Refreshing and sophisticated, the Cucumber Gimlet Cocktail delivers with its mix of aromatic gin, lime juice, syrup, and cucumber.
If you’ve read a number of other recipes on the site, you may be able to make an educated guess as to the history of the gimlet. Like many cocktails containing gin, this one also hails from Britain. And, like so many drinks made with lime juice, the gimlet was created to fight off scurvy. Given the British navy was responsible for navigating 3/4 of the globe at one point, that’s a lot of gimlets being poured to keep Her Majesty’s naval officers in mean health. Many think this use is how the gimlet got its name, for it was surgeon Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Gimlette (1857–1943) who purportedly first added lime cordial to gin to stave off scurvy while out at sea.
For this recipe, we’re upping the health quotient by adding the world’s most refreshing fruit (botanically speaking): the cucumber. When you’re not applying them to your eyes while getting a facial, you can add them to your drinks. You’ll feel better no matter which way you use them!
What Should I Look For In A Cucumber?
When shopping for a cucumber, you’ll want to keep in mind the three F’s: fresh, firm, flavorful (of course, you can’t really test that last one in the produce section of your local grocery store, admittedly). One with medium-sized girth is preferable. It will be big enough to add flavor but not so much that it overwhelms the rest of the cocktail. Its skin should be smooth and vibrant, not wrinkled and weathered, and consistent in color (a bright to dark green). Does it feel firm? Do its ends smell fresh and pleasant? If you answered yes to both those questions, you may have just found your cucumber!
What is the Best Gin to Use in a Cucumber Gimlet?
You’re going to want to use a lighter gin, with floral hints that would complement the cucumber. London Dry Gin, for instance, has a profile with a nice balance of botanicals with juniper at the fore. Hendrick’s Gin would be a particularly good choice given it features in its palate cucumber, as well as rose. Bombay Sapphire is readily available and is generally thought to be an all-round gin that mixes with most cocktails, so if you happen to have some on-hand, use it as part of your Cucumber Gimlet. Last, Tanqueray No. Ten gin will bring a wave of citrus flavor to your Gimlet. If that appeals, pick some up. It’s considered a premium gin so it may be more expensive than your garden-variety spirit. I should also point out there are numerous flavored gins available; you may want to consider those if you find the unflavored variety on the bland side.
Ingredients
- 3 slices cucumber about 1/4-inch thick
- 1/2 oz. simple syrup
- 2 oz. gin
- 3/4 oz. fresh lime juice
- ice cubes
- thin cucumber wheel (for garnish)
Instructions
- Place the cucumber slices and simple syrup into a cocktail shaker and muddle gently.
- Pour the gin and lime juice into the shaker with the muddled cucumber. Fill the shaker with ice and give it a vigorous shake for about 20 seconds.
- Take a chilled coupe glass and double strain the cocktail into it. You need to leave the ice and muddled cucumber behind. Garnish with a thinly sliced cucumber wheel.
Nutrition
FAQs & Tips
Use a coupe glass, as seen in the photos above. If you don’t have one (don’t worry, they’re not used very often), turn to the good ol’ reliable rocks glass. As for garnish, a cucumber slice looks and tastes the part. What’s more, you should already have some cucumber ready (you used some in your cocktail, remember?) so you don’t have to go out of your way.
Get rid of the muddled cucumber then pour the leftover gimlet into an airtight container with a tight lid (I use mason jars here). Keep it in the fridge but try to consume it within 24 hours. Anything longer than that and the quality of the cocktail just won’t be the same.
There are 177 calories in this cocktail. Most are down to the gin, though the simple syrup plays a role too. You can skip out on the latter and shop for a low-cal gin if you want to reduce that number.
You need to run the cocktail through two strainers. The first (known as a Hawthorne strainer) is that one with the coil that comes with most shakers. It will snag your ice cubes and other ingredients you don’t want in your cocktail. The second can be your run-of-the-mill fine-mesh strainer that you might use while cooking. This will catch any tiny shards of ice that the Hawthorne strainer didn’t catch.
Simple syrup is a mix of white granulated sugar and water. Just heat it up and stir until the granules have disappeared. Let it cool then add it to your cocktail. It’s an easy way to sweeten your drinks without influencing its overall taste.
Yes, you can, though you’ll miss out on the botanical qualities of gin that taste so good with the cucumber and lime juice.
Variations of a Gimlet You Should Try
Virgin Cucumber Gimlet: Sidestep the gin and make the cocktail as you otherwise would. Feel free to experiment with the amount of simple syrup and lime juice (and add a splash of soda water if you don’t mind carbonation).
- Classic Gimlet: The original (or oriGINal?) No cucumber but just as sophisticated.
- French Gimlet: Ooh la la! Un Gimlet! It’s the addition of St. Germain elderflower liqueur that gives this one a sexy accent.
- Southside Cocktail: Not a gimlet exactly, more like a cousin. Made with gin, simple syrup, lemon juice, and mint leaves.
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