Gimlet
The Gimlet is a clear, lime-forward classic: gin, lime, a little sweetness, shaken and served without ice in a chilled coupe. Its roots go back to Lauchlan Rose, who patented the preservation of lime juice without alcohol in 1867. The classic version mixes gin and lime cordial; we work with fresh lime juice and sugar syrup.
- Preparation time
- 4 minutes
- Servings
- 1 drink
- Difficulty
- easy
- Method
- Shaken
- Glass
- Coupe, frozen
- Garnish
- Lime wheel
Ingredients
- 5cl THE DUKE Munich Dry Gin
- 2.5 cl fresh lime juice
- 2.5 cl sugar syrup
Preparation
- Put the coupe in the freezer beforehand.
- Add gin, fresh lime juice and sugar syrup to the shaker.
- Shake hard with ice until the shaker frosts on the outside.
- Double strain into the frozen coupe.
- Garnish with a lime wheel if you like.
Put all ingredients in a shaker and shake with ice. Double strain into a frosted cocktail glass and garnish with an optional lime wedge.
Tips
- Really freeze the glass. The Gimlet is served without ice, so the cold has to come from the glass and the shaker.
- Fresh lime juice instead of cordial makes the drink drier and sharper. With lime cordial it turns sweeter and rounder, which is the historic version.
- Double strain so no ice shards end up in the glass and dilute the drink.
Frequently asked questions
Shaken or stirred?
Both exist, it depends on the recipe. The classic Gimlet of gin and lime cordial is stirred or built in the glass. As soon as fresh lime juice and sugar syrup come in, as in our recipe, it is shaken, because juice needs the hard chilling and integration of the shaker. Then double strain.
Does the Gimlet really come from the Royal Navy?
Only the background is documented: British sailors were given lime juice against scurvy, and Lauchlan Rose patented his lime cordial in 1867. The story that naval surgeon Sir Thomas Gimlette invented the drink does not appear in his obituaries and is considered a legend. What is certain is the first printed recipe in the 1920s.
Which glass for a Gimlet?
A well chilled coupe, without ice in the glass. The Gimlet is served straight up: the cold comes from the shaker, not the glass, so freeze the coupe beforehand. A tumbler over ice is possible but dilutes this small, concentrated drink quickly.