A classic Tom Collins recipe combines gin, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and club soda for a tall, crisp cocktail that’s tart, lightly sweet, and seriously refreshing. Simple? Absolutely. Boring? Not on our watch. At Hush and Whisper Distilling Co., we’re big believers in letting good gin do the talking, and the Tom Collins gives it plenty of room to shine. Whether you’re mixing your first gin cocktail, looking for an easy drink to serve at a summer gathering, or trying to perfect an old favorite, we’ll show you the right proportions, the best way to build it, and a few simple variations worth pouring. When a cocktail has only four main ingredients, every one needs to pull its weight.
What Is a Tom Collins Cocktail?
The Tom Collins cocktail is a gin sour stretched into a long, bubbly highball. Think of it as a gin and lemonade that went to finishing school. It’s bright, citrusy, and dangerously easy to sip, which is why one tends to turn into two. It’s also a classic cocktail, which means it has a past, and that past involves a prank.
The Great Tom Collins Hoax
Before the Tom Collins became a fixture on cocktail menus, its name was causing trouble in New York bars. The story involves a ridiculous prank, a bit of cocktail history, and a recipe that eventually made its way into the famous Improved Bartender’s Manual. Here’s how it all came together.
A Prank That Became a Drink
In 1874, New York was swept up in the Great Tom Collins Hoax. The joke went like this: you’d tell a friend that a man named Tom Collins had been badmouthing them at a nearby bar, and you’d send them off to find him. There was no Tom Collins. The cocktail’s name likely comes from this practical joke, and the drink is not named after a real person. Cocktail historian David Wondrich has written at length about the gag, and it’s a delightful rabbit hole.
From John Collins to Tom Collins
By 1878, New York City bars were serving the drink, and the first published Tom Collins recipe appeared in 1882. Before that, bartenders were pouring something similar called the John Collins. The switch to “Tom” is usually credited to the hoax and to a shift in the type of gin people were pouring. Early versions leaned on sweeter Old Tom gin, while today the classic gin used in a Tom Collins is London Dry gin.
Tom Collins Ingredients
A proper Tom Collins is all about balance. The gin brings the botanical character, fresh lemon adds that sharp citrus kick, simple syrup takes the edge off, and soda water brings the bubbles. Four ingredients, each with a job to do. Nobody gets to coast.
Here’s what you’ll need for one drink:
- 2 oz Hush and Whisper gin
- 1 oz fresh lemon juice
- ½ oz simple syrup
- 2 to 4 oz chilled club soda
- Ice
- Garnish: a lemon wheel and a maraschino cherry
The 2:1:½ ratio of gin to lemon to syrup is worth remembering. Get that right, and you’re well on your way to a very respectable Tom Collins.
Choosing the Gin
London Dry gin is a great choice for a Tom Collins because its juniper and citrus notes hold their own against the lemon. With so few ingredients, there’s nowhere for a mediocre gin to hide. That’s why we recommend Hush and Whisper Original Gin. Its botanical character brings something worth tasting to every sip.
Fresh Lemon Juice and Simple Syrup
Freshly squeezed lemon juice gives the cocktail its lively, tart character, while simple syrup balances the acidity. Make your own syrup by dissolving equal parts sugar and water, then cooling it before use. You can adjust the sweetness to suit your palate, but don’t get too enthusiastic with the sugar. This is a Tom Collins, not lemonade with ambitions.
How to Make a Tom Collins
Shaken or built in the glass? Both methods make a delicious Tom Collins, but they produce slightly different results. Shaking gives you a colder, more aerated cocktail, while building it directly in the glass keeps things quick and easy.
The Shaken Method
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Add the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup.
- Shake for about 10 seconds until thoroughly chilled.
- Strain into a tall Collins glass filled with fresh ice.
- Top with chilled club soda and stir gently.
- Garnish with a lemon wheel and a maraschino cherry.
Built in the Glass
Prefer fewer dishes? Add the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup to an ice-filled Collins glass, stir briefly, then top with chilled soda water. Give it one final gentle stir, add your garnish, and you’re done. Same classic cocktail, considerably less washing up.
The Collins Glass, Ice, and Garnish
Serve a Tom Collins over ice in a Collins glass, the tall, narrow cousin of the highball glass. Its shape keeps the bubbles lively and gives the drink room to breathe. Use high-quality, dense ice because it melts slowly and keeps the drink cold without watering it down. Chill the club soda too, since cold soda preserves the carbonation and keeps every sip crisp. For the finishing touch, garnish with a lemon slice or a cherry. The classic version uses both, and nobody has ever complained.
Skip the Collins Mix
You’ll see bottled Collins mix at the store, promising shortcuts. We’d gently suggest putting it back. It tends to taste more like candy than a cocktail, and the drink’s appeal is the fresh, tart snap of real lemon. Mix it yourself, and you control the balance. Too sharp? Add a touch more syrup. Too sweet? A splash more lemon fixes it.
Meet the Collins Family
The original recipe has inspired a whole family of other cocktails, each with its own personality. Swap the gin for whiskey, vodka, rum, or tequila, and you get a completely different drink built on the same refreshing formula.
John Collins
The John Collins is the older sibling, made with bourbon or whiskey. It’s a little richer and warmer, and a lovely choice for people who claim they don’t like gin. (They’ll come around.)
Vodka Collins
A Vodka Collins uses vodka instead of gin. It’s cleaner and quieter, so the lemon takes center stage. Easy to like, easy to make.
Rum Collins (Ron Collins)
The Rum Collins uses light rum and lime juice. Some bars call it a Ron Collins, since “ron” is Spanish for rum. It’s breezy and tropical, with a little more sweetness.
Juan Collins and Brandy Collins
The Juan Collins features tequila as its base spirit, giving the drink a vegetal, sunny edge. A Brandy Collins uses brandy instead of gin and leans fruity and mellow. Both prove the template is sturdy.
A Non Alcoholic Tom Collins
Skipping the spirits tonight? Combine fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and plenty of chilled sparkling water over ice, then garnish with a lemon wheel and a cherry. It’s tart, bubbly, and pretty enough that no one will feel left out. For extra complexity, muddle a few mint leaves or a slice of cucumber in the glass first.
Pair It With Other Classic Cocktails
Once you’ve nailed the Tom Collins, the rest of the sour family opens up. A Gin Fizz adds an egg white and a little more froth. A Gimlet swaps lemon for lime and drops the soda. A Gin Rickey skips the sugar entirely. And if you’re wondering how to make a gin and tonic, that’s another timeless classic worth adding to your repertoire. Keep a bottle of good gin, a bag of lemons, and a jar of syrup nearby, and you can pour half a dozen drinks without leaving the kitchen. It’s a bar cart in miniature.
Pour Your Tom Collins with Hush and Whisper
The Tom Collins has survived a prank, a few name changes, and more than a century of fashion. It’s still around because it works: fresh lemon, a touch of sweetness, cold bubbles, and a gin that actually tastes like something.
That’s where we come in. At Hush and Whisper, we make our gin for drinks exactly like this one, where there’s nowhere to hide and every pour counts. So contact us, grab a bottle of Hush and Whisper gin, squeeze a few lemons, and build your own Tom Collins this weekend. Then tag us, show off your glass, and tell us how it turned out. We’d love to see it.
