Gimlet cocktail

Words by: Simon Difford

Classically the Gimlet is a simple 50-50 mix of gin and lime cordial but the rise in vodka's popularity during the 1990s and early noughties saw vodka frequently used in place of gin to make a Gimlet. As gin has recently regained ground on vodka so it has reclaimed its rightful place in the Gimlet. Modern, drier palates have also caused the proportion of lime cordial used in a Gimlet to dwindle.

The story behind the Gimlet

During the 17th century English sailors came to understand that consumption of citrus fruit helped prevent scurvy, one of the most common illnesses on board ship. Despite this and John Woodall (1570-1643), an English military surgeon with the British East India Company, recommending citrus fruit become part of sailors rations, their use did not become commonplace.

In 1747, James Lind, a Scottish surgeon, organised clinical experiments which showed citrus to have an antiscorbutic effect. However, he believed scurvy had multiple causes, particularly ill-digested and putrefying food, bad water, overwork and damp living conditions, thus he didn't advocate citrus as a single remedy.

Experience showed Naval officers and surgeons that citrus juice prevented scurvy, eventually leading to Rear Admiral Alan Gardner to insist a daily ration of lemon juice be issued on board the Suffolk during a 23 week, non-stop voyage to India in 1794. As a result, there was no serious outbreak of scurvy. This voyage and Lind's earlier findings convinced the Admiralty to recommend lemon juice be issued routinely to the whole fleet. However, it was only after 1800 that the supply of fruit allowed this.

Once the benefits of drinking lime juice became more broadly known, British sailors consumed so much of the stuff, often mixed with their daily ration of rum and water ('grog'), that they became affectionately known as 'Limeys'.

We now understand that scurvy is caused by a Vitamin C deficiency and that it is this vitamin in citrus fruit which helps ward off the condition.

The often quoted 1867 Merchant Shipping Act made it mandatory for all British ships to carry rations of lime juice for the crew. The fruit juice was preserved by the addition of 15% rum but in 1867, Lauchlin Rose, the owner of a shipyard in Leith, Scotland, patented a process for preserving fruit juice with sugar rather than alcohol. To give his product wider appeal he packaged the mixture in an attractive bottle and named it 'Rose's Lime Cordial'.

Legend has it that while the ratings drunk rum, their officers drink gin so naturally mixed Rose's lime cordial with gin to make Gimlets. So it is said that the creation of the Gimlet is the result of circumstance rather than clever mixing of ingredients, and to be honest - that's the way it tastes if you try an un-chilled (they had no ice) 50-50 Gimlet. However, stirred over ice, mixed to more balanced proportions and the result is divine. Gin and lime just work, that's why it should be the garnish of choice for G&Ts.

The story behind the name

As for the name, a 'gimlet' was a small tool used to tap the barrels of spirits which were carried on British Navy ships: this could be the origin of the drink's name. Another story cites a naval doctor, Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Desmond Gimlette (1857-1943), who is said to have mixed gin with lime 'to help the medicine go down'. Although credible, it is not substantiated in his obituary in The Times, 6 October 1943, nor his entry in Who Was Who 1941-1950, and we guess pretty much every doctor in the Navy spurted a similar mantra at the time.

Links to Gimlet recipes

Other Gimlet recipes & references

In his 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book, Harry Craddock lists both a 'Gimlet Cocktail and a 'Gimblet Cocktail as follows:

¼ Lime Juice, ¾ Dry gin,

Shake well and strain into medium size glass; fill up with soda water.

½ Burrough's Plymouth Gin, ½ Roses Lime Cordial,

Stir, and serve in same glass. Can be iced if desired"

In his 1939 The Gentleman's Companion - Vol. II Exotic Drinking Book, Charles H. Baker say of a drink he called "The Far Eastern Gimlet", "Why on earth this stroke of genius stands unheralded and unsung in this fair and allegedly free land of ours shall, to us, always be a mystery like who it is that designs expensive radio cabinets, why all cinema stars long to ruin themselves playing highbrow roles, and why good prize fighters want to write fiction. Throughout the whole swing of the Far East, starting with Bombay - down the Malabar Coast to Colombo; to Penang, Singapore, Hong Kong and Shanghai, the Gimlet is just as well-known as our Martini here.

"The main thing in its flavour is that, unlike most cocktails, it is not 'warming' in hot weather, and in fact is a good cooler. It is simple, without fancy fizzings, and is one to experiment with until the precise amount of lime cordial is found, to taste. This last is a British invention based on a similar essence to Rose's Lime Juice - which comes in the slender decorative bottle we see back of most good soda fountains - but is not quite so pungent. Soda fountain lime syrup also would do in a pinch. We have approximated it with fine results by diluting it with equal amounts of water.

Take a big saucer champagne glass, put 1 jigger either of dry or old Tom gin, 1 tsp gomme syrup or sugar, 1⁄2 tsp - to taste - of lime syrup or lime cordial. Fill up with chilled plain water, add 1 ice cube and thin slice of big green lime. Don't use soda water, please."

In the "Roll Your Own" section (page 131) of his seminal 1948 Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, David A. Embury comments, "the Gimlet is a Gin Rickey and is made with sugar, lime juice, gin, and carbonated water. It is served in a Delmonico or Sour glass. It is also served as a cocktail, omitting the carbonated water.

In his 1953 novel The Long Goodbye, Raymond Chandler wrote, "The bartender set the drink in front of me. With the lime juice it has a sort of pale greenish yellowish misty look. I tasted it. It was both sweet and sharp at the same time. The woman in black watched me. Then she lifted her own glass towards me. We both drank. Then I knew hers was the same drink."

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Gimlet

Subtle botanicals plus a touch of sweet fruit and citrus sourness – the Gimlet is a gin, sugar and lime juice mixture from when the classic cocktail meant just a few, simple ingredients.

About this recipe

Ingredients

Gordon's® London Dry Gin

Distilling pure spirit with vibrant botanicals, Gordon set the standard for London dry gin with a clean, pure flavour palate, plus subtle juniper aroma.

How to make

Fill a mixing glass with ice cubes.

Using a jigger, measure 25ml Gordon's London Dry Gin, 25ml lime juice and 1tsp sugar into the glass.

Stir the ingredients slowly with a bar spoon until well combined.

Strain the mixture into a martini glass with a cocktail strainer.

Using a sharp knife and a chopping board, cut a piece of lemon peel and twist the peel onto the rim of the glass to garnish.

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The Gimlet is a light green, lime-heavy cocktail with a rich naval history and a sharp kick. It’s origins aren’t the most glamorous – scurvy has never been sexy – but it’s long been adopted as a sipping drink by the cocktail drinking masses and is so very easy to make.

This is one for summer sipping, so grab a bottle of lime cordial (or make your own!) and your favourite gin next time you’re organising a barbecue and wait for everyone to praise you for your excellent bartending skills.

How to make a Gimlet:

10ml Rose’s Lime Cordial

Add both ingredients to a mixing glass with ice. Stir. Strain into a chilled Martini glass.

An abridged, inebriated history:

The Gimlet was promoted and drunk by British officers back in the 19 th Century. Citrus juice was a gift from the Gods to sailors, as it prevented them from catching scurvy – a brutal, painful and sometimes deadly disease brought about by vitamin C deficiency.

Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Desmond Gimlette (served 1879 – 1913) is cited by some as the namesake of the Gimlet. Acting as a doctor to sailors, he administered gin with lime in order to mask the bitter taste. Allegedly, he introduced this to his shipmates to help them swallow down the lime juice as an anti-scurvy medication. British sailors, though – unlike their superior Naval officers – had rum rations, and so used to mix this in with their lime. The drink became known as ‘grog,’ and so great was their consumption of this ‘medicine’ that sailors soon became known as “Limeys”.

Another credible etymological story is that the concoction was named after the hand tool, which was used to bore into barrels of spirits on Navy ships – a gimlet.

Rose’s Lime Cordial has played a central role in the story of the Gimlet, as it was the accessible and necessary sweet fruit preserve of choice by sailors. The cordial was first produced by Scottish entrepreneur Lauchlan Rose in 1867 and was the world’s first fruit concentrate. Rose patented the process in a move that quickly paid off, as later that year a law was passed that all vessels should carry lime juice and serve it as a daily ration to their crews.

The cocktail was featured in harry Craddock’s 1930 The Savoy Cocktail Book, where he offered the advice that the drink “can be iced if desired.”

Classic Gimlet Cocktail Recipe

3 mins
Prep: 3 mins,
Cook: 0 mins
Yield: 1 serving

A personal favorite amongst the classic cocktail list, the Gimlet has long been appreciated one of the best gin sours you will find. The difference is that lime is the citrus of choice here and when that is paired with a traditional gin like a premium London Dry, the drink is sweet, tart, and refreshing.

The unique sweetness of Rose's Lime Juice is typically used in this cocktail instead of fresh squeezed juice, which is uncommon as we often hear that fresh is always better in any drink. However, if you have the time and desire to stick to that adage, a superior Gimlet can be crafted by making your own lime cordial. Another option is to use equal parts of fresh lime juice and simple syrup.

A finishing tip: Wipe the rim with a lime wedge, gently squeeze it over the drink and drop it in. You can also substitute the gin with vodka for a Vodka Gimlet.

Vodka Gimlet

Cocktail recipe

#57 / 752 in Vodka Cocktails
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#97 / 287 in Lime Juice Cocktails
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#14 / 126 in Lime Cocktails

3 Ingredients

2 oz Vodka 2 oz Vodka 6 cl Vodka 60 ml Vodka 2 oz Vodka 2 oz Vodka
2 oz Lime Juice 2 oz Lime Juice 6 cl Lime Juice 60 ml Lime Juice 2 oz Lime Juice 2 oz Lime Juice
½ parts Lime ½ parts Lime 0.5 cl Lime 0.5 ml Lime ½ parts Lime 0.5 oz Lime

Original
cl
ml
oz

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The gimlet is a cocktail made of gin or vodka and lime juice. A 1928 description of the drink was: "gin, a spot of lime, and soda."[1] The description in the 1953 . ">How to Make The Vodka Gimlet - Best Drink Recipes https://www.youtube.com/embed/etTO6kDSwG0

The Vodka Gimlet is one of the easiest recipes to make and is huge on taste! Try one today!">Vodka Gimlet Cocktail Recipe - How to Make a Vodka Gimlet https://www.youtube.com/embed/V7FPkHDZCXY

How to Cocktail: Gimlet. What does this classic gin-and-lime cocktail have to do with British sailors and scurvy? Master mixologist and Liquor.com advisory board . ">How to make a Gimlet Cocktail - Liquor.com

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2 oz Vodka Vodka ( )
2 oz Lime Juice Lime Juice ( )
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Gimlet cocktail recipe

THIS PAGE MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE READ MY DISCLOSURE.

The classic Gimlet recipe is half gin and half lime juice. The most common recipe uses Rose’s (sweetened) Lime Juice, but you can also use real lime juice and simple syrup.

Because Rose’s has been around forever and is a quality product, you can actually use it and still respect yourself (unlike some other bottled mixer shortcuts). Whichever way you go, the end result is a light, refreshing lime drink with juniper overtones from the gin.

If you don’t like gin, you can use vodka instead, but then the drink is called – wait for it – a vodka gimlet. In fact, if you order a gimlet in a bar, you’re about as likely to get vodka as gin if you don’t specify. But that’s basically just vodka with lime juice – a perfectly respectable drink, but one that lacks the subtle nuances of gin.

And speaking of gin, it’s definitely worth it to spring for a good quality one that you like the flavor of. Hendrick’s has bright citrus notes that work very well in this drink. Bombay Sapphire is a little more herbal, which makes for a wonderful contrast with the lime.

This drink pairs very nicely with many Mexican dishes, thanks to the lime flavor. Try it with enchiladas rancheras.

Gimlet Recipe with Rose’s
- 1 jigger gin/vodka
- 1.25 ounces Rose’s Lime Juice
- A wedge of lime squeezed into the drink, then dropped in
Pour the gin and lime juice into a strainer half-full of ice, stir well, strain into a cocktail glass and add the lime wedge. You can also just mix it in a glass with ice and serve it on the rocks.

Gimlet Recipe with fresh-squeezed lime juice
- 1 jigger gin/vodka
- 1/4 ounce simple syrup
- 1 jigger fresh-squeezed lime juice
- Lime garnish
Preparation is the same as for the above recipe.

Now, of course, people have tinkered with the ratio of gin/vodka to lime over time. Some bartenders make it with far more of the alcohol and less of the lime. Find your own preference.

March 23, 2017 Filed Under: Cocktails Tagged With: Gin, Lime

Gimlet

Cocktail recipe
- #17 / 303 in Gin Cocktails
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- #20 / 287 in Lime Juice Cocktails
2 Ingredients
- 1 cl Lime Juice 1 cl Lime Juice 1 cl Lime Juice 10 ml Lime Juice 1 cl Lime Juice 0.33 oz Lime Juice
- 4 cl Gin 4 cl Gin 4 cl Gin 40 ml Gin 4 cl Gin 1.33 oz Gin
- Original
- cl
- ml
- oz
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How to Cocktail: Gimlet. What does this classic gin-and-lime cocktail have to do with British sailors and scurvy? Master mixologist and Liquor.com advisory board . ">How to make a Gimlet Cocktail - Liquor.com https://www.youtube.com/embed/uLT9YxAG3cE

The Gimlet is a classic cocktail that is said to have its origins in British naval history, when officers would combine their gin rations with lime juice to ward off . ">Gimlet Gin Cocktail with Homemade Lime Cordial | Rich Hunt https://www.youtube.com/embed/REyTwGgUQKM

The Gimlet is a simple combination of Gin and Lime Cordial (sweetened lime juice). The drink was a favorite of Raymond Chandler, Ernest Hemingway and . ">Gimlet - How to Make the Classic Gin Cocktail That Was a Raymond Chandler Favorite
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  As well as receiving weekly updates packed with our latest drink and cocktail related content.
  
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  Your 'Top 50 Cocktails' book is whizzing through the old t'internet as we speak, and should be with you soon.
  
  Classic Gin Gimlet
  
  Ingredients
  - 2 ounces gin
  - 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
  - 3/4 ounce simple syrup
  - Cucumber wheel or lime wedge, for garnish
  Directions
  
  Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and pour in the gin, lime juice and simple syrup. Stir vigorously with a long cocktail spoon until very cold.
  
  Strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass, or strain over a rocks glass filled with ice, depending on preference. Garnish with the cucumber wheel and serve immediately.
  
  Recipe courtesy of Geoffrey Zakarian
  
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  Rosemary Gimlet
  
  Some say, “You eat with your eyes.” I don’t know about you, but until my eyes start sporting incisors, I’ll continue to use my mouth. Especially when drinking cocktails.
  
  I was recently at a bar that specialized in herbal concoctions and ordered a Rosemary Gimlet. I’ve been focusing a little more on gin these days, favoring an ice-cold martini over my usual whiskey or rye-based drinks. Partially because I was in the states and people kept making Manhattans and other cocktails way too sweet. One said-to-be reputable bar served me a Manhattan with extra maraschino cherry juice in the glass. If I wasn’t so respectful of bartenders, I would have lept over the bar and made her stop. What’s up with that?
  
  I tend to like my cocktails on the tangy or on the rugged side, rather than too fruity or sweet. Herbs, I can go either way on. Rosemary in particular, is one of those herbs that if you use a little too much of it, the taste can be medicinal. But when I saw it paired with gin and lime juice on a bar menu in New York, I figured it would be a nice combination for a winter cocktail. And after my first sip, I was convinced that it was.
  
  The only issue I had with the one that I’d ordered was that it was served in a thick glass, shaped like a deep cone tapering downward, resting on a base with no stem. It was more appropriate to what you might find at an airport lounge rather than an upscale cocktail bar, where drinks were going for $14 a pop, plus tax and tip. While chatting with the barman, I did mention that the cocktail was tasty, but the glass could have used an updating. He replied that that’s what they had on hand, which seemed a shame.
  
  We may not be able to eat with our eyes (and if you can, please share a video…or, er, maybe not…), but how a cocktail tastes can depend on the glass. At least to me. Just like we all have our own favorite coffee cup, a cocktail glass provides a visceral experience that can’t always be explained. Wine pros will talk about how the shape of the glass focuses certain flavors of the wine to specific parts of your tongue that will enhance the experience, which is probably true. So is it too hard to want a cocktail in a proper glass? (And unless you’re from the south, hold the jam jars!)
  
  A friend of mine told me about going to a swanky hotel in Manhattan for a martini, and her favorite part was the glass. She described it as having a curved shape, like a typical martini glass, but at the very top, right before the rim, the glass curved in just a little bit, which she reiterated with the tips of her index fingers cocking inwards. From that tiny gesture, I could tell exactly how that cold martini tasted as it slipped through her lips.
  
  Ditto with a gimlet. Icy gin needs to be served in a stemmed glass, as your hands will warm the drink. When I’m roaming through thrift stores and flea markets, I pick up cocktail glasses when I see ones that interest me. For some reason, cocktail glasses tend to get broken more often than other glasses, which may be why some people just give up and use jam jars. (Spoiler: Those French “working glasses” that they sell for drinks in America, no one uses for drinks in France.) But being a thrifty guy, I buy cocktail glasses when they’re $1 a pop, if I can, and treat myself to a proper glass. Like the ones here that I bought at a Goodwill shop.
  
  The name “Gimlet” sounds like something that might be sipped in a more genteel era, when the proper glass was de rigeur. Modern tastes now swap out fresh lime juice for the sweetened bottled stuff. And unless I didn’t get the memo, you can use any kind of gin that you like. I picked up this bottle of dry rye gin, made by St. George Spirits, perhaps hoping to capture some of the former glory of the rye whiskey-based Manhattans that I knew and loved so well.
  
  I knew the Jörg Rupf, the German founder of the company, back when he was tinkering away with his oak barrels and distiller, in a hangar, making eau-de-vies and other spirits that few in America had ever heard of. (He once made a holly berry eau-de-vie that was kind of wacky, for Christmas. He also laughed about how little business he did: At the time, his biggest restaurant account went through 1/2 bottle of liquor every two months.) Now the company has shifted hands, right about the time cocktails reemerged in America, and seems to be going gangbusters.
  
  Although Jörg has retired, the new team is doing some very interesting things, like this gin. I found the rye a bit too “present” for a martini, but was spot-on in this gimlet. But feel free to use a favorite gin, because you should always judge a liquor by the flavor, not by the bottle. Unless, of course, you drink with your eyes.
  
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  51 comments
  
  The Rosemary Gimlet… just brilliant!
  
  And, David, I’m glad to see a properly shaken gimlet!
  
  Yes, the correct cocktail glass. I made a gin martini last night for the first time in ages and could not find my favorite martini glass! I ended up using the plastic martini glass I bought for cocktails by the pool. Not good, but it did cool down enough after about 15 minutes in the freezer. I’m ordering my favorite glass, Viv from Crate and Barrel, today.
  
  This is just what I need for the holidays. A fresh spin on gin. I looove rosemary. Running to make this now… (er in a few hours… when it’s five o’clock somewhere).
  
  Hey David! Seeing as you’re a fan of gin I wonder if you like sloe gin? Don’t know if it’s popular in your neck of the woods but in UK everyone’s out there picking the wild sloe berries come fall (add gin and sugar and leave for several months before decanting) to make a wonderful sloe gin (think sloe gin fizz) Tastes wonderful!
  
  After a serious introduction in my college years, I have forever since foregone sloe gin. F O R E V E R.
  
  Me, too! And I had my sloe gin experience 45 years ago. Still makes me shudder.
  
  We lived in the East Bay while St George was growing up and enjoyed the fun tours…oh, and the tastings. BTW, we heard Rupf also put an entire christmas tree in the distiller. Next time you’re in SF, find some spirits by a new guy in Santa Cruz, Sean Venus. He’s got a great palate….his agave reposada is world-class, as are the gins. Beautiful bottles too.
  
  Yes Jörg was one of those people who was really on the cusp of things changing in the Bay Area. I went to his distillery a few times. Once he had found a barrel of apple brandy that he had forgotten about in a corner for ten years, which he laughed about. (Of course, it was amazing.) And another time he called me because he had some excess fruit that he didn’t know what to do with. When I arrived, there were hundreds (and hundreds) of ten gallon buckets of pear, raspberry, and other fruit pulps, that he had used for the distillations and he didn’t know what to do with them all. I would have taken some, but it was a lot. He told me it took 60 pounds of pears to make a bottle of eau-de-vie, so now when I see a bottle for $20-30, it seems like a bargain!
  
  Such a lovely, sophisticated drink for the holidays! I love gimlets but have never thought to try one with rosemary – such a good idea!
  
  Definitely going to try this! I love your Thrift Store tip. I am always amazed at the fab glasses I can buy for almost nothing.
  
  This cocktail sounds delicious! Is it being served in Paris? We will be there the week of Christmas and I think my daughter-in-law would love it.
  
  There are some excellent cocktail bars in Paris but not sure if one is serving this drink. I’ve profiled a few favorite bars in the site, like Le Mary Celeste and Pas de Loup, but you might want to have a look at 52 Martinis as Forest really does a good job scoping out the Paris cocktail scene.
  
  Thank you so much!
  
  I have not tried rosemary in a cocktail before, but this sounds fantastic and so season-appropriate! You are so right about the glass in which a cocktail like this should be served. I am not a cocktail expert, but I do like an appropriate glass for each drink-alcohol or not. It does make a difference.
  
  This slays me. Well worth watching to the end. Thought it somewhat appropriate for your post today! Enjoy!
  
  David – thanks so much. My sister-in-law just gave me a huge bag of key limes from her tree. Perfect timing. Shake. Shake. Shake.
  
  Yum! I love herby cocktails. This one’s beauty.
  
  Totally agree with you about the importance of the glass. Traditional martini glasses, for one, make me a bit anxious. Why is there no lip on the glass?! It is so prone to spillage that despite how awesome martinis may be, I never order them for fear of getting one in that triangular vessel. Getting anxious just thinking about it…
  
  YES! same. I don’t have particularly shaky hands, but martini glasses are a disaster for me.
  
  I read somewhere that the slightly rounded martini glass was based on the shape (and size) of Marie Antoinette’s breast. Since you’re in France, perhaps you can confirm! Love your stories.
  
  Your recipe for Rosemary Gimlet sounds delicious. Plan on making it soon. We are snowed in at Eagle Crest resort where we now live and there are lots of Juniper trees where I can make my own gin. Lol
  
  Your blog is my favorite.
  
  Oh. This reminds of the best martini I ever had (in Fredericksburg VA, no less). Although from their homemade vodka, it was mulled with radish, flavored with a rosemary syrup, served icey cold in a proper stemmed glass with a shivering sliver of radish afloat. Your post here has inspired me to replicate that drink, and of course your Gimlet as well. Also, I too scout for oddball highballs and cocktail glasses at my favorite thrift haunts. This way, breaks are only to one’s glass, not heart, unless of course, the drink was just poured!
  
  I almost always prefer my cocktails in a coup glass rather than a martini glass- most martini glasses I see are monsters, and coups tend to be restrained and elegant. I’m definitely not opposed to drinking out of a jam jar, but it has to be the right kind of cocktail- something informal and summery works best. I’ve had very mixed luck with gimlets, from excellent to deeply sad, but this one looks very tasty.
  
  Is it really only 10:40 in the morning? Blast!!
  
  Intrigued by the Rye gin. We’ve been experiemnting with rye in all its spiritual forms this past year, but love our gin, so this sounds like a great match.
  
  Right with you on the jam jars–another unfortunate american trend I wish had never happened!
  
  “Wine pros will talk about how the shape of the glass focuses certain flavors of the wine to specific parts of your tongue that will enhance the experience, which is probably true.”
  
  Wine pros say a lot of things, most of them completely unreproducible and unverifiable.
  
  Thank you so much!
  
  xt: Because I love rye, and gin, I thought this was an interesting combination. Once I get through the bottle (which shouldn’t be long!), however, I’m going to try the other two gins that St. George makes.
  
  The jam jar trend, like verrines in France (food served in glasses & jars), was interesting at first. But like many trends, they get worn out. They make sense in the south, where I think that originated. But basta!
  
  Jacque: There’s actually a Pine bud cone syrup that I’ve always wanted to try. Not sure what parts of the pine tree are edible, but maybe you’ve got some rosemary poking up through the snow? ; )
  
  simon: That story has been myth-busted, but stories like that do tend to take a life on their own. Thanks – and glad you like the blog!
  
  14$ a pop plus tax and tip! How things have changed. That’s why I drink at home. Love gimlets and have a huge Rosemary bush in my garden. Will give your suggestion a try. Keep up the good work.
  
  While this looks wonderful..the glass with the sprig of Rosemary. I am with Sharon on the gin or Sloe gin after an experience in college I can not abide the smell of Juniper. So much so it took me years to get rid of a juniper bush by my back door. I love Rosemary and the fragrance is wonderful. I now have to find a way to use the Rosemary syrup I now want to make. Any suggestions? Might have to find a use so I will have something to go with a Rosemary Chocolate Pie that I love making..just to surprise people with the unusual ingredient.
  
  It’s times like this that I wish I liked gin…
  
  Rosemary must be the “it” herb, as I’ve seen a lot of drinks with it this season. I made a cocktail (a twist on the Moscow Mule) for Thanksgiving with a cranberry-infused simple syrup, vodka, ginger beer, and lime. The recipe also called for rosemary ice cubes and a short sprig of rosemary on the side of the glass. It was a hit! I think it’ll be back for our Christmas Eve party.
  
  While you’ve got rosemary syrup in the fridge, rosemary Greyhounds also quite nice. Just swap in grapefruit juice for the lime juice.
  
  I’ve always just tossed in a sprig or three of rosemary when the simple syrup is done dissolving but still hot, pull it out when cool, to avoid the chopping and straining steps.
  
  I was nodding so vigorously through this that my head almost fell off. Oh, and while we’re chucking out jam jars, can we add stemless wine glasses to the pile?
  
  This is going on the “Christmas Cocktail” menu! Sounds like just the perfect thing to serve as a signature holiday beverage.
  
  So, it sounds like the spruce-infused rye I made would be right up your alley? Worth a try if you find yourself with a spruce tree to plunder.
  
  One of our local restaurants is featuring a menu based on your recent cookbook, see : http://www.amical.com.
  
  We’ll be heading over there for dinner, excited about getting a real taste of Paris.
  
  Hi, I know this is off-topic, but I since we all LOVE chocolate it’s not *too* far….
  
  I know Dutch-cocoa is alkalized, and I saw in your cocoa that “most European cocoas are Dutched” but both Nestle and Van Houten (what they have in the supermarket) says 100% cacao…..so I was wondering if they’re natural or not. (I’m in France)
  
  I buy cocoa powder in bulk in Europe so I don’t have a package with the ingredient on it but the Van Houton website lists their cocoa powder as alkalized (Dutched) – not sure about other brands, but you can check their websites. (Valrhona cocoa powder, which I tend to use, is alkalized although it’s not listed as an ingredient.)
  
  Yum, David. Yum yum yum. I lean toward rye and bourbon, especially in the winter but I love the label on your bottle of gin. And since I’m very easily swayed by aesthetics, one of these babies is definitely in my near future.
  
  Oh my goodness, this is my new favorite cocktail. I love gin, I love lime, I love gimlets and I love rosemary . . . the combination is just wonderful! Thanks in advance for making this holiday season so much more festive!!
  
  St. George Spirits is my favorite distillery. We go several times a year to see what new things they come up with!
  
  The gimlet was truly refreshing and a nice change from from usual martini….not too sweet, not too tart! I had a second one just to be sure I was right about the first one being absolutely delicious!
  
  I happen to have sage syrup on hand which I bought (incidentally) because I loved the old fashioned pharmacist bottle it came in. I wonder if that would work in here too…
  
  Sage would be lovely. Like rosemary, a little sage goes a long way. So if it’s very strong, I would cut it with some water or a bit of unflavored simple syrup.
  
  Love the Bruno story. And agree that American cocktails are often too sweet.
  
  This sounds just perfect – not too sweet, not too harsh, warmly aromatic and somewhat resin-y, which seems right for the season. David, I think you and I are sympatico with cocktails. (Then again, you had me way back with your barrel of ageing negronis…) Thanks!
  
  This gimlet is seriously delicious. I went a little light on the rosemary the first time around, but my husband and I both agreed it needed the full 2 tablespoons. I am whipping up another batch of syrup right now!
  
  I was impatient to try this tempting recipe so I made changes. Since I definitely don’t care for gin I used vodka and instead of making the rosemary syrup I muddled it with agave syrup in the cocktail shaker. Next time I will make the syrup but I have to say my cocktail is fabulous!
  
  This. This is Christmas. I think I enjoyed it as much as my cat enjoys drinking water from the Christmas tree stand. I enjoyed it so much I have given gin, limes and rosemary, along with the recipe, as a gift no less than 4 times this season! I have one small addition to suggest… along with the sprig of rosemary garnish, I dropped in 2 cranberries. They hang out like little ornaments and look lovely! Cheers!
  
  We took a chance tonight and made these for a couple of guests we really didn’t know (actually, I had never met them before tonight). Anyway, holy s**t! It just blew everybody’s minds. What a simple and beautiful drink. I just love when something so delicious can come from 3 or 4 ingredients. Thank you!