The GibsonLegend has it, The Gibson was created in the hallowed halls of The Player’s Club, when a world-weary patron asked the bartender to improve on the martini. The differences are subtle, but the divide is huge. We’re not taking sides (though Roger Sterling would), but we definitely like this combo in an elegant mood. Like the little black dress and the deep red lip, The Gibson is a frosty-cool classic that never goes out of style.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 oz gin
1/2 oz dry vermouth
1 or 3 cocktail onions for garnish (or five, if you’re kinda hungry)
Stirred, not shaken.
The Bee’s Knees
Known for its sweet, citrus fragrance, this cocktail was created during the Prohibition era. The honey-lemon flavored drink was favored for masking the scent of booze, in case the cops decided to bust up the merrymaking. Nowadays, we love it for its fresh, tart flavor — and its cheeky past.
Ingredients:
2 oz gin
½ oz lemon juice (we just used half a lemon)
¾ honey syrup*
The Southside
The story of The Southside is a either down and dirty or white-glove — depending on who you ask. No one’s quite sure whether it was created by the booze-runners of Chicago’s southside gang or Manhattan’s renowned 21 Club back in its speakeasy days. Either way, 21 still counts it as its signature sip, and we can certainly see why. Both refreshing and relaxing, The Southside’s mix of mint, lime, and fizz suits just about any crowd.
Ingredients:
2 oz gin
1 oz simple syrup *
½ a fresh lime
2 sprigs of mint (plus one for garnish)
A splash of club soda
*Just as easy as honey syrup: Mix two parts sugar and one part water. Let it boil for two minutes, then cool. What’s simpler than that?
Slice lime into wedges, squeeze juice into the shaker, and then drop them in with the mint.
Top with syrup...
