Andrew Crighton
Editor-in-Chief
This week I would like to share another classic era cocktail. The gimlet is strong and has a complex flavor profile for only being comprised of three ingredients; and two of those ingredients are only in tiny amounts.
The legend of the gimlet is that it was invented during the British glory days of colonialism, around the time that British sailors became known as limeys. In order to prevent scurvy ships carried large amounts of limes or lime juice; however it was hard to get the sailors to drink it. Lime juice stored without any refrigeration doesn’t sound appealing if you ask me. So how do you make people drink? Put it in five-times the amount of gin, of course!
The gimlet is a great way to experience the different flavors of various gins.
The Gimlet
2 ½ oz. Gin
½ oz. Fresh Lime Juice
½ oz. Simple Syrup
Combine all ingredients in a shaker, fill with ice and shake. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a lime wheel.
The original gimlet calls for Rose’s Lime Juice, which is really just corn syrup, green food coloring and lime flavor. Rose’s was around during the time of the gimlet’s inception, and another legend says that the Rose’s company created the gimlet to sell their product to the shipping companies. Some will say that the only way to have a true gimlet is to use the Rose’s juice. It definitely has a unique flavor, but it is really much better when you use fresh lime juice and simple syrup.
