6 Gin Cocktail Recipes: Tasting the Perfect Delight

Gin has danced its way through history, from the medicinal elixirs of ancient times to the heart of the Roaring Twenties and now, to our modern home bars. Its distinctive juniper notes and an array of botanicals have always been a favourite among spirits enthusiasts and mixologists alike.

Many of the best types of gin cocktail recipes are incredibly easy to make at home. You don't need to be a seasoned bartender or have a shelf full of obscure ingredients to whip up a great-tasting gin cocktail at home. Often, it's just about pairing the right gin with a few simple, fresh ingredients that might already be in your pantry or fridge.

So sit back as I guide you through some of my personal favourite gin cocktails that you can make at home or enjoy on your next visit to your favourite cocktail bar.

Must Try Gin Cocktails at Home

1. Gin and Tonic
2. Negroni
3. Dry Martini
4. Last Word
5. Clover Club
6. Gimlet

1. Gin and Tonic

The gin and tonic cocktail has a fascinating backstory. The British created it to make the anti-malarial quinine more palatable for their colonists, with gin offsetting the bitterness.

Today though, the G&T has gone artisanal. Craft tonics, small-batch gins, and creative garnishes elevate this classic cocktail. Gin varies wildly in flavours, aromatics, and price. These factors play a crucial role in your drink's taste.

Try this fun experiment: Make two G&Ts side-by-side. Use a standard London dry gin like Bombay for one, and a craft gin like Hendrick's for the other. Add fresh garnishes to the Hendrick's like cucumber and herbs. Use a quality tonic on both. Just by incorporating these simple ingredients you likely have on hand, you can transform a basic G&T into a refreshing, crafted cocktail.

Ingredients

• 45 ml Hendrick's Gin

• Cucumber Peels

• 5 ml Lime Juice

• Fever Tree Cucumber Tonic

How to Make a Gin and Tonic

1. In a highball glass with ice, pour about 45 ml/ 1.5 oz of Hendrick's Gin
2. Using a peeler, peel the cucumber discarding the initial skin. Keep at least two long cucumber peels for garnish
3. Squeeze about 2 lime wedges (approx. 5 ml lime juice)
4. Slowly pour your preferred tonic, gently mixing everything to incorporate
5. Add in your cucumber peels and enjoy

Hendrick's Gin

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2. Negroni

If you are looking for a more sophisticated boozy affair, look no further than this Campari-included gin cocktail. The Negroni was born in 1919 when Count Camillo Negroni supposedly asked the bartender to strengthen his favourite drink, the Americano with gin.

This ruby-hued tipple is perfectly balanced with equal parts gin, vermouth, and Campari. The drink invites experimentation through endless riffs, and I, personally, add a tad bit more gin for my Negronis for that extra goodness. Served over ice with an orange twist, this ballet of bittersweet flavours pairs beautifully both as an aperitif or digestif.

Ingredients

• 30 ml Plymouth Navy Strength

• 30 ml 1757 Vermouth di Torino

• 30 ml Campari

• Orange (for garnish)

How to Make a Negroni

1. In a mixing glass with ice, add all the ingredients together and stir to chill and dilute
2. Pour over a rock glass filled with ice (preferably a big block of ice) so you can enjoy without worrying too much about the dilution
3. Gently peel the orange's skin and express the oils on top of the drink to add a layer of aromatics
4. Sip and enjoy

Plymouth Gin Navy Strength

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3. Dry Martini

Shaken or stirred, the dry martini is a cocktail icon worthy of MI6. Bond may prefer his martinis shaken, not stirred. But true connoisseurs know that gently stirring preserves the spirit's silky texture.

The key to a refined martini is quality gin. Think Monkey 47 or Whitley Neill Small Batch — the bold botanicals of a London dry-style gin lend crispness and lingering botanicals. Just a whisper of dry vermouth and about 3 parts gin to 1 part vermouth adds herbal depth without obscuring the gin.

Ingredients

• 60 ml Whitley Neill Small Batch Dry Gin

• 10 ml Martini & Rossi Extra Dry Vermouth

How to Make a Dry Martini

1. Fill a mixing glass with ice
2. Measure out gin and vermouth into a mixing glass (ideal ratio is 5:1 gin to vermouth)
3. Stir ingredients for about 30 seconds until chilled. Never shake a Martini — it can bruise the gin.
4. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass—Coupe glasses or Nick & Nora glasses work well
5. Express oils from lemon peel before dropping it in for a gin lemon cocktail finish
6. Garnish with olives or a lemon twist

Whitley Neill Small Batch Dry Gin

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4. Last Word

The Last Word, a blend of gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino, and lime, was a forgotten relic until 2004. Bartender Murray Stenson revived the recipe from Ted Saucier's 1951 book since he was intrigued by its emerald hue.

This drink's disappearance and rediscovery remind us that history holds lost formulae worth unearthing. It is one of the equal-parts cocktails that are easy to remember and even easier to make at home, so long as you can get a hold of a bottle of green Chartreuse.

A nice and refreshing cocktail that packs a punch is always something I have on its own or before dinner.

Ingredients

• 20 ml Tanqueray 10

• 20 ml Fresh Lime Juice

• 20 ml Luxardo Maraschino

• 20 ml Green Chartreuse

How to Make the Last Word

1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice
2. Add all the ingredients: gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, and fresh lime juice
3. Shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds
4. Double strain into a chilled coupe glass to remove any ice chips
5. Garnish with a maraschino cherry

Tanqueray No. Ten

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5. Clover Club

This gin-based delight dates back to the late 19th century , originating at the prestigious Bellevue-Stratford Hotel's Clover Club bar in Philadelphia—a gathering place for politicos and members-only clubs.

The Clover Club blends gin, lemon juice, raspberry syrup, and egg white, creating a lusciously light body and texture, making it perfect for anyone who prefers gin cocktails with fruit. The egg white foam delivers a smooth, frothy mouthfeel, while the raspberry provides a kiss of sweetness to the tart lemon and bold juniper notes of the gin.

A favourite during Prohibition thanks to its easy concealment due to the pinkish-red hue, the Clover Club then faded away for decades. Thankfully this aristocratic cocktail has experienced a revival in refined bars today

Ingredients

• 45 ml Sipsmith Gin

• 15 ml Fresh Lemon Juice

• 15 ml Martini Extra Dry (optional)

• 15 ml Raspberry Syrup

• 20 ml Egg White (fresh/pasteurized)

How to Make a Clover Club

1. Add the ingredients, including egg white, to a shaker without ice
2. Dry shake vigorously for 30 seconds to incorporate and emulsify
3. Add ice to the shaker and shake hard again for 15-20 seconds
4. Double strain into a chilled coupe glass—use the Hawthorne strainer first, then a fine strainer to catch any ice chips and leave a nice foam
5. Garnish with a raspberry in a skewer

Sipsmith London Dry Gin

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6. Gimlet

The sublimely simple gimlet has sailor origins — British Navy men mixed gin, cordial, and lime to ward off scurvy at sea. Although the gimlet was known for the use of Lauchlan Rose's lime cordial, most bartenders opt to use fresh citrus and sugar syrup or even make a homemade lime cordial.

This sour-style cocktail is served up in a Nick & Nora glass and delivers a sophisticated minimalist flavour. Though it faded from favour for a while, this gin sour has sailed back into vogue thanks to the classic cocktail revival. It's perfect as an aperitif to begin the evening.

Ingredients

• 60 ml Suntory Roku

• 20 ml Fresh Lime Juice

• 15 ml Sugar Syrup (1:1 ratio sugar to water)

How to Make a Gimlet

1. Add gin, lime juice, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker filled with ice
2. Shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds until thoroughly chilled
3. Strain into a chilled Nick & Nora or coupe glass
4. Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel

Suntory Roku Japanese Gin

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Gin Cocktails That Suit Your Taste

Gin cocktails range from vintage classics like the Negroni to contemporary hits like the Last Word. While some do require speciality mixers, with just a quality gin, fresh citrus, and basic liqueurs you can easily up your home mixing game.

Gin's versatile botanicals let it blend seamlessly with many flavours for endless cocktail potential, so grab a shaker and start creating. To help you get started, explore Paneco 's extensive gin range and find the spirits mentioned in this list, as well as enjoy exclusive member discounts.

Explore Our Fine Selection of Gins

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