Gimlet

Gin and lime, sweetened. Two-ingredient simplicity that turns into a different drink depending on whether you reach for fresh lime juice or for Rose's Lime Cordial.

Gimlet Cocktail Recipe

4.62 from 73 votes

Calories: 157kcal

Prep Time: 3

Total Time: 3

The classic Gimlet is a wonderfully simple and refreshing cocktail that consists of gin, fresh lime juice, and sugar. Categorized as a gin sour, it shares a category with other beloved and time-tested drinks like the Daiquiri, a rum sour.

The exact origin of the Gimlet remains uncertain, but it is believed to have been invented by British sailors in the late 18th century out of necessity. The sailors needed a way to prevent scurvy, a disease caused by a lack of vitamin C, so they mixed lime juice with liquor. It didn't take long for them to realize that this concoction was not only beneficial but also incredibly delicious. Thus, while scurvy is now a thing of the past, the Gimlet continues to thrive.

Over time, the Gimlet found its way into cocktail books, including Harry Craddock's iconic "The Savoy Cocktail Book" from 1930, featuring various recipes, ingredients, and proportions. While fresh lime juice is the preferred choice today, for many years, the Gimlet was predominantly made with Rose's lime cordial, a bottled mixture of lime juice and sugar that debuted in the 1860s. If you opt for Rose's in your drink, you can omit the simple syrup since the cordial is already sweetened. Aim for one ounce of Rose's to achieve the desired balance.

It's worth noting that the Gimlet can also be made with vodka, a practice that gained popularity in the 1980s and 1990s. However, as gin reclaimed its popularity among drinkers, it regained its rightful place in the Gimlet. Gin's natural affinity for lime, along with its dry and botanical nature, adds structure to the cocktail while keeping the sweetness in check. The result is a harmonious blend of flavors that is both refreshing and satisfying.

Ingredients

▢ 2 oz Gin
▢ 1/2 oz Lime Juice
▢ 1/2 oz Sugar Syrup

Instructions

▢
Pour the Gin and lime juice into a mixing glass half-filled with ice cubes. Stir well, Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish.

Estimated Nutrition:

Calories: 157kcal (8%)Carbohydrates: 7g (2%)Saturated Fat: 0.01gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.03gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gPotassium: 51mg (1%)Sugar: 6g (7%)Vitamin C: 20.6mg (25%)

Beverage, Cocktail, Drinks

Beverage Recipe, Cocktail Recipe, Drink Recipe

Where it came from

The Gimlet was a British Royal Navy preventative against scurvy. From 1867, ships were required to carry lime juice; ratings drank theirs straight, officers cut theirs with gin. Surgeon Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Gimlette, working in the late 1800s, is the most popular eponym, though the name might just come from the small hand drill of the same name (the drink 'bores into you').

The Raymond Chandler version, immortalised in The Long Goodbye, uses Rose's Lime Cordial, half gin and half cordial, no fresh lime. The cocktail-bar revival version uses fresh lime juice and simple syrup. They're both correct; they're just different drinks.

What it tastes like

With Rose's Lime Cordial: sweet, slightly tinny, faintly artificial in the way that 1950s drinks often were. It's a vintage flavour. Some people love it, some find it cloying.

With fresh lime: bright, sharper, more recognisably modern. Closer to a Daiquiri than a Gibson. Most cocktail bars today serve the fresh-lime version unless you specifically ask for Rose's.

The technique

Two ratios depending on style. Chandler version: 60ml gin, 30ml Rose's Lime Cordial, shake or stir, no extra sugar. Modern fresh version: 60ml gin, 22ml fresh lime juice, 15ml simple syrup, shake hard.

Both versions strain into a chilled coupe or Nick and Nora. The drink can also be served on the rocks in a small tumbler, especially in summer.

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Ingredient Spotlight

The bottles that make or break this drink.

The gin

Use: London Dry (Tanqueray, Beefeater) or Plymouth gin
Skip: Heavily floral or sloe gins
Why: You want clean juniper and citrus. Florals fight the lime.

The lime

Use: Fresh lime juice (modern) or Rose's Lime Cordial (classic)
Skip: Bottled lime juice that isn't a cordial
Why: Fresh and Rose's are both correct. Plain bottled juice is neither and tastes off.

The sweetener

Use: 1:1 simple syrup (modern) or skip if using Rose's
Skip: Honey or agave (changes the flavour profile)
Why: Simple syrup is neutral sweetness. Honey makes a Bee's Knees, agave makes something else.

Variations

Other gin shorts and citrus classics in the same family.

Dry Martini

Bee’s Knees

Vesper

Aviation Cocktail

Pisco Sour

French 75 Cocktail

What if I don't have…

Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.

No Rose's Lime Cordial?

Use 22ml fresh lime juice plus 15ml simple syrup for the modern version.

No fresh lime?

Rose's Cordial gets you the classic version. Or use lemon juice and call it a Gimlet Riff.

No gin?

Vodka turns it into a Vodka Gimlet, which is a real drink and a perfectly fine one. Tequila or pisco both work as further riffs.

Want it less sweet?

Modern version: drop syrup to 10ml and bump lime to 25ml. Cordial version: cut Rose's to 22ml and add 5ml of lime.

Want it stronger?

Bump gin to 75ml. Adjust lime up by 5ml to keep balance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.

What is in a Gimlet?

Gin and lime, sweetened. The classic Royal Navy version is gin and Rose's Lime Cordial in a 2:1 ratio. The modern bar version is gin, fresh lime, and simple syrup.

How do you make a Gimlet?

Modern version: 60ml gin, 22ml fresh lime juice, 15ml simple syrup. Shake with ice for 12 seconds and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Where did the Gimlet come from?

The British Royal Navy in the late 1800s. Ships were required to carry lime juice as a scurvy preventative. Officers mixed theirs with gin. The drink may be named after Surgeon Rear-Admiral Thomas Gimlette or after the small hand drill of the same name.

Should a Gimlet have fresh lime or Rose's Cordial?

Both are valid. The Raymond Chandler / Royal Navy original used Rose's Cordial. The modern cocktail-bar version uses fresh lime and simple syrup. Pick the version that matches your mood.

Gimlet vs Daiquiri?

Same shape, different spirit. The Daiquiri is rum, lime, sugar. The Gimlet is gin, lime, sugar. Botanicals versus molasses.

Should a Gimlet be shaken or stirred?

Modern version with fresh lime: shake. Classic version with Rose's Cordial: either, though stirring is more traditional.

How strong is a Gimlet?

Around 23 to 26 percent ABV in the glass after dilution. Stiff. Sip, don't pound.

Vodka Gimlet vs Gin Gimlet?

Same template, different spirit. Vodka Gimlet drinks cleaner, less complex. Gin Gimlet has the botanicals doing flavour work.

What is Rose's Lime Cordial?

A sweetened, preserved lime juice product invented in 1867 by Lauchlin Rose to give Royal Navy ships a stable lime ration. It tastes slightly tinny and very sweet. It's the canonical Gimlet ingredient until cocktail bars switched to fresh.

What glass should I use?

A coupe or Nick and Nora for the up version. A small rocks glass with a single large ice cube for the on-the-rocks version. Both are correct.

From the Drink Lab catalogue

Drink Lab has been collecting cocktail recipes since 2013. Some we wrote ourselves, plenty came in from readers, and the rest got passed across a bar somewhere along the way.

Last updated April 26, 2026 · 1 min read