Before you turn away from the Collins, you must understand that this cocktail may be nothing like the one you are used to. It’s true that the past 40 years or so have allowed it to earn a reputation for being sweet and syrupy, but in this new golden age of mixology that characterization no longer applies. We can make the Collins like it was originally intended—a balanced and refreshing drink that’s perfect for the long spring we are having.

We considered trying to find something organic, green or nature-focused given that it’s earth day, but we thought we would do our part to help recycle and revive this honorable classic, even if that meant challenging a few of you to give this cocktail a fresh try. That’s what it’s all about, after all—fresh ingredients. In this case, it’s the lemon juice. During the 60s and 70s we experienced what some cocktail historians consider a “fear of flavor”. During that period, we lost the taste for fine whiskey, and fresh ingredients were replaced with bottled compromise. In the case of the Collins, this created a cocktail based on sour mix which became one of the least appetizing drinks you could order. With those days behind us, we encourage you to make this as follows:

Tom Collins
1.5 oz gin
.75 oz lemon juice, freshly squeezed
.75 oz simple syrup (1:1 ratio)
top with sparkling water

Pour the gin, lemon juice and simple syrup into a mixer and add ice. Shake until thoroughly chilled and strain over fresh ice in a tall, slender glass. Top with sparkling water and give it a gentle stir to mix the bubbles with the cocktail. Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry.

There are other Collins drinks too, including variations using vodka, whiskey, brandy and rum. It originiated in the late 1800’s and was once called the John Collins, after a waiter of that name. However, in 1874, a popular practical joke was going around. Someone would ask, “Have you seen Tom Collins?” to which their friend would reply, “No. I don’t know anybody by that name.” The hoaxer would proceed with an elaborate tale about how this Tom Collins was asking about them. The friend would begin to feel agitated and uneasy, sometimes even doing things or going places to find answers about the mystery person. It’s likely that this cocktail, popular at the time, took on the name of the hoax and that’s how we know it today.

If your only experience with the Tom Collins is the sour mix variety, you really must give this a try. The addition of sparkling water to what is essentially a gin sour helps elevate the flavors creating a refresher that’s light and delicious. As with all sours, this drink relies on a balance of acid and sweetener. The Tom Collins is really a sparkling gin lemonade, and when you think of it like that, what could be better on a spring day? As the sun gets higher and the days grow longer, you’ll want to keep this one in mind for the hot summer ahead of us. The traditional garnish is the orange slice and a cherry, but we really like the look of a thinly sliced lemon wheel tucked into the glass.