Tom Collins
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Gin sour topped with soda — a long, refreshing highball that became one of the original American cocktails to cross the Atlantic. Light enough for an afternoon, sharp enough to wake you up.
The Collins family of drinks emerged in mid-19th-century London, named after a fictional waiter at Limmer's Hotel. The recipe spread to America through Jerry Thomas' 1876 bartender guide where it was codified with gin (Tom Collins) or rum/whiskey (John Collins, Mike Collins). The Tom Collins held its central place in American cocktail culture through Prohibition and into the modern era — the IBA still lists it as part of the Unforgettables canon.
Method
Shaken
Glass
highball
Difficulty
Easy
Flavor Profile
Recipe Variations
🌱 Vegan🌾 Gluten-free
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AdInstructions
- Combine 50 ml London dry gin, 25 ml fresh lemon juice and 15 ml simple syrup in a shaker tin.
- Fill with ice and shake hard for 10 seconds.
- Strain into a Collins glass (or highball) filled with fresh ice.
- Top with 80 ml soda water.
- Stir once to combine.
- Garnish with a lemon wheel and a maraschino cherry on a pick.