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Cocktail guide

John Collins

Name: John Collins
Cuisine: Ordinary Drink
Ingredients: 2 oz Bourbon; 1 oz Lemon Juice; 1 tsp superfine Sugar; 3 oz Club Soda; 1 Maraschino Cherry; 1 Orange

John Collins combines Bourbon, Lemon Juice, Sugar, Club Soda in a ordinary drink served in a collins glass. It is a strong fit for summer patio, cozy night in and feels right at home in a well-stocked cocktail rotation.

Taste profile

Easy, sweet, balanced, and smooth.

Best for

Best for summer patio, cozy night in.

Quick tags

IBA

Quick fact

A John Collins is a long drink of London dry gin, lemon juice, sugar and carbonated water, which was attested in 1869, but may be older. It is believed to have originated with a headwaiter of that name who worked at Limmer's Old House in Conduit Street in Mayfair, which was a popular London hotel and coffee house around 1790–1817. It is essentially a variant of Tom Collins, evidently a latter name for the same drink.

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Ingredients

Everything in the glass.

6 total

Bourbonspirit - Alcoholic

2 oz

Lemon Juicemixer - Non-alcoholic

1 oz

Sugaringredient - Non-alcoholic

1 tsp superfine

Club Sodamixer - Non-alcoholic

3 oz

Maraschino Cherrygarnish - Non-alcoholic

Orangeingredient - Non-alcoholic

How to make it

Build it step by step.

4 steps

1Pour all ingredients directly into highball glass filled with ice.
2Stir gently.
3Garnish.
4Add a dash of Angostura bitters.

Method

Stirred

Finish

Usually finished with Lemon Juice and Maraschino Cherry.

Summer Patio Cozy Night In More Whiskey cocktails

Taste map

Strength

Easy

Sweetness

Sweet

Sourness

Balanced

Bitterness

Smooth

Read: John Collins is a advanced alcoholic cocktail for summer patio with Bourbon, Lemon Juice, Sugar.

Texture and serve cues

✓Has citrus

✓Has bubbles

-Creamy texture

-Frozen style

Best for

Best for summer patio, cozy night in.

Glassware

Collins glass

More to know before you make it

A fuller read on the drink.

Flavor read

Expect round sweetness with support from Bourbon, Lemon Juice, Sugar.

Best pairing

Pairs nicely with richer plates, cheese boards, roasted nuts, or dessert.

Serving style

Serve in a collins glass and aim for a advanced prep that still feels polished in the glass.

Where it fits

John Collins sits comfortably in the whiskey cocktail tradition, with an approachable style for home bartenders.

Background

Why this cocktail keeps showing up.

Source: John Collins (cocktail)

Reference cards

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Pour by bottle

Let the bottle call the direction and keep the list tight.

When the base spirit is already settled, these are the faster, cleaner entry points. Think of them as three distinct house styles instead of one crowded shelf.