Gin Daisy (with grenadine)
The Gin Daisy is a classic sour, lightened with a splash of soda water. This one uses both triple sec and grenadine, which is the balance we landed on after testing the drink both ways. Crisp, citrusy, and ready in five minutes.
The gin daisy is one of those timeless cocktails that feels a little fancy but comes together in no time at all. It's bright, citrusy, and beautifully refreshing, with a splash of soda water that adds a little fizz to the classic sour cocktail, making it something you can happily sip on a warm afternoon or pour for friends when they drop by. It's as pretty to look at as it is to drink.
The flavor is all about bright, balanced citrus. London Dry gin gives it a crisp, botanical backbone, fresh lemon keeps everything tart and lively, and triple sec adds a lovely note of orange that rounds out the edges. A little grenadine brings a touch of sweetness and a pretty color, while the soda water softens it all into something light and easy. You get tart and sweet, bright and crisp, all in one refreshing glass.
And it could not be simpler to make. A quick shake, a strain over ice, and a splash of soda, then finish it with mint, a slice of lemon, and a daisy flower if you've got one, and your gin daisy is ready to enjoy.
Old school or new school gin daisy
Most gin daisy recipes ask you to pick a side. The original from the 1870s leans on orange liqueur for its sweetness. The later version drops the gin down and swaps grenadine in instead. We made both, and honestly, neither one was quite right. The orange liqueur version is bright but a little one-note, and the grenadine version goes soft and fruity without much backbone. So this recipe keeps both, at smaller amounts each, with the gin kept at a full 2 ounces. The triple sec carries the orange, the grenadine adds body and a little tart fruit underneath, and the gin still tastes like gin.
Your grenadine decides the color and the sweetness
This is the ingredient that changes the drink most. We use a small-batch grenadine made with real pomegranate and no artificial dye, which is why our gin daisy comes out a soft golden color rather than pink. It's also more tart than the bottled stuff, so it sweetens the drink without flattening the lemon. If you use a classic red-dyed grenadine, you'll get a rosy-pink cocktail, and you may want to pull the grenadine back to a scant ¼ ounce, since most of them are considerably sweeter.
Why London Dry gin
London Dry is what I reach for here. It's crisp and juniper-forward, and I love that clean botanical edge against the lemon and grenadine. The gin stays present instead of disappearing into the fruit, which is exactly what you want in a drink this citrusy.
It's worth knowing that the classic version was often made with Old Tom gin, which is rounder and lightly sweetened. That works, but with both triple sec and grenadine already in the glass, a sweeter gin tips the whole thing toward candy. London Dry keeps it bright and balanced.
Gin Daisy (with grenadine)
Ingredients
- 2 ounces London Dry gin
- ¾ ounce triple sec
- ¾ ounce lemon juice
- ¼ ounce grenadine see notes
- Soda water to top
- Mint leaves, lemon slice, daisy flower to garnish
Method
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add the gin, triple sec, lemon juice, and grenadine, and shake until cold.2 ounces London Dry gin, ¾ ounce triple sec, ¾ ounce lemon juice, ¼ ounce grenadine
- Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass, top with a splash of soda water, and garnish with mint, lemon, and (if you have one) a daisy flower.Soda water, Mint leaves, lemon slice, daisy flower
Notes
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