The Gimlet, contrary to what most modern bartenders believe, is a simple yet delicious combination of gin and lime cordial. Yes, you read that right, gin and lime cordial.
The modern way to make a Gimlet is essentially to make a gin based Daiquiri, using fresh lime juice and sugar. This option makes an excellent take on the Gimlet, but to be clear, it’s not the classic.
The fresh lime version began to rise to dominance as bartending knowledge and standards improved in the late 90’s and 00’s. Bartenders just couldn’t abide using something so mass produced as Rose’s Lime Cordial (AKA Rose’s Lime Juice, depending where you live). Somewhat contraditionally, this was happening while knowledge of cocktail history and heritage was becoming even more prized. However this didn’t stop a move away from the true classic because, ‘fresh is best…right?!
The world is a tastier place for having more than one way of making a Gimlet, and they deliver quite different experiences. However, to ignore the stirred down cordial version is to ignore the drink’s origins, and although Rose’s is the original ingredient, it’s not the only lime cordial out there. So making a drink that is both true to the classic AND high quality is actually possible and we’re going to prove it!
The Battle Between Fresh Lime & Cordial is Not a New One
The Gimlet is such a famous cocktail, and yet much of what’s known is anecdotal. The first time we see reference to the cocktail itself in print is not until 1928, although the recipe here is really a Rickey. Doug Wesson wrote in his book ‘I’ll Never be Cured and I Don’t Much Care’, a journey through his addiction to the game of Golf.
“The Gimlet we were introduced to… at the golf club: and it proved to be the well and favourably known Rickey, but described as ‘gin, a spot of lime, and soda’”.
This isn’t entirely unique as some classic cocktail books of the mid 1900s reference Rickeys when discussing the Gimlet, saying that a Gimlet is simply a Rickey with the addition of sugar. So using lime and sugar in a Gimlet does go back a long way, especially in the US, but it will never be the true origin of the drink.
Two years later, in one of the most iconic cocktail books of all time, The Savoy Cocktail Book (1930) we find the authentic Gimlet. Equal parts Rose’s Lime Cordial and Gin.
Most people, including myself, would argue that a 1:1 ratio of gin and cordial isn’t the best version of the drink, but here we see the heritage of the drink. Gin from a naval town and lime cordial, an essential provision for the British Royal Navy since 1867.
Early Origins - “Oh NOW I See Why Cordial is Traditional”
There will always be risks when going to sea. Rogue waves, storms, pirates, however early sailors had another very real challenge to contend with, scurvy. A condition caused by a lack of vitamin C which, if left untreated can result in a painful and somewhat gruesome death. On some long voyages, scurvy could wipe out as much as ninety percent of a ship’s crew.
Links between diet and scurvy date all the way back to the late 1400s, however it would take hundreds of years to understand that scurvy was a deficiency of vitamin C, not a disease. In 1753 the first recorded experiments were carried out by Royal Naval surgeon James Lind. Even though he showed the effectiveness of citrus fruit in staving off scurvy, it took more than forty years for the British Royal Navy to actually do anything with his findings.
Finally in 1799 the provision of lemon juice to men aboard ships on Foreign Service was ordered and the results were immediately apparent. In 1780, the Naval Hospital at Haslar received 1,457 admissions for scurvy, then only 2 between the years of 1806–1810.
As a result, Sicily was turned into a lemon orchard to supply the demand, and if it wasn’t for a couple of fateful events, the British might have been forever known as ‘Lemonys’ and not ‘Limeys’.
Money talks, so in 1860, Sicilian lemon juice was replaced with West Indian lime juice. The West Indies was a British colony, which meant the money stayed within the Empire. At this time it was believed to be the acidity of the lemon juice that was destroying the dangerous ‘infection’ blamed for scurvy. So moving from lemons to limes would have no issue on effectiveness. Right…right?!
The final pieces of the puzzle fell into place in 1867. Lachlan Rose patented his method for making lime cordial, and the Merchant Shipping Act was passed. The act required all British Royal and Merchant Navy vessels to provide a daily ration of lime cordial to sailors whilst at sea to keep scurvy at bay.
With gin and lime cordial now together onboard ship, you can see why the original Gimlet is made with lime cordial and not fresh juice.
Gimlet v Gimlette
As with most classic cocktails, there’s a story about who created the first version, and as with many classic cocktail origin stories, the popular version is usually utter nonsense. The Gimlet’s origin story is also likely full of rubbish. Medical officer, Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Gimlette (1857–1943), is credited with mixing Rose’s Lime Cordial and gin (most likely Plymouth Gin, the Navy’s favourites and brand taken on board ship) to encourage the men to take their ration of cordial and prevent cases of scurvy.
There’s a problem or two with this story though. Gimlette was born in 1857 making him only 10 years old when lime cordial came on board ship. It seems unlikely that it would have taken sailors enough years for him to go from a young boy to a naval medical officer to mix lime cordial and gin together. Secondly, there’s the problem with the spelling of his name and the fact that he made no mention of the drink in his memoirs. Maybe not 100% debunked, but it certainly makes it unlikely.
There are other, more logical ways the Gimlet may have got its name. The most likely origin is the short sharp wood working tool called a gimlet. ‘T’ shaped with a screw thread on its tip, it was used to bore holes into wood and wooden barrels alike without splitting them. This sharp little tool was also where the phrase Gimlet Eyed came from, first found in print in 1752.
Another short sharp object that the drink’s name could be linked to, was another Gimlet knife. This is an offensive weapon, a push dagger, not a woodworking tool. Developed in New Orleans in the mid 1800s. It’s possible therefore that sailors came across this version of a gimlet and were inspired by the short sharp blade to give the Gimlet cocktail its name.
A nice option, but considering the fact that the woodworking gimlet had been around since the 1400s, a common woodworking tool widely used on wooden ships. Specific versions of the gimlet could also be used to bore holes into wooden barrels to vent or sample the contents. The fact that both gin and lime cordial would have been stored in wooden barrels too, make me think that we have our winner! Of course, without a time machine it’s thus far impossible to know for certain, but you can make your own mind up from the evidence here.
Does a Gimlet a Day Actually Save You From Scurvy?
In the late 1800s and early 1900s the answer was, probably not. For a few simple reasons. Firstly, lime juice has about half the vitamin C as lemons. Then the processing of lime juice into cordial would further deplete the vitamin C content before finally it was stored in wooden barrels onboard ship. Wooden barrels are breathable and vitamin C is easily destroyed by oxidising in the air. So what vitamin C was in the cordial when setting sail would be gradually diminished over time.
However, with the development of the steam age, voyage times were being reduced and so time between meals with fresh ingredients was shorter. On land, sailors were better nourished, giving them a longer resistance to scurvy once at sea. Together this meant that the reduced efficacy of lime cordial was not felt by the regular sailor. However, there was a category of sailor that did expose lime cordial as ineffective for combatting scurvy, the polar explorer.
Possibly the most damning example was George Nares’ failed expedition to reach the North Pole via Greenland in 1875. The men who never left the ship and faithfully took their lime cordial ration every day still fell foul to scurvy. This destroyed the trust in citrus as a simple but effective ‘cure’.
This sent the battle against scurvy in the wrong direction for decades. Famous explorers such as Scott of the Antarctic (Captain Robert Falcon Scott) became obsessed with the salting and canning processes of their provisions. He believed that the source of the ‘infection’ must come from the preserved products they took with them on their expeditions. Leaving behind a simple solution that had successfully saved lives for well over a hundred years, and probably longer.
The Best Gimlet Recipes from Across the Seven Seas
We’ve talked a lot about the origins of the Gimlet cocktail, but let’s bring it into the present day and talk about how you might make one.
The Gimlet came from the Navy and into the cocktail bar. It’s not a bartender invention, but a popular serve that came from the ship’s mess and evolved into a cocktail with all the subsequent processes, ceremony and particular measurements.
Speaking of measurements, the ratios used with the classic Gimlet vary wildly. The ratio used in a number of classic books, including the Savoy Cocktail Book (1930) call for equal measurements of lime cordial and gin, stirred together with ice and served up. While in Rose’s Lime Cordial adverts they recommend a ratio of 4 or 5 parts of gin (or vodka) to 1 part of lime cordial.
With our delicious homemade cordials we recommend just a tiny bit more cordial, using a ratio of 3 parts gin to 1 part cordial. This allows the cordial’s flavours to shine in the recipe, but as you get to know the recipes you can make your own mind up as to what suits your preference. While Gimlets made by shaking fresh lime juice and sugar are essentially a gin Daiquiri or ‘Sour’, the stirred versions are more like citrussy Martinis. Dry, spirit forward, with the fresh bite of the citrus cordial and a little sweetness on the finish.
We’ve got a delicious selection covering all different types of Gimlet recipe here. From classics to bottle batched. Fresh ingredient recipes and three different cordials. There’s even a fruity tangy version using sloe gin and a more savoury version with cucumber. We’ve got a Gimlet for everyone!
1. Gimlet (Classic)
Gin and homemade lime cordial stirred together and served with a twist of lime. The homemade cordial is essentially a lime sherbet, using the lime peel and sugar to extract the essential oils from the peel to create ole saccharum which is then turned into a cordial using more sugar and lime juice.
2. Botanical Gimlet
Gin and a bespoke lime cordial stirred together in the classic style. However this cordial celebrates the key botanicals used in Plymouth Gin. The British Navy’s original favourite gin which would surely have been the original gin used in the first Gimlets. The cordial is well worth the bit of effort to make, and it incorporates sweet orange and green cardamon to celebrate the most iconic botanicals in Plymouth Gin.
3. Elderflower, Lime & Sea Salt Gimlet
The easiest of all the cordials to make. It adds a delicious hint of floral and the sea salt ensures the sweetness and florality are kept well in balance in the drink. It’s a bit more of a departure from the classic than the other two cordial recipes, but highly appealing and great for entertaining guests when you want a crowd pleaser.
4. Gimlet (Classic Fresh Lime)
The modern classic Gimlet. Fresh lime and sugar shaken together with gin to create a crisp and refreshing cocktail that’s perfect for those who prefer Daiquiris, Margaritas and other ‘Sour’ based cocktails more than booze forward stirred ‘Martini’ style cocktails. It may not be for the purists, but it’s a damn fine drink.
5. Gimlet (Fords Gin Batched)
We teamed up with Fords Gin a while back to show the joy and practicality of bottling up batched cocktails. It’s the fresh lime classic recipe, but includes the water you would add when shaking with ice. This means all you need to do is measure the ingredients together then bury the bottle into an ice bath or fridge and freezer to make it as cold as possible without freezing. Then simply shake the bottle and pour straight into a glass to serve. Perfect when you’re having a party and don’t want to spend every minute mixing drinks!
6. Cucumber Gimlet
A delicious and popular take on the gimlet with the fresh savoury notes of cucumber in addition to the traditional gin, lime and sugar. If you’re just making one or two, then you can simply crush fresh chunks of cucumber in your shaker then shake together with ice and the other ingredients. However, if you’re going to be mixing a few, then take the time to juice some cucumbers ahead of time to make your life far easier as well as making more consistent recipes.
As always, don’t forget to show us what you made by tagging us!
@Candra_Drinks #MakeBetterDrinks #CandraDrinks
