The Tom Collins is a popular gin-based cocktail that is claimed by both the United States and United Kingdom. The cocktail is a refreshing mix of sour and sweet and is seen as the precursor to many of today’s popular sour cocktails.

The first mention of the Tom Collin’s, albeit with a slightly different recipe, was in the 1882 book Harry Johnson’s New and Improved Bartender’s Manual, or How to Mix Drinks of the Present Style.

Another more humorous origin story involves the Tom Collin’s Hoax of 1874 where drinkers in bars around the United States would tell others that a man named Tom Collin’s was at the next bar talking about them. The listener would rush off to the next bar asking the bartender for Tom Collins.

It’s three ingredients make it easy enough to make at home although you’ll struggle to find it on the menu of most modern cocktail bars.

Ingredients

• 60ml gin
• 30ml lemon juice
• 15ml simple syrup
• 1 lemon
• 1 maraschino cherry

Preparation

1. Chill a Collins glass
2. Add the gin, lemon juice and simple syrup to the chilled Collins glass with ice
3. Stir the ingredients
4. Add a lemon slice and the maraschino cherry to garnish