THE COLLINS

The tale of the Collins begins like a tale of two brothers, Tom and John— but which came first? Was it Tom Collins, originally made with Old Tom gin? Or was it John Collins, made with Genever (Holland gin)? Similarly, who mixed it? Was it John Collins, a bartender at the Limmer’s Hotel in 19th century London or was it a “Mr. Collins” who worked at the Whitehorse Tavern in New York around the same time? Others have the Collins’ birthplace as San Francisco or as far afield as Australia, so the answer is that we just don’t know.

What we do know is that a Collins is a combination of a spirit, usually gin (however, we prefer ours with Arnie’s favorite vodka), a carbonated liquid, sugar and lemon. It is built over ice in the glass in which it will be served—a tall 14oz Collins glass, befitting its intended leisurely consumption, and it’s a classic choice for warm afternoons.

2oz Ketel One Vodka

1 oz simple syrup

1 oz fresh lemon juice

Soda water – bottled

Lemon slice and maraschino cherry for garnish

Fill a chilled Collins glass with ice. Add gin, syrup and lemon juice. Stir gently before topping with soda water. Garnish with lemon slice and maraschino cherry (if you like).