The gimlet () is a cocktail made of gin and

lime cordial Lime cordial is a non-alcoholic drink, made by mixing concentrated lime juice and sugar with water.http://www.drinkalizer.com/definitions/lime-cordial.php retrieved on December 31, 2007 Lime cordial is sometimes used as a mixer for cocktail, alt ...

. A 1928 description of the drink was: gin, and a spot of lime. A description in the 1953 Raymond Chandler novel '' The Long Goodbye'' stated that "a real gimlet is half gin and half

Rose's lime juice Rose's lime juice, often known simply as Rose's, is a sweetened concentrated fruit juice patented in 1867. This was the world's first commercially produced fruit concentrate. Background In 1753, James Lind discovered that consuming citrus fruit ...

and nothing else." This is in line with the proportions suggested by ''The Savoy Cocktail Book'' (1930), which specifies one half gin and one half lime juice. However, modern tastes are less sweet, and generally provide for up to four parts gin to one part lime cordial. The derivation of the name of the cocktail is contested. It may be named after the tool for drilling small holes (alluding to its "piercing" effect on the drinker) or after the surgeon

Rear-Admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...

Sir Thomas Gimlette (1857–1943), who is said to have first added lime cordial to gin to help combat the ravages of scurvy on long voyages.

Etymology

The word "gimlet" used in this sense is first attested in 1928. The most obvious derivation is from the tool for drilling small holes, a word also used figuratively to describe something as sharp or piercing. Thus, the cocktail may have been named for its "penetrating" effects on the drinker. Another theory is that the drink was named after the

British Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against Fra ...

surgeon

Sir Thomas Gimlette (27 November 1857 – 4 October 1943), who allegedly introduced this drink as a means of inducing his messmates to take lime juice as an anti-

scurvy Scurvy is a disease resulting from a lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Early symptoms of deficiency include weakness, feeling tired and sore arms and legs. Without treatment, decreased red blood cells, gum disease, changes to hair, and bleeding ...

medication.''Covey Crump''
a 1955 dictionary of Royal Navy slang by Commander

A.T.L. Covey-Crump Commander Alwyn Thomas Lavender Covey-Crump (19 February 1907 – 19 May 1991) was a British officer of the Royal Navy. An assistant to the Chief of Naval Information, he was responsible in the mid-1950s for compiling a record of Jack-speak (n ...

, RN, a former Naval Assistant to the Chief of Naval Information. However, neither his obituary notice in the BMJ, ''The Times'' (6 October 1943) nor his entry in ''Who Was Who 1941–1950'' mention this association.

Variations

A variant of the cocktail, the vodka gimlet, replaces gin with

vodka Vodka ( pl, wódka , russian: водка , sv, vodka ) is a clear distilled alcoholic beverage. Different varieties originated in Poland, Russia, and Sweden. Vodka is composed mainly of water and ethanol but sometimes with traces of impuriti ...

. The "Schumann's Gimlet" adds lemon juice to the Gin and Rose's Lime. The "Pimmlet" substitutes 2 parts Pimm's No.1 Cup to 1 part

London Dry Gin Gin () is a distilled alcoholic drink that derives its flavour from juniper berries (''Juniperus communis''). Gin originated as a medicinal liquor made by monks and alchemists across Europe, particularly in southern Italy, Flanders and the Ne ...

References

{{Reflist, colwidth=70em Cocktails with gin Cocktails with vodka Sour cocktails Cocktails with lime juice Two-ingredient cocktails

Etymology

Variations

See also

References