Learn how to make a simple and citrusy Gin Old Fashioned Cocktail.
I love shaking up this citrus-forward gin cocktail recipe on a hot summer day, serving it to guests at a garden party or backyard barbecue.
This quick & easy mixed drink dates back to the Prohibition era and features premium gin, simple syrup, orange bitters and lemon peel.
Our simple 4-ingredient Gin Old Fashioned is a perfect sip to serve to citrus fans looking to enjoy a clean and clear craft cocktail.
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What Is A Gin Old Fashioned?
The modern day Old Fashioned is a cocktail made by muddling sugar with bitters and water, adding whiskey, and garnishing with an orange slice or zest and a cocktail cherry. It is traditionally served with ice in a rocks glass.
The original old fashioned recipe is a Prohibition cocktail, which would have showcased the whiskey available in America in the 19th century: Irish, Bourbon or rye whiskey. Eventually the use of other spirits became common, such as a gin old fashioned recipe becoming popularized in the late 1940s.
You can prepare a Gin Old Fashioned with classic London Dry Gin or impart a more intense flavour by using Old Tom Gin or craft gin bottles aged in oak barrels.
You May Also Enjoy These Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipes…
- Brown Sugar Old Fashioned
- Cocoa Lovers Chocolate Old Fashioned Cocktail
- Festive Christmas Old Fashioned Cocktail
- Classic Scotch Old Fashioned
- Irish Old Fashioned Whiskey Cocktail
Gin Old Fashioned Ingredients
The Gin Old Fashioned is an easy mixed drink to make at home.
- Gin: we suggest using Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray or Aviation Gin.
- Bitters: we suggest using a citrus-forward bitters to pair with the peel such as Orange Bitters or Lemon Bitters.
- Simple Syrup: make homemade simple syrup and store it in your fridge to use in cocktails or as a coffee sweetener.
- Garnish: spritz the rim of the glass with a lemon peel and drop into the cocktail before serving.
Gin Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe Tips
This gin cocktail recipe is easy to make at home, ready to serve in under 5 minutes!
If you’d like to serve the cocktail with a broader depth of flavour use an Old Tom Gin or craft gin aged in oak barrels.
We love pouring a Gin Old Fashioned in the summer at garden parties, cottage happy hour or at a sunny backyard barbecue.
Our homemade cocktail recipe serves one person. If you’re hosting a large gathering feel free to multiply the ingredients by the number of guests and muddle the drink in a punch bowl or jug.
We suggest storing the gin bottle in your freezer a few hours before your guests arrive to ensure the spirit is well chilled.
We like to serve the drink in an ice filled rocks glass but you can also pour it into a martini glass packed with crushed ice.
Travel to Taste the World’s Best Gins
There’s no better way to familiarize yourself with the best Gin Old Fashioned recipe then by planning a vacation to visit the world’s best gin distilleries.
The world’s most famous gins can be found in the United Kingdom as well as neighbouring Ireland. The booming gin trend has produced a high demand for premium gins produced by distilleries in Canada and America.
We’ve visited a handful of gin distilleries in Britain as well as a chic gin cocktail bar at the Shangri-La Hotel in Taipei. The gin craze has officially travelled from England to North America, Asia and beyond!
In Scotland we visited Edinburgh Gin for a tour and tasting before enjoying a road trip to the Isle of Islay, which is best known for its famous Islay whisky distilleries. One of the best things to do on the Isle of Islay is pay a visit to Bruichladdich Distillery, which produces its signature whisky as well as Botanist Gin.
In Brighton we visited a tiny micro-distillery called Brighton Gin, one of the best things to do in Brighton for G&T fans. We also stayed at the luxurious Four Seasons Hotel Hampshire to sip our way through the jaw-dropping home of renowned Bombay Sapphire.
Looking to plan the ultimate road trip of Canada to discover the best gins?
Our favourite Canadian gins include Ungava in Quebec, Tawse and Dillon’s in Niagara, Muskoka Brewery in Ontario cottage country, Kinsip House of Fine Spirits in Prince Edward County, North of 7 in Ottawa, Dixon’s in Guelph, Eau Claire Distillery in Alberta, Blackfox in Saskatoon, Ironworks Gin in Nova Scotia and Long Table Distillery in British Columbia.
Best Selling Gin
Gin has certainly enjoyed a boom in popularity at cocktail bars in recent years. You’ll find fantastic premium gins distilled from Scotland to Muskoka. Here are some of the world’s best selling gins and some of our local small batch favourites:
- Gordon’s Gin: The world’s top selling gin brand is owned by Diageo. The brand’s pink iteration has undoubtedly helped to fuel its success. Gordon’s has also unveiled a line of new innovative products including two “ultra-low-alcohol” pre-mixed gin and tonic sparkling beverages and Gordon’s Gin-infused popsicles.
- Bombay Sapphire Gin: Bacardi-owned Bombay Sapphire is one of the worlds best-selling gins. Bombay Sapphire kicked off a new limited edition range with the launch of a gin inspired by summer in the English countryside.
- Tanqueray: Diageo-owned Tanqueray launched a new marketing campaign developed to shift consumers’ attention from “gimmicks” to flavour and unveiled a range of bottled ready-to-drink gin and tonics, made with its London Dry Gin and Flor de Sevilla Distilled Gin.
- Beefeater Gin: Pernod Ricard’s flagship gin brand is Beefeater. The brand launched strawberry-flavoured Beefeater Pink in 2018 and further expanded its portfolio with the debut of a new blood orange-flavoured gin.
- Seagram’s: Pernod Ricard-owned Seagram’s is a top seller having recently purchased Italian brand Malfy Gin.
- Hendrick’s Gin: Opened the door to its £13 million Gin Palace in 2018, allowing the brand to double its capacity to two million cases annually. The Scottish brand has also added to its portfolio with the launch of the limited edition summer solstice-inspired Midsummer Solstice gin.
- Edinburgh Gin: This craft distillery in Edinburgh produces a parade of flavoured gin bottles including rhubarb & ginger gin, raspberry gin, bramble & honey gin, black currant & anise, strawberry & pink peppercorn and pomegranate & rose.
- Dillon’s Distillery: This Beamsville producer makes small batch gins including rose gin, cherry gin and strawberry gin.
- Muskoka Brewery: This Ontario craft brewery produces a London Dry and spicy pink peppercorn gin.
Best Bartender Tools & Cocktail Equipment
Before hosting a swanky Gin Old Fashioned Cocktail party you’ll need to ensure you have the best bartender tools and cocktail equipment.
- Cocktail Kit: cocktail kits are the perfect gift for newbie mixology fans as they include basic bartender tools like a jigger, shaker and spoon.
- Cocktail Shaker: a bartender’s best friend. Purchase a premium cocktail shaker to muddle or shake up your favourite pink gin cocktails.
- Cocktail Glassware: make sure your bar is stocked with a selection of unique glassware to show off your favourite cocktail creations.
- Hawthorne Strainer: this unique strainer features tightly wound coils and perforated holes. It keeps ice and other large ingredients like lime wedges in your cocktail shaker rather than in the glass.
- Bar Spoons: slender and long bar spoons are a must-have when stirring drinks.
- Bottle Opener: easily open bottles of beer or cider with the flick of your wrist or purchase a corkscrew for fine wine.
- Pouring Spout: once you’ve opened a new bottle of gin insert these affordable pourers to make cocktail assembly a breeze.
- Cutting Board: purchase a petite cutting board for your bar to slice garnishes or citrus wedges like lime, orange, lemon or grapefruit.
- Ice Bucket: chill bottles of gin quickly in an ice bucket or keep by the bar when muddling gin mixers into cool creations.
- Ice Crusher: fans of the Mint Julep love an ice crusher.
- Ice Cube Kit: we suggest purchasing a selection of ice cube trays. Silicone styles are our favourite as they’re easy to clean and are available in various shapes and sizes.
- Jigger: use a jigger to accurately measure spirits, juices, syrups and shrubs.
- Juicer: invest in an electronic juicer or buy an affordable hand-held to easily juice fresh citrus like lemons and limes.
- Muddler: fans of the Mojito love a sturdy muddler to mix mint and lime. Muddler’s are handy for any cocktail featuring ingredients that need a pounding like fresh herbs or citrus wedges.
- Citrus Peeler & Zester: adorn your craft cocktails with a thick citrus peel or finer ribbons of lime or lemon zest.
- Rimmer: Bloody Mary and Caesar lovers should outfit their bar with a handy rimmer for salting and sugaring glassware.
You May Also Enjoy These Gin Cocktail Recipes…
- Clarified Gin and Milk Punch Cocktail
- Italian Prosecco and Gin Cocktail
- Raspberry Gin Fizz Chambord Cocktail
- Sour Lemon Blueberry Gin Cocktail
- Eastside Cocktail Fresh Mint Lime Cucumber Gin Recipe
- Mango Gin Collins Cocktail
- Lavender Gin Cocktail Lemonade Fizz
- Gin Cucumber Juice Cilantro Cocktail
- Malfy Grapefruit Gin & Rosemary Cocktail
- St Germain Elderflower Gin and Tonic
- Elderflower Collins Cocktail
- Gin John Collins Cocktail
- Moscow Mule with Gin
How To Make A Gin Old Fashioned Cocktail
Gin Old Fashioned Cocktail
Equipment
- Jigger
- Cocktail Shaker
- Rocks glass
Ingredients
- 2 oz Gin
- 1/4 oz Simple Syrup
- 2 dashes Orange Bitters
- 1 Lemon Peel
Instructions
- In an ice filled cocktail shaker, combine gin, simple syrup and bitters. Shake vigorously for 30-45 seconds until cold.
- Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass.
- Squeeze lemon peel over glass to extract oils, wipe them on the rim and add to the glass.
Nutrition
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