Gin Daisy

A ‘Doozy’ of a Gin Cocktail

The Gin Daisy is a 19th-century cocktail. The name is a derivative of slang, also ‘doozy’, for something extraordinary. And the Gin Daisy is certainly that.

First noted in ‘Professor’ Jerry Thomas’s ‘Bar-Tenders Guide’ published in 1876, but probably around before then, it is a combination of a sour and a cobbler.

A gin sour is as the name suggests a gin cocktail with a sour note. Here the sour note is provided by the fresh lemon juice. If it is too sour for your taste simply dial it down a little. A cobbler is a drink served over crushed ice. The Gin Daisy does both of these things and is a particularly refreshing drink on a hot summer’s evening.

Traditionally it should be served in a julep cup, more recently a highball glass. But here I thought the pink of the grenadine would look pretty in a flower painted teacup.

A gin sour and a cobbler combined then perked up with soda water.

Prep Time 3 minutes

Servings 1

Ingredients

45 ml Old Tom gin 1 and 1/2 ounces
15 ml Freshly squeezed lemon juice 1/2 ounce
7.5 ml Grenadine 1/4 ounce
7.5 ml Simple syrup 1/4 ounce
Soda water

Instructions

Fill a julep cup, highball glass or in this case a teacup with crushed ice.
Pour all the ingredients except the soda into a cocktail shaker with ice.
Shake or stir.
Pour the mixed ingredients over the crushed ice.
Top with soda water.
Garnish with either a slice of orange or a slice of lemon or a sprig of mint. Or all three.