10 Simple Gin Cocktail You Must Try

10 Simple Gin Cocktail Recipes You Must Try

Go beyond the usual gin and tonic or martini. There are numerous and exciting gin cocktails to explore. It’s delicious and satisfying.

With its accommodating base and botanical perfume, gin is excellent for cocktails because it is so inclusive in nature. As a base spirit it livens up and elevates simple home ingredients to just simply change your day.

Before you furrow your brow thinking you need to buy that entire bartending set, rest assured that a gin cocktail can be as simple as it is elegant - requiring little more than existing tools you can find in the kitchen.

Here are 5 recipes to start you off on your heady journey. Feel free to do as many sip tests as you want.

Gin Fizz

Love your lemon meringue pastries? Then you’ll enjoy the Gin Fizz. The tart gin cocktail has a lovely texture thanks to its foam topping, and is a refreshing number at casual events. It’s also incredibly fast to make and the foam is mesmerising to watch as it forms.

• 4 parts gin (we recommend the Warner’s London Dry or Harrington – higher alcohol)
• 2 parts fresh lemon juice
• 2 parts simple syrup
• 1 part egg white
• Soda water as needed

Combine the gin, lemon juice, syrup and egg white into a shaker and do a “dry shake”. This is when you mix the ingredients without ice. After you have done so, you’ll notice that the foam from the egg white is forming. This is when you can add the ice cubes to chill the mixture. Shake for a bit more and pour them into a glass (usually 2 if you are using one egg white). Top up with soda and watch the beautiful smooth foam rise to the top.

Bramble

From something sour, we go to something less tart. The Bramble is really an adult Ribena. It evokes the goodness of forest Blackberries to create a satisfying sip. Created by Dick Bradsell in the 1980s in London, England, the gin cocktail features creme de mure. But don’t worry, there are worthy replacements if that’s not available. 

• 4 parts gin (we recommend G’vine Floraison)
• 2 parts fresh lemon juice
• 2 parts simple syrup
• 1 part creme de mure (Blackberries) (we recommend Massenez)

Combine the first three ingredients in a shaker and mix it up before pouring them out into a glass with crushed ice. Drizzle the top with the creme de mure. If you don’t have that, you can replace it with chambord for a raspberry twist. In a pinch, you can even use Ribena syrup for that blackcurrant magic.

French 75

Gin, or champagne / prosecco? Well, this gin recipe gives you both! It’s incredibly simple to make and yet boasts a more sophisticated slant thanks to the bubbly, and can be a novel way to switch up celebrations. Just don’t try to pronounce its French name - Soixante Quinze.

• 2 parts gin (Warner’s London Dry / Boodles – the Gin of Ian Fleming)
• 1 part fresh lemon juice
• 1 part simple syrup
• 6 parts champagne (Gancia Prose spumante or Prosecco does the trick)

Shake the gin, lemon juice and simple syrup. Before you pour it into a flute, add the step of straining (because it’s a classy drink that way). Top up with champagne or any sparkling wine (like prosecco or cava) of your choice and celebrate.

Cucumber Gin Cooler

Need a great summer drink? Then look no further. The cooling, soothing effects of cucumber have always been cherished in facials, but they can just be as enjoyable as a choice ingredient with your favourite gin. This is light, fragrant and a perfect step up from lemonade.

• 2 parts gin (G’vine Floraison or Mirabeau Rose Gin)
• 3 parts soda water
• 2 to 5 cucumber slices

Muddle the cucumber slices at the bottom of the glass (use the back of a spoon if you don’t have the tool), then add the ice, gin and soda. Stir it up and you’re good to go. Adjust the flavour by using thicker cucumber slices.

Gin Gin Mule

For some snazzy New York flair, try this gin cocktail invented by bartender Audrey Saunders in the new millenia of 2000. A spin on the classic mule, it combines the ginger kick of the drink together with a minty mojito twist. And who can say no to that right?

• 3 parts gin (Adelaide Hills Classic Gin)
• 1 part fresh lime juice
• 1 part simple syrup
• 3 parts ginger beer
• 3-4 mint leaves

Add the mint to the bottom of a glass and muddle it up. Then add the lime juice, simple syrup and gin to the glass and stir it up. Finally, add the ice and top up with the ginger beer. 

The Bee’s Knees

Adorable name aside, the introduction of honey to this drink was actually because of the slight unpleasant taste of poorly made gin centuries ago. Thankfully, it is added here to lend a floral undertone to the botanical gin cocktail.

• 2 parts gin (Warner’s Honey Gin – it’s not sweet, or the Warner’s Lemon Balm)
• 1 part fresh lemon juice
• 1 part honey syrup

The honey syrup is a mixture of water with the ratio to your taste of sweetness. Combine it with the gin and lemon juice and shake with ice. Then strain and serve.

Sake Martini

Combining two cultures? Why not! This delightful gin recipe combines the two delicate profiles to serve up some big impact. It’s so simple, it should be illegal.

• 1 part gin (Chase William Elgant Gin)
• 1 part sake
• 1 lemon peel

Combine the two liquor with ice into a shaker and chill them down with a few good shakes. Afterwards, pour into a martini glass, twist the lemon peel and pop it in. That’s it!

A Wee Gin and Jam

Gin might not be breakfast food but adding some jam is still allowed in this surprising combination. With its almost homely theme, this gin cocktail will be a hit at picnics and light soirees.

• 5 parts gin (Warner’s Sole Gin)
• 2 parts fresh lemon juice
• 1 heaped teaspoon of jam
• 2 parts egg white

Choose any jam of choice and add all the ingredients into a shaker and really mix them up. Give this extra time as the viscosity of the ingredients vary a bit more than usual. Pour into a glass with ice cubes to finish.

Greyhound (and Salty Dog)

This is tartness with an edge thanks to the unique flavours of grapefruit. When combined with the botanicals of the gin, it’s a complementary dance of flavour and taste that’s sure to awaken the senses.

• 3 parts gin (Bertha’s Revenge Milk Gin)
• 3 parts fresh grapefruit juice
• 1 part simple syrup

Combine the three with ice in a mixer and shake well. Strain out the mixture into a glass with more ice cubes and enjoy. To add some herbaceous flair, muddle in a sprig of rosemary. And if you salt the rim of the glass, you’ll now get the Salty Dog.

Negroni

No gin cocktail list will be complete without the Negroni. It’s a classic and elegant cocktail that bears weight, and can be slowly sipped for long conversations in a cosy enclave. The recipe is also easy to recall but will require the help of two other liquor.

• 1 part gin (Warner’s London Dry / Tanglin Orchid Gin / Adelaide Hills Dessert Gin0
• 1 part sweet vermouth (Antica and Punt e Mes are our favarouites)
• 1 part Campari (a bitters such as Adelaide Hills Orange Bitters works)
• 1 orange peel

Pour the three liquor into a glass with ice cube (or for that extra suave, an actual rocks glass with an ice ball), and mix them well. Twist the orange peel and drop it into the drink. The evening is set.

Start your delicious concoctions with specialty gins from The First Pour.