THE GIMLET

By Jennifer Campbell

Like many a great cocktail, the gimlet, a crisp tipple traditionally made with gin and Rose’s Lime Cordial, has a bit of a foggy history. One thing’s for sure though, it all started with scurvy on the high seas.

The Origin

In 1867, the Merchant Shipping Act declared that, in an effort to prevent the dreaded scurvy, all ships of the British Royal Navy had to carry stores of lime juice. Sailors, to make the lime more palatable, added gin and named the mixture after the corkscrew-like device used to open the barrels of juice. In the official Royal Navy story, it was T.O. Gimlette, a naval surgeon who came aboard in 1879, who created the concoction to encourage shipmates to take the lime rations. (One can assume that the juice not only tasted better, but was a lot more fun to drink.)

	TASTE TEST Vodka or gin? Fresh lime or cordial? Falernum or tequila? Um…Tequila? Try these gimlet recipes (along with a couple of variations) and discover your ideal mix: Classic Gimlet Gimlet with fresh lime juice Vodka Gimlet Vodka Gimlet with sugar Bridgetown Gimlet Tequila Gimlet

The Recipe

While the drink’s name and origins are a matter of some debate, they’re secondary, really, to the tussle over how to craft a proper gimlet. The answer depends on how close to the textbook you go.

In Raymond Chandler’s 1953 novel, The Long Goodbye, gumshoe and gimlet connoisseur Philip Marlowe asserts, “A real gimlet is half gin and half Rose’s Lime Juice, and nothing else. It beats martinis hollow.” Marlowe’s recipe has the authenticity of being listed in Harry Craddock’s 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book, though many prefer it with more gin than lime – less sweet syrup, more head-boring gin kick.

Sometime in the late 20th century, vodka entered the gimlet vernacular and became, for some, the preferred accompaniment to lime. Also vying for a spot in the mix are soda water (really a gin rickey), fresh lime juice (Craddock calls this one a gimblet), sugar, and lime wedges. Lovers of the gimlet are often fiercely loyal to their particular mixture, obstinately refusing to consider, or even taste the rival quaff. Gin wins on historical accuracy, but taste usually trumps, so you’ll have to decide what you like best. Whatever you do though, make it cold.

BAR FACT

Rose’s Lime Cordial

In the 19th century, ships of the Royal Navy carried citrus juice, preserved with rum, to keep scurvy at bay. In 1867, lime juice became the law and, as luck would have it, Lauchlin Rose found a way to preserve the drink without alcohol. Lucky for Lauchlin Rose, of course; he enjoyed sky-high sales from shipping companies who didn’t want their men clouded with alcohol. Not so lucky for the sailors, who surely preferred their juice with rum.