Old Tom Gin. Ever hear of the Tom Collins cocktail? This classic gin drink got its name from the popular style of gin from 18th Century England  – the “Old Tom” style. Today, the most common style you’ll find on the market is “London Dry,” which is considered the default/classic gin flavor profile, though that wasn’t always the case.

Compared with London Dry gin, Old Tom gin is milder and sweeter with more body and less intensity. For people who can’t tolerate gin for its botanical and sharp intensity, I suspect you’ll find yourself pleasantly surprised by the more delicate Old Tom style – a gin for gin haters. The only drawback is that this style is a bit hard-to-find in the marketplace, having completely fallen out of favor for several centuries and only recently finding its way back to the modern bar. I found this limited edition bottle of Tanqueray Old Tom a couple years back, but the more readily available brand you’ll find in a specialty liquor store today is probably Hayman’s. If you’re a classic cocktail aficionado, you’ll want to hunt this down to really recreate the old recipes!

Recipe

Tom Collins

• 2oz Old Tom Gin
• .75oz lemon juice
• 1tsp fine sugar
• 4oz club soda

In a highball glass, dissolve sugar in lemon juice by stirring. Add gin, ice, soda, and mix. Serve with an orange or lemon wedge