Citrus-based cocktails are enduringly popular. There’s something about the simplicity of pairing a base spirit with something sweet and something sour that creates a cocktail that’s much more than the sum of its parts.
These types of drinks – so-called ‘Sours’ – still dominate many contemporary cocktail menus. Lemon and lime both bring balance to spirit-forward drinks by cutting through the alcohol. Limes offer an additional, more fragrant element to cocktails – the fresher, the better!
Here are five of the best lime cocktails.
Gimlet
This iconic cocktail was originally made with Rose's Lime Cordial, which added sweet and sour elements in one shot. Happily, the craft cocktail revival has relegated lime cordial to the soft-drink zone. Add the gin, lime juice and sugar syrup (2:1:1 ratio) to a shaker and blend vigorously with ice before straining into a chilled cocktail glass with fresh ice and garnishing with a lime wheel.
Mojito
This sublime combination of rum, sugar, lime and mint is always a crowd-pleaser. A Mojito makes a great summer party drink, too, as the base elements can be assembled in advance, adding soda water just before serving. Muddle mint leaves with sugar syrup in a jug then add rum, lime juice and ice and shake before straining into a Collins glass, topping with soda and garnishing with mint.
Margarita
The Margarita’s winning blend of tequila, orange liqueur and lime makes this one of the best and most recognisable Sours. It follows the 2:1:1 principle of the Gimlet but substituting half the sugar syrup with its equivalent in Cointreau or Triple Sec. Shake all the ingredients together till thoroughly chilled and serve in a classic salt-rimmed cocktail glass. Bliss.
Collins
A Collins is essentially a Gin Sour (2 parts gin to 1 part each sugar syrup and lime juice) that’s been extended with the addition of a soda-water top. The soda not only dilutes the alcohol but also allows the botanicals in the gin a little more breathing space. At Edmunds, we add a little elderflower liqueur and cucumber infusion to our Collins, to give it a summery flourish.
Daiquiri
The three-ingredient Daiquiri – rum, lime juice and sugar – is among the best-known and best-loved Sours. When made correctly, the Daiquiri perfectly balances its spirit, sweet and sour elements to perfection. The trick is to use the best ingredients and tailor your ratios to your personal palate!
