Tom Collins

The Tom Collins is one of the most refreshing gin cocktails ever created and a template for the Collins family of drinks. Named after a 19th-century hoax (the "Great Tom Collins Hoax of 1874"), the drink emerged in the 1870s-1880s as a simple combination of gin, lemon juice, sugar, and soda water. Built in a tall Collins glass over ice, the Tom Collins is essentially a sparkling gin sour, perfect for hot weather and leisurely sipping. The drink represents Victorian-era cocktail culture, summer refreshment, and the elegance of highball drinks. The Tom Collins embodies simple sophistication, showcasing gin's botanicals with citrus brightness and effervescence. Quality matters: London Dry gin (Tanqueray, Beefeater), fresh lemon juice, proper sugar balance, and good soda water create a balanced, crushable cocktail. The drink inspired countless variations—John Collins (whiskey), Vodka Collins, Rum Collins—but the original gin version remains the standard. The Tom Collins represents pre-Prohibition American drinking, garden party elegance, and the joy of simple refreshment. Its association with summer drinking, country clubs, and leisurely afternoons makes it timelessly appealing. The cocktail's simplicity demands quality ingredients and proper technique: fresh juice, good spirits, sufficient dilution. Whether served at a Victorian garden party or a modern cocktail bar, the Tom Collins delivers effervescent gin refreshment.