Gin Rickey
A bone-dry, sugar-free highball of gin, lime, and soda.
Base spirit
Gin
Style
Highball
Glassware
Highball glass
The Gin Rickey is the definition of a dry heat-wave cooler. Unlike the Collins, which contains sugar, the Rickey relies entirely on the interplay between the botanical gin, tart lime, and mineral soda water. It was originally made with bourbon, but the gin variation became the global standard for refreshing, non-sweet highballs. It is traditionally served with the spent lime shell in the glass to continue releasing oils.
Ingredients
Servings
- • 2 oz gin
- • 0.5 oz fresh lime juice
- • 4 oz soda water
Did you know?
“The drink was created at Shoomaker's bar in Washington D.C. in the 1880s for lobbyist Colonel Joe Rickey, famously a 'sugar-hater'.”
Source:Washington D.C. archives; Wondrich, Imbibe!
Bartender's Note
Squeeze the lime half and drop the entire shell into the glass; the rind's oils are essential to the flavor profile.
How to make the Gin Rickey
- 1Fill a highball glass with ice
- 2Squeeze the lime juice into the glass and drop in the shell
- 3Add gin
- 4Top with soda water and stir briefly
