10 Ways To Drink Your Gin That's Not a Gin & Tonic

The Gin & Tonic - a classic go to Gin drink that every beginner cocktail drinker goes to for its balanced and mellow flavors. But as beginners, do any of us really know what gin is? Here’s a quick down: The dictionary definition of gin is that of a neutral grain spirit re-distilled with botanicals , with a predominant juniper flavor. The only thing all gins must have in common is the juniper berry Juniper berry.

A juniper berry is the female seed cone produced by the various species of junipers. It is not a true berry but a cone with unusually fleshy and merged scales, which gives it a berry-like appearance. The cones from a handful of species, especially Juniperus communis, are used as a spice, but gins come by that distinctive pine-y flavor in a variety of ways.

So, it’s the weekend, and whether you’re hosting some friends outside for a drink or you’re just craving something tasty and refreshing, here ere are 10 Gin based drink to expand your horizons outside of a Gin & Tonic.

Vesper 

Ingredients
2 oz Gin
.75 oz vodka
.25 oz of Kina Lillet
Lemon peel twist

Instructions Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a martini glass & garnish with lemon peel twist

Aviation

Ingredients
1.5 oz of Gin
.75 oz of Maraschino Liqueur
1.25 oz of Lemon Juice
.5 oz of Crème de Violette

Instructions Get your cocktail shaker and combine all ingredients and fill with ice. Shake well until chilled. Strain the cocktail into chilled glass.

Negroni

Ingredients
1oz Dry Gin
1oz Campari
1oz Sweet Vermouth

Instructions Combine ingredients in an old fashioned glass. Serve straight up or over large rock. Garnish with a orange/lemon peel

Gimlet

Ingredients
1 1/2 oz Gin
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 tsp Simple Syrup

Instructions Combine gin, lime juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

French 75

Ingredients
2 oz Gin
2 oz Lemon juice
2 tsp simple syrup
4 oz champagne

Instructions Add gin, simple syrup and lemon juice into a champagne glass. Top up with chilled Champagne. Garnish with cherry or lemon wheel. Optional - add ice.

Bramble

Ingredients
1 1/2 oz GIn
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
3/4 oz simple syrup
3/4 oz crème de mûre

Instructions Slowly add the gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup into a glass filled with crushed ice. Then slowly add the crème de mûre over the top Garnish with lime wheel and two raspberries

Tom Collins

Ingredients
2 oz Gin
3/4 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz simple syrup
2 oz club soda

Instructions Combine the gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup with ice into a tall glass. Stir well and top up with club soda. Add Ice and garnish with one or two Maraschino cherries

Martini

Ingredients
3 oz Gin
1 oz Dry Vermouth
Optional dash of bitters

Instructions Add the ingredients along with ice into a mixing glass. Stir for 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with either olives or a twist of lemon

Singapore Sling

Ingredients
1 1/2 oz Gin
1/2 oz cherry flavored Brandy
1/4 oz Triple Sec
1/4 oz Benedictine liqueur
4 oz pineapple juice
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz grenadine syrup

Instructions Fill a Collins glass with 1 Cup of ice and set in freezer to chill. Combine all ingredients in cocktail shaker. Add 1 cup of ice, cover and shake until chilled. Strain into the prepared Collins glass. Garnish with a slice of pineapple and cherry

The Last Word

Ingredients
.75 oz Martin Miller's Gin
.75 oz green chartreuse
.75 oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
.75 oz lime juice

Instructions Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake with ice. Strain into a cocktail coupe.