Tom Collins Cocktail

Tom Collins Cocktail Story

John Collins, a bar waiter at Limmer’s Hotel in London, made his eponymous cocktail in the early nineteenth century when he mixed carbonated water, a recent invention, into the genever punch that was commonly found in alehouses and inns. The juniper-based genever was a popular mixer, but as the spirit gave way to its successor gin, a cheaper and more plentiful option arrived on the bar scene: OId Tom gin. Old Tom gin became the go-to spirit for assembling the highball along with sugar, lemon, and soda, prompting the name change from “John” to Tom Collins.