8 Great Cocktails To Enjoy On World Gin Day

  • By: Ashley Joy Parker

“The gin and tonic has saved more Englishmen’s lives, and minds, than all the doctors in the Empire.” – Winston Churchill

World Gin Day is a global celebration of all things gin, held on the second Saturday in June, this year falling on June 10.

The delicious distilled alcoholic drink, which derives its flavor from juniper berries and other botanical ingredients, originated as a medicinal liquor made by monks and alchemists across Europe. The modern gin was then modified in the Netherlands to provide aqua vita from distillates of grapes and grains. Gin became popular in England after the introduction of jenever, a Dutch and Belgian liquor that was originally a medicine.

Although this development had been taking place since the early 17th century, gin became widespread after the 1688 Glorious Revolution led by William of Orange and subsequent import restrictions on French brandy. Gin subsequently emerged as the national alcoholic drink of England.

Today, gin is produced all over the world in different ways from a wide range of herbal ingredients, giving rise to a number of distinct styles and brands.

So this World Gin Day, try mixing up one of these eight great cocktails, ranging from a chic and simple G&T to a modern twist on a Tiki classic.

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Sunset & Tonic

Inspired by London sunrises during the spring, after a long, gloomy winter, this Bombay Sapphire cocktail boasts a lower ABV, perfect for long-running celebrations.

  • 1 oz Bombay Sapphire
  • ½ oz Grapefruit Juice
  • 1 oz Martini and Rossi Fiero
  • 4 oz Fever Tree Tonic

Method:Build in balloon glass. Garnish with grapefruit wheel.

Oceanside

Oceanside by Gray Whale Gin

Just two days before World Gin Day is World Oceans Day (June 8) so what better way to toast to the week than with Gray Whale Gin, the fastest growing gin in the nation which has a mission of ocean conservation. So mix up the label’s easy breezy Oceanside cocktail, as every Gray Whale Gin purchase gives back to 1% for the Planet and Oceana, the largest organization in the world devoted to ocean conservation. 

  • 2 oz Gray Whale Gin
  • ¾ oz Salted Simple Syrup
  • ¾ oz Lime Juice
  • 6 Mint Leaves
  • Soda Water
  • Fresh Mint

Method: To make Salted Simple Syrup, combine 1 cup water, 1 cup sugar, and 1 tsp. salt in a saucepan. Heat until sugar and salt are fully dissolved. To make the Oceanside, add all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake for 3-4 seconds. Strain into a collins glass over fresh ice. Top with soda water and garnish with mint sprig and fresh mint.

The Laid Back

INDOGGO

Back in 1994, Snoop Dogg rapped about sippin’ on gin and juice. Today the Long Beach native making his own. His brand INDOGGO Gin is a refreshing remix of seven botanicals and all-natural fruit flavoring mixed with a laidback California style, compliments of the Doggfather himself. In true Snoop style, mix up the The Laid Back, complete with a CBD garnish (if enjoying in cannabis-friendly California, of course).

  • 1 ½ oz INDOGGO Gin  
  • 2 oz Coconut Milk
  • ¾ oz Lemon Juice
  • ¾ oz Vanilla Syrup 
  • Optional: 3-4 drops of  OF CBD Oil Tincture 

In a cocktail shaker, add INDOGGO Gin, coconut milk, lemon juice and vanilla syrup. Add ice and shake. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with CBD leaf and CBD oil.

Pretty Fly For A Mai-Tai

Engine Gin

Nothing reclaims summer like a proper tiki cocktail, and ENGINE’s Pretty Fly for a Mai Tai is one you can easily shake up at home. This faux-Polynesian punch, inspired by Trader Vic’s Mai Tai from 1944, shows off ENGINE’s versatility in mixed drinks, proving that the Tiki tradition and exotic drinks are not just for rum. The cocktail was created by ENGINE’s brand ambassador Leonardo Todisco, who just happens to love a great Hawaiian holiday shirt and vintage cars, like the 1969 Chevrolet Impala used in The OffSprings’s “Pretty Fly for a White Guy” video.

  • 1 ½ oz ENGINE Gin
  • 1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
  • ½ oz Disaronno
  • ¼ oz Orange Curaçao
  • ¼ oz Simple Syrup

Method: Pour all the ingredients into a shaker, shake and pour through a strainer into a Tiki glass. Garnish with 1-2 sage leaves and lime wedge.

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Glendalough Rose G&T

Floral, fragrant and flavorful, Glendalough Rose Gin is the perfect base for this simple sipper. Topped with a tonic, the drink’s lime garnish brings out the citrussy notes of the fresh pine shoots and wood sorrel in the gin, while the mint garnish leaves complement those leafy, floral notes.

  • 2 oz Glendalough Rose Gin
  • Tonic Water

Method: Pour gin into an ice-filled glass. with premium tonic water and garnish with a slice of lime and fresh mint leaves.

Starlight Pear Lemonade

In honor of Taylor Swift‘s epic Eras tour, the staff of Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport’s rooftop restaurant Lifted created this clever cocktail  that will have Swifty fans sipping and smiling for many midnights to come.

  • 2 oz Malfi Lemon Gin
  • 1 oz Lemon Juice 
  • ½ oz Lavender Syrup  
  • ¾ oz Desert Pear Syrup  
  • Splash of Soda 

Method: Combine Gin, Lemon Juice, Lavender Syrup, and Desert Pear Syrup with ice. Shake and strain over rocks glass. Top with splash of club soda

Yuzu Unsual

Created by Hendrick’s Ambassador Erik Andersson, this cocktail is a whimsical twist on an Aperol Spritz cut with Yuzu soda, an uniquely aromatic Japanese citrus fizzy drink. 

  • 1 ½ parts Hendrick’s Gin
  • ½ parts Aperol
  •  Top with Yuzu Soda
  •  1 Tiny Pinch of Sea Salt
  •  Cucumber and Lime Wheels to Garnish

Method: Combine ingredients in a highball glass filled with cubed ice and lightly stir. Garnish with a cucumber and lime wheels and serve.

Spiced Fig Sour

Created by master mixologist The Sauceress, the Spiced Fig Sour, made with Gin XII, is the perfect drink to have in your hands on a sunny and 65 degree day. The mix of gin, apple brandy, spiced fig syrup and lemon juice creates the perfect refreshing drink to indulge this season. 

  • 1 ½ oz Gin XII
  • ½ oz Apple Brandy 
  • 1 oz Spiced Fig Syrup
  • 1 oz Lemon Juice 
  • 1 Egg White 
  • Rosemary

Method: Combine Gin XII and a small piece of rosemary in a cocktail shaker. Muddle and then strain to remove rosemary. Add all the additional ingredients. Shake with one large piece of ice to chill, then strain out ice. Shake again without ice for at least 1-2 minutes. Strain into a coupe glass. Add an additional small splash of tonic water.  

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