The recipe
for your table
Briefly shake the gin, lemon juice and syrup with ice.
Strain into a tall glass filled with fresh ice cubes.
Top with soda water and stir gently once.
Garnish with a lemon wheel and a cherry.
The story
In 1874, the 'Great Tom Collins Hoax' swept through New York: pranksters told friends that a certain Tom Collins was speaking badly about them at the bar around the corner. Anyone who went to confront him found not a gossip but – thanks to bartenders playing along – a refreshing drink with that name. More likely, the cocktail descended from the John Collins, named after a head waiter in London and made with the sweeter Old Tom gin. The name and recipe merged, and Jerry Thomas officially documented the Tom Collins in 1876.
The right glass
This cocktail has its own glass: the Collins glass, a tall, narrow highball glass that retains the bubbles longer than a wide glass. A capacity of 33 to 47 cl is perfect – enough room for ice, the cocktail and soda, yet narrow enough to preserve the fizz. Clear, thin glass best suits the fresh character of this classic. If you would also like to serve the same gin as a long drink with tonic, you’ll find suitable models in our gin and tonic glasses.
Arcoroc Islande Highball Glass 33 cl (6 pieces)
Bormioli Rocco Diamond Highball Glass 47 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets — €36.90 together, free shipping from €50.
Variations & twists
With vodka, it becomes a Vodka Collins; with bourbon, a John Collins; with oude jenever, a Dutch Collins—that tall glass goes with everything. A few raspberries or a splash of elderflower make it a summery variation. Old Tom gin delivers the historically accurate, slightly sweeter version. Looking for more inspiration? Browse all 80 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Use large, solid ice cubes and pour in the soda last, down the back of a bar spoon—this helps the Collins retain its fizz until the last sip. With Old Tom gin, you can taste the historical version.
Tom Collins or John Collins
The two are related and are often confused. The John Collins is the oldest and is named after a London head waiter from the nineteenth century; today, it is made with bourbon instead of gin, while the rest of the recipe is identical. The Tom Collins owes its name to the sweeter Old Tom gin it was originally made with. The same formula made with vodka is called a Vodka Collins, with oude jenever a Dutch Collins, and with tequila a Juan Collins. The glass and proportions remain the same in every case.
The ratio and how strong it is
Use 4.5 cl gin, 3 cl fresh lemon juice, and 1.5 cl simple syrup—a 3:2:1 ratio—topped up with 6 to 9 cl soda water. The amount of soda determines how strong the drink is: with 6 cl, it comes to about 11 percent ABV; with 9 cl, just under 9 percent. Add the meltwater from the ice and you end up at around 9 percent, comparable to a strong beer. If it tastes too sour, increase the syrup to 2 cl rather than reducing the lemon; that way, the freshness remains intact.
Tom Collins or Gin Fizz: the difference
They may look identical on the ingredients list, but the preparation makes the difference. You shake a Gin Fizz and traditionally serve it without ice in a smaller glass, making it shorter, foamier, and more intense; it should be finished immediately. A Tom Collins is poured over a glass full of ice, gets more soda, and is a long drink you can sip for half an hour. The practical difference: make a Fizz for yourself on a Sunday morning, while a Collins is something you pour for four people on a terrace without anything going to waste.
Old Tom gin: the historic version
Old Tom is the gin style between genever and London Dry: slightly sweeter, fuller and softer, usually with a small amount of added sugar. Until well into the nineteenth century, it was the standard gin, and the Tom Collins was named after it. If you make it with Old Tom, reduce the sugar syrup from 1.5 to 1 cl; otherwise, the drink will be too sweet. A handful of brands are once again available for around thirty euros, and the difference in smoothness is noticeable.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make a Tom Collins?
Shake 4.5 cl gin, 3 cl fresh lemon juice and 1.5 cl sugar syrup briefly with ice, then strain into a tall glass filled with fresh ice cubes. Top with 6 to 9 cl soda water, stir gently once and garnish with a lemon wheel and a cocktail cherry.
Who is Tom Collins?
Tom Collins probably never existed. In 1874, the Great Tom Collins Hoax swept through New York: pranksters sent friends to the bar around the corner to confront a certain Tom Collins, whereupon bartenders served them a drink by that name. Jerry Thomas recorded the recipe in 1876.
Is it Tom Collins or John Collins?
Both exist. The John Collins is the older one, named after a London headwaiter and nowadays usually made with bourbon; the Tom Collins owes its name to the sweeter Old Tom gin. Made with vodka, the same combination is called a Vodka Collins; with aged genever, a Dutch Collins.
What is the meaning of a Tom Collins cocktail?
The name refers to the 1874 joke and the Old Tom gin it was originally made with. In terms of ingredients, Collins refers to a family of long drinks made with spirits, citrus, sugar and soda, served in a tall, narrow glass holding 33 to 47 cl; see our long drink glasses.
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