For certain bartenders, “underrated” doesn’t necessarily mean lesser-known. Maison Premiere’s William Elliott argues that the Tom Collins, a ubiquitous classic, deserves to be “treated well.” The key is finding a lightly barrel-aged Old Tom (he uses Ransom Old Tom), and, while it’s common to build the drink in the glass, a proper Tom Collins should be shaken and fine-strained. At the Brooklyn bar, Elliott takes a Gimlet-like approach to the base of the drink, calling for the bright combination of lemon juice and lemon cordial, plus dashes of orange bitters.
Maison Premiere’s Tom Collins
William Elliott | Brooklyn, New York
Ingredients
Serving: 1
- 1 1/2 ounces Old Tom gin, preferably Ransom
- 1 ounce lemon cordial (see Editor’s Note)
- 1/2 ounce navy-strength gin, preferably Hayman’s Royal Dock
- 1/2 ounce lemon juice
- 3 dashes orange bitters
- soda water, to top
Garnish: Angostura bitters, lemon wheel, confectioners’ sugar, straw
Directions
- Add first five ingredients to a shaker and shake with ice.
- Fine-strain into a 12-ounce Collins glass with ice, and float Angostura bitters on top.
- Garnish with a lemon wheel and confectioners’ sugar, and serve with a straw.
Editor's Note
Lemon Cordial
Combine the peels of 10 lemons, 32 ounces (4 1/2 cups) white sugar and 1 ounce vodka in a Cambro or other large container. Leave overnight, or for 12 hours. Add 32 ounces (4 cups) lemon juice and whisk until sugar is combined. Fine-strain.