10 Gin Cocktails Every Home Bartender Should Know
From the bone-dry Martini to the herbal Southside — ten classic gin cocktails, with exact ratios, worth having in your back pocket.
Why gin is the best place to start
Gin is the most versatile base spirit behind the bar — botanical enough to carry a stirred, spirit-forward drink like a Martini, and clean enough to disappear into a bright, citrusy sour. If you're building a home bar one bottle at a time, gin unlocks more classic recipes than almost anything else. Here are ten worth knowing, in exact ratios.
1. Negroni
Equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth — bittersweet, aromatic, and perfectly balanced. Stirred, served over ice in a rocks glass, garnished with an orange peel.
- 30 ml Gin
- 30 ml Campari
- 30 ml Sweet vermouth
2. Dry Martini
Cold, clean, and bracing — gin and a whisper of dry vermouth, the ultimate aperitif. Stirred and served up in a chilled Martini glass with a lemon twist or olive.
- 60 ml Gin
- 10 ml Dry vermouth
3. Gimlet
Gin and fresh lime locked in a tart, clean balance — simple and precise. Shaken, served up in a coupe with a lime wheel.
- 60 ml Gin
- 22 ml Fresh lime juice
- 15 ml Simple syrup
4. Tom Collins
A gin sour lengthened with soda — tall, refreshing, and gently effervescent. Shaken and topped with soda in a Collins glass over ice.
- 45 ml Gin
- 30 ml Lemon juice
- 15 ml Simple syrup
- 90 ml Soda water
5. French 75
A bright gin sour lengthened with Champagne — celebratory and sharp. Shaken, strained into a flute, topped with Champagne, garnished with a lemon twist.
- 45 ml Gin
- 22 ml Lemon juice
- 15 ml Simple syrup
- 90 ml Champagne
6. Aviation
Gin, maraschino, and violet — floral, dry, and pale lavender in color. Shaken, served up in a coupe with a brandied cherry.
- 45 ml Gin
- 15 ml Maraschino liqueur
- 7 ml Crème de violette
- 22 ml Lemon juice
7. Last Word
A Prohibition-era equal-parts classic of gin, Chartreuse, maraschino, and fresh lime. Shaken, served up in a coupe with a brandied cherry.
- 22 ml Gin
- 22 ml Green Chartreuse
- 22 ml Maraschino liqueur
- 22 ml Lime juice
8. White Lady
Gin, orange liqueur, and lemon — crisp, elegant, and silky with egg white. Shaken hard, served up in a coupe with a lemon twist.
- 45 ml Gin
- 22 ml Cointreau
- 22 ml Lemon juice
- 1 each Egg white
9. Bee's Knees
Gin, lemon, and honey — golden and round. Shaken, served up in a coupe with a lemon twist.
- 60 ml Gin
- 20 ml Lemon juice
- 20 ml Honey syrup
10. Southside
A gin sour with fresh mint — crisp, herbal, and bright. Shaken, served up in a coupe with a mint sprig.
- 60 ml Gin
- 22 ml Lemon juice
- 20 ml Simple syrup
- 6 leaves Mint
Keep them all in one place
Eight of these ten are free in Sakaba's recipe library — White Lady and Southside are part of Sakaba Plus. Gin has 13 free recipes total, grouped along with the rest — tap a spirit to see everything you can make, and use guided mixing to walk through each step hands-free.
