Bursting with refreshing mint, citrus, and fruity notes, gin cocktails are ideal for hot summer days. Why not upgrade your standard gin and tonic recipe with these ultimate summer cocktail ideas which make the most of gin’s unique herbaceous and juniper notes. From gangster favorites to once-forgotten classics and hangover cures, there’s something for everyone on this diverse list of revitalizing gin drinks. 

Best Gin Cocktails for Summer

Southside

 Some say that Southside was the preferred cocktail of Al Capone and other Chicago gangsters during the Roaring Twenties. With alcohol banned during Prohibition, illicit speakeasies combined mint, lemon or lime juice, fresh mint and simple syrup with whatever alcohol they could get their hands on. It’s one of those timeless gin cocktails that falls somewhere between a Mojito and a Gimlet. 

Recommended Gin: Sipsmith London Dry Gin is a great classic choice with a soft, citrus-lead profile that keeps this historic cocktail balanced and easy-drinking.

Bee’s Knees

 Born during Prohibition during the 1920s, this simple gin cocktail combines gin, lemon juice and honey syrup. It was called the bee’s knees because adding plenty of honey was the best way of masking the rough homemade gin made illegally in people’s bathtubs or improvised stills. The Bee’s Knees is a great choice if you like simple cocktails made with few ingredients. 

Recommended Gin: Bar Hill Gin is made from raw Vermont honey and emphasizes beautifully the honeyed notes in this simple gin drink.

Aviation

 Immediately recognizable from its gorgeous purple color, the Aviation is made from gin, crème de violette, maraschino liqueur, and lemon juice. Created in the early 1900s before Prohibition, it was one of the most popular gin drinks in the United States before being virtually forgotten when crème de violette became almost impossible to find. Garnish with a maraschino cherry for a classic touch. 

Recommended Gin: Try a lighter gin like The Botanist from Islay in Scotland for smooth herbal notes that let the creme de violette and maraschino take center stage.

Gimlet

 Gimlets were invented by the British Rear-Admiral Sir Thomas Gimlette who needed to find a way to boost sailors’ Vitamin C levels and stop them getting scurvy. Hi  solution was this refreshing gin drink with gin, lime juice and simple syrup or lime cordial. 

Recommended Gin: St. George Botanivore Gin features 19 different botanicals to create a bouquet reminiscent of a summer meadow. 

The Last Word

Another gin cocktail nearly lost in the mists of time, the Last Word was first created at the Detroit Athletic Club in the 1910s. It was only rediscovered in the early 2000s by Murray Stenson of Zig Zag Café in Seattle. The vibrant green color comes from Chartreuse which is made by Carthusian monks in France from 130 different herbs. The modern version of the Last Word combines it with gin, maraschino liqueur, and lime juice garnished with a lime wheel. 

Recommended Gin: This bold cocktail works best with a classic gin like Tanqueray which has plenty of punchy juniper and citrus to stand up to the complex Chartreuse.

BONUS: Corpse Reviver No. 2

 Designed as a hangover, this punchy classic was first named in “The Savoy Cocktail Book”. This legendary guide was published in London in 1930 and features 750 of The Savoy’s most popular drinks. According to the book, “Four of these taken in swift succession will un-revive the corpse again.” It's made from gin, Lillet Blanc, Cointreau, lemon juice, and a dash of absinthe. 

Recommended Gin: Bombay Sapphire is an elegant choice here with plenty of robust botanicals to match the Cointreau, Lillet and absinthe combo. 

Bottle Barn’s Gin Recommendations

 Ready to start experimenting with gin cocktail recipes? If you’re looking to buy gin online, why not check out Bottle Barn’s gin collection which includes all the classics as well as small-batch gins from artisanal producers in and around Sonoma County. 

View Our Spirits Collection

Our top local picks include the Sonoma Brothers Gin from Christopher and Brandon Matthies and Young and Yonder H.O.B.S Gin from Healdsburg which stands for “Harbor of Broken Souls”. Combine with the freshest citrus fruit and a quality tonic for a G&T with a difference!