What are some popular cocktails made with Old Tom gin?

What cocktails use Old Tom gin?

Old Tom was called for in many early recipes for sweeter gin cocktails, especially the Tom Collins and the Martinez. Here is how to think about each.

Tom Collins

A tall, refreshing drink. Cotswolds Distillery suggests Old Tom with soda water, a squeeze of lemon and a dash of sugar syrup. Because the gin is already lightly sweet, start with less syrup and add more to taste.

Martinez

A stirred, spirit-forward cocktail often described as a forerunner of the martini. It combines Old Tom gin with sweet vermouth, a little maraschino liqueur and bitters. Recipes and proportions vary by bartender, so follow a recipe you trust and adjust to taste.

Simple serves

• Over ice: sweet, spicy and warming Old Toms can be sipped neat on ice.
• Gin and tonic: use plenty of ice and a citrus slice; choose a drier tonic to offset the sweetness.
• Gin sour: with lemon juice, shaken with ice; reduce sugar.

Tips when swapping in Old Tom

• Taste before adding sugar syrup, vermouth or liqueur.
• Brands differ in sweetness and botanicals, so adjust each time.
• If a recipe says Old Tom and you have only London dry, add a small amount of sugar syrup and taste.

Common mistakes

• Using the same amount of sugar syrup as with London dry gin.
• Using flat tonic or small ice that melts fast and waters the drink down.

Flavor notes

Cotswolds describes its Old Tom as having sweet liquorice root, light ginger spice, orange citrus, cardamom and caraway seeds (part of its development). Other brands taste different.

Drink responsibly and only if you are of legal age.