The Richmond Gimlet

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The Richmond Gimlet

Ah, the Richmond Gimlet, one of the best summer drinks to ever come out of the emerald hamlet of Eugene, Oregon… Its soft flavors imbued with fresh mint, mingling with the herbaceousness of gin and the tartness of lime have made this drink a Eugene classic for many years now. It was created for Daniel Richmond, a waiter at Marche restaurant in Eugene, by me, at Bamboo, in 2001. It’s a simple drink, but crisp and refreshing. Tanqueray Ten has a really nice, soft flavor due to the fact that they use fresh botanicals and fruit in the still. A crowd pleaser, and an easy introduction to gin for people who shun the spirit.

Richmond Gimlet Print Me

  • 2 oz Tanqueray No. 10 gin
  • ¾ oz/22.5 ml fresh lime juice
  • ¾ oz/22.5 ml simple syrup
  • 1 large sprig mint
  1. Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker.
  2. Shake with ice cubes until cold.
  3. Fine-strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
  4. Serve without garnish.

Recipe printed courtesy of jeffreymorgenthaler.com

42 Replies to “The Richmond Gimlet”

  • Forest says:

    I just had a can of your gin Rickey from the Ninkasi brewery and I think it’s a play on this drink, is it not?

  • Benjamin says:

    I first had this at Turtles, in 2011. Still a house favorite for me.

  • Cary says:

    Earlier you mentioned Bamboo. I LOVE the Gin Henson at Bamboo in Portland.

  • Demetrius says:

    Oh ok that’s what I figured. You should visit Chicago some time. We’re doing cool interesting things here and a bunch of us would love to meet you.

  • Demetrius says:

    Jeff I’m a big fan of yours and really respect your work…. But how is this not a southside? Did you come up with this drink before you found out about the southside cocktail?

    PS The Bar Book is AMAZING!

  • Skip says:

    Finally got round to making this drink. I am sorely impressed with its depth and simplicity. My girlfriend suggested I add a scant few drops of our homemade lavender bitters, and it rocked. Thanks for sharing Jeffrey, you have inspired many a debauched evening!

  • Briana says:

    This is a great recipe, I prefer to use lime zest because the bitterness adds a harsh bite, and the video for that recipe can be found here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX3pTqDMroY

  • Erin Fennerty says:

    I grow mint in my little deck boxes ever summer just so I can make Richmond Gimlet’s all season long. My favorite drink by far.

  • Morgan flanagan says:

    Just realized what I said has already been discussed. Apologies

  • Morgan flanagan says:

    Very similar to a southside, though tasty nonetheless

  • jon says:

    try this with an equal amount of basil.

  • Kabouter says:

    Hi Jeff-

    I am a huge fan of the R. Gimlet. I was also wondering about the 9oz. glass?

    Also, when I strain into the glass, I do not have any mint pieces. Are those with mint in the drink straining (e.g., tea strainer)?

    Thanks,
    Boerderij Kabouter

  • Lea R. says:

    Oh, that’s the best thing I’ve seen on this 39-degree and rainy February day!

    Just realized we’ve run out of No. 10. Maybe I’ll run by the store and get one and try to bring a little hoping-for-springtime happiness to our Friday night.

    Got here by way of 101 Cookbooks–will be back!

    – Lea R.

  • LeSuperbHag says:

    Oh yeah, as cool and refreshing as Daniel S. himself! God how we miss his shining face in the Emerald City 🙂

  • BaltoDent says:

    Jeff,

    This is a truly great drink. One problem I’ve had when making two or three at a time for a thirsty group is a lesser mint flavor extraction. I suppose this is from not enough head space in the shaker to get enough banging around of the mint and ice. I know a true bartender would make them one by one, so I guess I’m just an amateur. Anyway, I tried shaking the ice and mint alone first, then adding the rest until properly chilled. Success, and a time saver over making them one by one.

    I’ve tried this drink with your homemade gin recipe…fabulous. Also with vodka & basil, and lemon verbena & gin. I find these to be very worthy alternates.

    Cheers!

  • Piotr says:

    Jeffrey,
    Does it have to be Tanqueray No. 10 or Beefeater will do?

  • Jen says:

    Seriously wow. I’m a total n00b, but just went out today and stocked up my home bar with some basics, and I think this is my new favourite drink. I didn’t have any mint, but threw in some cilantro instead and it’s totally delish! Thanks for sharing your all your knowledge with us plebs! 🙂

  • It’s impossible to ignore the relationships between these drinks. There’s definitely a colloquial difference between these these cocktail (names), but they all have one thing in common…they taste good. Gimlet=sugar, lime, gin. Mint Gimlet= Richmond Gimlet, or “Southside” in New York. Let’s get crazy…add cucumber to the Richmond Gimlet and you have an Eastside.

    As far as I’m concerned you can call them all Jeff, because that guy’s cool.

  • Bill says:

    I just made this now and it is really good. It is now on the menu for my home bar. Thanks for the great drink. The base is so different to a Bramble.

  • lee says:

    So if you put 4oz of alcohol why do you strain it into a 9oz glass?

    I agree with you James, make a mint infused simple syrup. Then no worries about mint on your teeth! Also one other wonderful combination is sweet basil instead of mint, also infused in the syrup. Wonderful.

  • Tony says:

    Tanqueray should be paying you. I normally hate gin, but this drink guarantees there will always be a bottle of No. 10 on my shelf.

  • James says:

    I just tried one of these, and it was excellent. The only change is that instead of a mint leaf I used mint-infused simple syrup that was left over from a day of making mojitos. Definitely a keeper.

  • Lisa says:

    OMG, I want to cry. My local joint makes a drink that I could never quite replicate. It has a mixture of Bombay Sapphire gin, Cointreau and cucumber juice but your Gimlet mixture is so similar in style and tartness that I have the will to live again! Yummy yummy yummy!

  • Andrew says:

    Hey Jeff,

    I tried your Richmond Gimlet for the first time this week. It was so good, I emailed the recipe far and wide and you’ll be pleased to know it slaked many thirsts over the last few days as the temperatures here (London, UK)unusually reached the mid 30s (centigrade).

    I experimented and swapped the 1oz syrup for 1oz St Germain Liqueur. Worth a try if you get the chance – a delicious twist on your perfect original.

    Thanks. Love the blog.

    Andrew

  • Derek Borders says:

    This is funny. The first drink I came up with that made it onto a real menu is this exact recipe except that the base spirit is Bacardi Limon. I was trying for a cross between a Daquiri and a Mojito. I named their mutant offspring the Mint Conditon. For the garnish I use a lime wheel with a sprig of mint stabbed through it. I am especially fond of the little mint flecks that float around when you shake it well.

    Other flavored rums make for some tasty variations as well. e.g. Bacardi Grand Grand Melon and Peach Red.

    On a more pertinent note I think that Hendrix Gin with it’s unique cucumber and rose flavors would work really well here. Plus the crispness of that particular gin won’t be lost on such a clean cocktail.

  • Daniel RIchmond says:

    Hey Jeff,
    Love the site. You are truly the consummate bartender and bon vivant, and as always, your array of inebriant knowledge is beyond reproach.

  • Ebbe H. says:

    I am currently enjoying one of these. I have previously sinned against the gimlet by using Rose’s, and unsurprisngly this is much better. It even looks better with all the beat up mint from the shaking! Great drink, great blog, keep it coming.

  • The Concierge says:

    I have made a similar drink for a little more than a year now, which is essentially the same except I used St. germain and not simple syrup and a little less of it than 1 oz. However, sometimes muddle the lime with a mint a little before I shake it and I have only made it with Plymouth and 209 Gins. In any case, it is something that is worth trying by anyone who enjoys this drink. I have noticed Gin and mint drinks of similar character have been popping up all over nyc recently, each made slightly different though.

  • Charlie

    I leave the garnish out of this one, actually, but you’re free to experiment as you wish!

    Jeff

  • Charlie says:

    Do you prefer to use a lime garnish or mint in this? Thanks.

  • Garretto – Oops, I see that now, sorry. Thanks for the encouragement, I always appreciate it!

  • Garretto says:

    Jeffrey — actually I was agreeing with you— it was P Richmond (above my response) who mentioned the Roses Lime “how can you dare call it a Gimlet” and then mentions the mojito. I think “Gimlet” is appropriate in the name, as it resembles it more than a mojito; both in taste and prep.

    Not to change the subject, but your Bourbon Renewal is the best play on a whiskey sour I’ve ever tasted. It’s a “usual” around my house. Great drinks, JM!

  • Garretto – Point taken, however I do believe that gimlets were (for a short time) made with fresh lime and sugar before Rose came along. My Journal of the American Cocktail books are both in temporary storage, but I’m fairly sure that’s what I read therein.

  • Garretto says:

    Regarding the name, and inevitable mojito comparisons…
    Last month I worked a weekend at the bar/restaurant my Bro-law owns.
    I had the Richmond Gimlet as the “special” that weekend. It did real well (thanks again Jeffrey)and the Mojito kept coming up. “Oh it tastes like a mojito” and the other bartender even started to muddle the mint—NO NO NO! I put a stop to that quick.
    As well as the flavor, the beauty of the drink is the ease of the recipe and preparation.I don’t view it as a version of a mojito just because it has mint in it. I’d compare it to a Gin-sour or (fresh juice) Gimlet, with mint. Just as it is named. I don’t see at as a Ginjito, or a Moginto.

  • p richmond says:

    i just read the write up of the Richmond Gimlet in Oklahoma Magazine. i have worked several spinoffs from the mojito myself and was quite intrigued. but how can you dare call it a Gimlet without Rose’s Sweetened Lime???

  • Evan M. says:

    This is a great refreshing drink, although I just ran out of Tanq 10 So I used Hendricks which had good results but I could imagine Tanq 10 would work even nicer. I’ve made a drink similar to this but has a much different flavor, but still light and refreshing.
    1 1/2 oz. vodka 1/2 oz. lime juice 1/2 oz. Ginger syrup and 1 mint sprig. For other mint/gin combinations everyone must try Audrey Saunder’s Gin Gin Mule or even better: a Ginger Rogers which I think is a better version of the Gin Gin Mule.
    Make exactly like a mojito but use ginger syrup, gin, and ginger ale in place of simple syrup, rum, and soda. And then of course the Southside Cocktail.

  • Bill – So glad you and everyone at the party enjoyed it!

  • Bill says:

    Jeff,
    I tried the Richmond Gimlet and really enjoyed it. Had some friends try –they too loved it.
    A friend had me bartend a pool party specifically requesting the drink—- made about thirty in a 2 hour period. Ran out of gin. Big hit!!!
    Thanks so much for the recipe.
    Bill G.

  • Mike S. – Thanks! I’m glad you enjoyed the drink.

  • Mike S. says:

    I’ve been reading here on this site for a while now, and posting a comment here and there, but tonight I finally got around to making myself a Richmond Gimlet. It’s absolutely wonderful, and one that I’ll make again and again. Thanks much for posting the recipe.

    Cheers!

    Mike

  • Michaelg says:

    I don’t mean to sound like a broken record (I’ve said this before in this site), but substituting a shot of limeade for the simple syrup is easier, and dare I say it…better?

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