8 Best Gin Cocktails

Gin has inspired some of the most loyal followers of any spirit, and that’s because it’s one of the most distinct liquors out there. Whereas other spirits like vodka and rum have some variety between brands, two different gin brands may have flavor profiles that are completely unrecognizable from one another.

Gin is also the foundation for some of the most guzzlable, delicious, dazzlingly inventive cocktails out there. Today, we look at eight of the best gin cocktails known to man.

1. The Gin Martini

First on the list is the Old Faithful of gin cocktails, the trie- and-true gin martini. This is everything a martini should be.

• Prep Time
  2 Minutes
• Cook Time
  1 Minutes
• Total Time
  3 Minutes
• Serves
  1 People
• Calories
  200 kcal

Ingredients

• dry vermouth
• gin
• ice cubes
• bitters
• lemons or olives (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Simply mix together dry vermouth and gin in the ratio that most pleases you.
2. It’s best to stir these two together for around 30 seconds in a mixing glass with ice cubes, but if you want to shake it, it won’t be the end of the world.
3. Strain the ice cubes out as you pour it into a chilled cocktail glass.
4. Add a dash of bitters if such things make you happy.
5. Then garnish with lemons and/or olives.

Notes

Best strain pairing: Jack Herer OG

2. Gimlet

A wonderful drink for warm weather and celebration, the gimlet consists of just two ingredients and packs a delicious punch. Think of it as summertime’s answer to the martini.

The secret? The mixture of gin and lime.

• Prep Time
  3 Minutes
• Cook Time
  2 Minutes
• Total Time
  5 Minutes
• Serves
  1 People
• Calories
  133 kcal

Ingredients

• 1-½ fluid oz. of gin
• 1 fluid oz. of lime juice
• ice cubes

Instructions

1. Start by mixing 1-½ fluid oz. of gin with 1 fluid oz. of lime juice in a cocktail shaker.
2. Add a teaspoon of syrup sweetener.
3. Then add cubed ice and shake the mixture for 15 seconds or until it’s chilled.
4. Strain that bad boy out as you pour it into a chilled cocktail glass, and voila — you’ve got a gimlet.

Notes

Best strain pairing: Kaya ACDC

3. Gin & Tonic – The Classic Gin Cocktail

Predictable? Maybe. But the G&T deserves a high spot on every “best-of” list. Like many other gin cocktails, this one stands out for its simplicity and reliability.

• Prep Time
  2 Minutes
• Cook Time
  1 Minutes
• Total Time
  3 Minutes
• Serves
  1 People
• Calories
  198 kcal

Ingredients

• 2 oz. of gin
• 4 – 5 oz. of tonic water
• ice cubes
• lime wedge

Instructions

1. Fill a highball glass to the top with ice cubes.
2. Mix 2 fluid oz. of gin with 4 to 5 fluid oz. of tonic water in the glass, starting with the gin.
3. While you should stir these together, do so slowly to avoid bubbling off the condensation.
4. Finish it with a lime wedge, rubbing juice around the rim and gently squeezing it into the drink.

Notes

Best strain pairing: GG4

4. Floradora – The Secret Gin Cocktail

This lesser-known cocktail is a secret pleasure waiting to be discovered. Gin already has a floral profile, and combining it with raspberry — as this drink does — is a recipe for delight.

• Prep Time
  2 Minutes
• Cook Time
  1 Minutes
• Total Time
  3 Minutes
• Serves
  1 People
• Calories
  218 kcal

Ingredients

• 1-½ oz. of gin
• 1/2 oz. of freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 oz. of crème de framboise liqueur
• ginger ale
• lime
• ice cubes

Instructions

1. Prepare a highball glass by filling it with ice.
2. Pour 1-½ fluid oz. of gin, 1/2 oz. of freshly squeezed lime juice, and 1/2 oz. of crème de framboise liqueur into the glass.
3. Next, fill the remainder of the glass up with ginger ale.
4. You’ll finish this delicious drink with a lime wedge.

Notes

Best strain pairing: Sherbet OG

5. Negroni

The classic Negroni is the perfect drink for just before dinner. The mixture of sweet vermouth, gin, and Campari makes for a great appetite stimulant and a happy confluence of flavors.

• Prep Time
  3 Minutes
• Cook Time
  2 Minutes
• Total Time
  5 Minutes
• Serves
  1 People
• Calories
  195 kcal

Ingredients

• 1-¼ oz. of gin
• 1-¼ oz. of Campari
• 1-¼ oz. of sweet vermouth
• orange slice (for garnish)
• ice cubes

Instructions

1. Start with a chilled glass with ice.
2. Pour each of the 3 liquors in and stir them until they’re chilled.
3. Strain the ice out as you pour it over cold rocks, or leave the ice in if you’ll be enjoying it right away.
4. Finish it with a twisted orange slice for garnish.

Notes

Best strain pairing: Blue Cheese OG

6. Monkey Gland – The Underrated Gin Cocktail

The best drink with the most unappealing name goes to the monkey gland. This drink combines the citrusy sunshine of orange juice with the floral bite of gin — not to mention the cheeky dab of absinthe.

• Prep Time
  2 Minutes
• Cook Time
  1 Minutes
• Total Time
  3 Minutes
• Serves
  1 People
• Calories
  165 kcal

Ingredients

• 1-½ oz. of gin
• 1-½ oz. of orange juice
• 1 teaspoon of absinthe
• 1 teaspoon of grenadine
• ice cubes

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, mix 1-½ fluid oz. of gin with an equal amount of orange juice.
2. Add 1 teaspoon each of absinthe and grenadine.
3. Fill the shaker with ice and shake it until it’s chilled.
4. Strain it into a cold cocktail glass and enjoy.

Notes

Best strain pairing: Kaya Grape Escape

7. Hanky Panky

Get frisky with this sweet gin martini. Featuring the herbal Italian Fernet-Branca, this mixture of gin and sweet vermouth is a smorgasbord of flavors ranging from sweet to bitter to tangy. It comes from London’s Savoy Hotel, where it was coined by Ada Coleman in the early 1900s.

• Prep Time
  2 Minutes
• Cook Time
  1 Minutes
• Total Time
  3 Minutes
• Serves
  1 People
• Calories
  166 kcal

Ingredients

• 1-½ oz. of dry gin
• 1-½ oz. of sweet vermouth
• 1-½ oz. of Fernet-Branca
• 1 teaspoon of orange juice (optional)

Instructions

1. Add equal parts dry gin, sweet vermouth, and Fernet-Branca into a glass — about 1-½ fluid oz. for a single serving.
2. You can also throw a dash of orange juice into the mixture too, though Coleman didn’t include this in the original recipe. But change is a good thing.

Notes

Best strain pairing: Kaya Unruly

8. New Orleans Fizz – The Decadent Gin Cocktail

This is a more complicated cocktail to make, but the end result is well worth it. Imagine a flavorful burst of taste bud euphoria from citrus, syrup, gin, cream, egg white, and orange flower water and you’ve started to get an idea of what this drink holds.

• Prep Time
  5 Minutes
• Cook Time
  5 Minutes
• Total Time
  10 Minutes
• Serves
  1 People
• Calories
  401 kcal

Ingredients

• 1-½ oz. of gin
• 1/2 oz. of fresh lime juice
• 1/2 oz. of fresh lemon juice
• 1-¼ oz. of simple syrup
• 2 oz. of cream
• 1 egg white
• 2 dashes of orange flower water (fleurs d’orange)
• club soda
• ice cubes

Instructions

1. Take an empty cocktail shaker and add the following: 1-½ fluid oz. of gin, 1/2 oz. each of fresh lime juice and fresh lemon juice, 1-¼ oz. of simple syrup, 2 oz. of cream, 1 egg white, and 2 dashes of orange flower water (fleurs d’orange)
2. Dry shake this mixture without any ice.
3. Now open the shaker and fill it with ice, shaking harder this time to mix the egg white through the drink.
4. Strain it into a highball glass and top it off with club soda.

Notes

Best strain pairing: Kaya Jah Cures