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Cocktail History
The Gin Rickey is a classic cocktail that was created in the 19th century by Joe Rickey, a lobbyist from Washington, D.C. According to cocktail historians, Rickey preferred his bourbon cocktails made without sugar and just lime juice and sparkling water instead. Eventually this formula, which is aptly named the “Rickey,” took became popular worldwide, and since then, all sorts of different spirits have been used in this simple but effective combination of flavor and texture.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Gin: This is a type of gin made with juniper berries, botanicals, and alcohol that has been infused with flavor through redistillation without artificial ingredients or colors. We used Aviation American Gin because it has crisp juniper taste with notes of florals, citrus, and spice. For a mocktail version of this drink, try MONDAY Zero Alcohol Gin in place of the gin.
Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. We used freshly squeezed lime juice.
Club Soda: This is water that is carbonated through CO2 injection and infused with minerals. We used Polar Premium Club Soda.
Lime Wheel: This is a slice of lime that has been cut into a circular shape.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. We used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Tasting Notes
The Gin Rickey starts with slight aromas of citrus and bold juniper and tastes refreshingly of tart lime and peppery gin, all of which are accented with the zing of soda water.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: When we tried this recipe, we chose to use an American gin since the drink has origins right in the country’s capital, but any gin’s unique botanical flavors will shine brightly in this recipe, making it great both for highlighting favorite gins and trying new ones! As avid fans of gin of all kinds, this drink has our votes.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐
“The only thing that pleases me more than this cocktail is the fact that the towny bar staple ‘gin and soda with a lime’ has an actual name and history, even though a bartender there would rightfully raise an eyebrow at you if you ordered it by name. This drink is great because it highlights the specific gin used, due to the lack of sweet flavors, so no two Gin Rickeys will be created equal; a peppery gin will make a peppery Rickey, a gin with Oriental spices will make an Oriental-flavored Rickey, a floral gin will make a floral Rickey, and so on. There really are few better ways to let your favorite gin shine.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“Funnily enough, this cocktail looks like it’s just a fizzy glass of water with lime, but it’s actually a great recipe for gin tastings. Most people start with other classics like the Gin & Tonic, but in my opinion, tonic water’s quinine bitterness is too overpowering to more undeveloped palates like mine. In the Gin Rickey, the spirit’s botanicals are much more prominent so you can easily discern which you like best.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Official Downton Abbey Cocktail Book: Appropriate Libations for All Occasions by Lou Bustamante.
Add gin and lime juice to highball glass filled with cracked ice.
Top with club soda.
Stir for 5-10 seconds.
Garnish with lime wheel.
Ingredients
Directions
Add gin and lime juice to highball glass filled with cracked ice.
Top with club soda.
Stir for 5-10 seconds.
Garnish with lime wheel.
Make It a Mocktail: Use MONDAY Zero Alcohol Gin in place of the gin to try a booze-free version of this drink.
Shop Glassware & Tools
Find collections of cocktail glassware and bartending tools we recommend for your home bar in our Amazon shop.
More Gin Cocktails
If you like this gin-based cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Gin Daisy: A gin cocktail made with triple sec, lemon juice, soda water, and a lemon wedge
Last Word: A gin cocktail made with Green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, lime juice, and a cherry
Gimlet: A gin cocktail made with lime juice, simple syrup, and a lime wedge
Tuxedo No. 2: A gin cocktail made with dry vermouth, cherry liqueur, absinthe, orange bitters, and a lemon twist
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