

  1. 1.Add gin, Campari and sweet vermouth to a mixing glass.
  2. 2.Fill with ice and stir for 30 seconds until well chilled.
  3. 3.Strain into a rocks glass over a large single ice cube.
  4. 4.Express an orange peel over the glass by twisting it skin-side down, then drop it in.

Tip: Stirring, not shaking, keeps the Negroni clear and silky. Use Martini Rosso or Carpano Antica for the vermouth — quality vermouth makes a measurable difference here.

3

Tom Collins

Easy

Glass: Highball

Ingredients

  • 50ml gin
  • 30ml fresh lemon juice
  • 15ml simple syrup
  • soda water
  • ice
  • lemon slice and cherry to garnish

Method

  1. 1.Add gin, lemon juice and simple syrup to a shaker with ice.
  2. 2.Shake for 10 seconds.
  3. 3.Strain into a tall glass filled with fresh ice.
  4. 4.Top with soda water and stir once gently.
  5. 5.Garnish with a lemon slice and cocktail cherry.

Tip: Always use fresh lemon juice — bottled juice is too flat and too sweet. The Tom Collins is essentially a gin sour made long with soda, which means the acid-to-sweetness balance is everything.

4

Gimlet

Easy

Glass: Coupe

Ingredients

  • 60ml gin
  • 20ml fresh lime juice
  • 15ml simple syrup
  • ice
  • lime wheel to garnish

Method

  1. 1.Add gin, lime juice and simple syrup to a shaker.
  2. 2.Fill with ice and shake hard for 10-12 seconds.
  3. 3.Double strain into a chilled coupe glass.
  4. 4.Garnish with a lime wheel on the rim.

Tip: The classic Gimlet uses Rose's Lime Cordial (50/50 with gin, no shaking). This fresh version is sharper and more complex. Either is correct — try both. A floral gin like Hendricks works beautifully here.

5

French 75

Easy

Glass: Champagne flute or coupe

Ingredients

  • 45ml gin
  • 20ml fresh lemon juice
  • 15ml simple syrup
  • 90ml Champagne or Prosecco
  • ice
  • lemon twist to garnish

Method

  1. 1.Add gin, lemon juice and simple syrup to a shaker with ice.
  2. 2.Shake for 10 seconds.
  3. 3.Strain into a chilled flute or coupe.
  4. 4.Top with cold Champagne or Prosecco — pour slowly.
  5. 5.Garnish with a lemon twist.

Tip: Named after the French 75mm artillery gun for its kick. Use dry Champagne or Brut Prosecco — anything sweet will make it cloying. This is one of the best party cocktails you can make in batches; prepare the gin-lemon-syrup base ahead and top with fizz per glass.

6

Bee's Knees

Easy

Glass: Coupe

Ingredients

  • 60ml gin
  • 20ml fresh lemon juice
  • 20ml honey syrup (1:1 honey and water)
  • ice
  • lemon twist to garnish

Method

  1. 1.Make the honey syrup by mixing equal parts honey and warm water, then cool.
  2. 2.Add gin, lemon juice and honey syrup to a shaker.
  3. 3.Fill with ice and shake hard for 12 seconds.
  4. 4.Double strain into a chilled coupe.
  5. 5.Garnish with a lemon twist.

Tip: The Bee's Knees is a Prohibition-era cocktail originally made with bathtub gin — the honey and citrus masked the rough edges. Today it showcases a good gin rather than hiding it. A light floral gin like Tanqueray No. Ten is ideal.

7

Singapore Sling

Medium

Glass: Highball or sling glass

Ingredients

  • 45ml gin
  • 15ml Cherry Heering
  • 7.5ml Cointreau
  • 7.5ml Bénédictine
  • 120ml pineapple juice
  • 15ml lime juice
  • 10ml grenadine
  • 1 dash Angostura bitters
  • ice
  • pineapple slice and cherry to garnish

Method

  1. 1.Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice.
  2. 2.Shake well for 12 seconds.
  3. 3.Strain into a highball filled with ice.
  4. 4.Garnish with a pineapple slice and a maraschino cherry.

Tip: This is the Raffles Hotel original recipe. It looks complicated but the method is just "shake and pour". Cherry Heering is essential — cheap cherry brandy gives a completely different (worse) result. Make a batch of the base ingredients without ice for parties.

8

Clover Club

Medium

Glass: Coupe

Ingredients

  • 50ml gin
  • 20ml fresh lemon juice
  • 15ml raspberry syrup
  • 1 egg white
  • ice
  • 3 raspberries to garnish

Method

  1. 1.Add all ingredients to a shaker without ice.
  2. 2.Dry shake for 15 seconds to emulsify the egg white.
  3. 3.Add ice and shake again for 10 seconds.
  4. 4.Double strain into a chilled coupe.
  5. 5.Garnish with three fresh raspberries on a cocktail pick.

Tip: The Clover Club predates the Prohibition era and deserves a comeback. Make the raspberry syrup by simmering equal parts raspberries, sugar and water, straining out the seeds. The dry shake before adding ice is non-negotiable for a proper foam.

Buying Gin in the UK

For cocktails, a London Dry gin in the £20–£30 range covers everything: Beefeater, Tanqueray and Gordon's (the premium version) are all excellent and won't be wasted. For a G&T you want to sip and enjoy, step up to Tanqueray No. Ten, Hendrick's or Monkey 47. Plymouth gin is worth seeking out for a Gimlet. Avoid "gin-flavoured spirits" — these are not actually gin and are noticeably worse in cocktails.

UK shop picks

Buy Gin for these cocktails

Bottles we actually recommend for the recipes above — shipped from UK retailers. Affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Shop all Gin at Master of Malt →

Home bar essentials

You do not need a full pub setup — four tools cover most of the cocktails on this page. Good ice and fresh citrus matter as much as the bottles.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between London Dry gin and other gin styles?

London Dry gin must be made by redistilling a neutral spirit with natural botanicals — nothing can be added after distillation except water and a tiny amount of sweetener. It doesn't have to be made in London. New Western or contemporary gins have fewer rules and can emphasise non-juniper botanicals like cucumber, rose or lavender.

Can I use any gin for cocktails?

Most London Dry gins work well in all classic gin cocktails. Very light or floral gins (like Hendrick's) can get lost in bold drinks like the Negroni — save those for G&Ts and Gimlets. Heavily peated or unusual gins are best in simple serves where their character can be appreciated.

How should I store gin?

Store gin upright in a cool, dark place. Unlike wine, gin doesn't improve in the bottle — but it also doesn't deteriorate quickly. An opened bottle will stay in good condition for 1–2 years if stored correctly. The flavour very gradually fades over time, particularly the citrus top notes.

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