World Gin Day, celebrated annually on the second Saturday in June, is almost here. To mark the occasion, we’ve rounded up nine gin cocktail recipes from Hilton mixologists around the world, from uniquely-flavored gin and tonics to a twist on the traditional Tom Collins and more.
According to Hilton’s recent global trends report, gin is continuing to rise in popularity along with tequila and low-to-no-ABV beverages, partly due to the wide variety of gins available. So whether you’re a gin enthusiast or always looking to try the latest trends, check out these gin cocktails.
First up is the Sweet & Sour cocktail from Mayrose at The Duniway Portland, a Hilton Hotel, featuring a house-made hibiscus simple syrup that adds a little sweetness and a natural, fresh pink color to the drink.
Sweet & Sour from The Duniway Portland, a Hilton Hotel
Makes 1 cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 oz Aviation American gin
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 0.75 oz hibiscus simple syrup
- 1 egg white
- candied hibiscus flowers for garnish
Directions
- Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker.
- Do a hard, dry shake for 30 seconds. Add a scoop of ice to the shaker and then shake for 20 seconds.
- Use a cocktail strainer when pouring the cocktail into the coupe glass. Give the cocktail 10 seconds to settle.
- Place the candied hibiscus flowers down the center of the cocktail as the garnish.
The Snow White cocktail from The Collins Bar at Hilton Adelaide uses a unique combination of South Australian gins that are stirred, not shaken to retain their individual flavors.
Snow White from Hilton Adelaide
Makes 1 cocktail
Ingredients
- 30 ml (1 oz) Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz gin
- 15 ml (0.5 oz) 36 Short Blood Orange gin
- 15 ml (0.5 oz) 78° Sunset gin
- 1 teaspoon yuzu juice (or lime juice)
- 15 ml (0.5 oz) honey syrup
Directions
- Place all ingredients into a mixing glass and stir until combined.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with dried apple and a sprig of mint.
Cook’s Note
Honey Syrup Directions:
In a saucepan over low heat, combine ½ cup honey and ½ cup water. Simmer until the honey dissolves then remove from heat. Let the syrup cool and pour into an airtight container.
This non-alcoholic espresso martini puts a new twist on the classic Doubletree Espresso Martini by swapping out the alcoholic component with Seedlip Spice. “We could argue that we have not only twisted our fantastic Espresso martini but even improved it,” said James Howard, bar manager at 18 Knots Rooftop Bar, DoubleTree by Hilton Perth Waterfront.
Non-Alcoholic Espresso Martini from DoubleTree by Hilton Perth Waterfront
Makes 1 cocktail
Ingredients
- 45 ml (1.5 oz) Seedlip Spice
- 60 ml (2 oz) Mr Blacks cold drip coffee
- 15 ml (0.5 oz) Monin salted caramel syrup
- chocolate powder and coffee beans for garnish
Directions
- Add all ingredients into shaker, shake over ice, then double strain into martini glass.
- Garnish with a line of chocolate powder and three coffee beans.
The Peakedness of Wuyi from Peacock Alley at Waldorf Astoria Xiamen combines rock tea-infused gin with lemon juice and honey to create a fresh and light cocktail.
The Peakedness of Wuyi from Waldorf Astoria Xiamen
Makes 1 cocktail
Ingredients
- 60 ml (2 oz) rock tea-infused Gin
- 25 ml (0.85 oz) lemon juice
- 25 ml (0.85 oz) honey
- dry lapsang souchong for garnish
Directions
- Add all the ingredients into a shaker. Double shake.
- Double strain into a martini glass, and garnish with dry lapsang souchong.
Brighten up your day with the Flower Tonic from Hilton Buenos Aires, featuring hibiscus-infused gin, rose petal, elderflower nectar, tonic and perfume of Saint Germain liqueur.
Flower Tonic from Hilton Buenos Aires
Makes 1 cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 oz Hibiscus-infused gin and rose petal
- 1 oz Elderflower shot
- 8 oz Tonic Water
- 0.75 oz Saint Germain Liquor
Directions
- In a glass full of ice, add gin macerated in hibiscus and rose petals, elderflower nectar and complete with tonic water.
- Stir delicately to integrate the ingredients.
- Perfume with Saint Germain and decorate with edible flowers.
The Bageechaa cocktail from Aura Pool Bar & Cocktail Lab at Hilton Maldives Amingiri Resort & Spa (opening July 2022) is inspired by the zero-waste concept, throwing away fewer “leftovers” and using the full potential of an ingredient. During preparation, the core of the blood orange is used to extract juice and the skin is utilized to make the oleo and the garnish.
Bageechaa (Sustainability Garden) from Hilton Maldives Amingiri Resort & Spa
Makes 1 cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 wedges of peeled fresh blood orange (peel used for garnish)
- 15 ml (0.5 oz) blood orange oleo (made out of leftover skin)
- 10 ml (0.33 oz) homemade rhubarb shrub
- 10 ml (0.33 oz) lime juice
- 10 ml (0.33 oz) elderflower liqueur
- 50 ml (1.7 oz) The Botanist gin
- 3 fresh basil leaves
Directions
- Chill a coupe glass.
- Add blood orange chunks into shaker and muddle.
- Add fresh basil into shaker and press the basil gently.
- Add blood orange oleo, rhubarb shrub, lime juice, elderflower liqueur and The Botanist gin.
- Fill shaker with ice and shake well. Fine strain into chilled coupe glass.
- Finish with the garnish – place a nice and clean blood orange peel on top of the glass and place the flower on the peel.
Cook’s Note
Blood Orange Oleo - makes 300 ml (10 oz)
Ingredients:
· Skins of 3 blood oranges
· 400 grams caster sugar
· pinch of salt
· 1 zip bag
Directions:
Cut the skins into 2-inch pieces. Place the skins inside a zip bag, add sugar and mix it properly with the skins and add salt. Remove all the air from the bag and let it rest for 24 hours. If there’s any leftover sugar inside, give it a 5-minute hot water bath.
Rhubarb Shrub - makes 1 Liter (35 oz)
Ingredients:
· 1 fresh rhubarb
· 2 lemons (lemon skins)
· 300 grams sugar
· 2 kaffir lime leaves
· 900 ml (30 oz) water
· 80 ml (2.7 oz) white balsamic
Directions:
Place water into pan and cook on low heat, add sugar and all the ingredients. Simmer it for 40 minutes, let it sit and rest for about 4 hours in a chiller. Strain through a v60 filter.
A guest favorite at Stella Restaurant & Bar at Canopy by Hilton São Paulo Jardins, the Maria Collins puts a fruity twist on the traditional Tom Collins. “The carbonation adds to the refreshing factor, and the passion fruit syrup with raspberry makes it unique,” said Adriana Teodoro, bartender, Canopy by Hilton São Paulo Jardins.
Maria Collins from Canopy by Hilton São Paulo Jardins
Makes 1 cocktail
Ingredients
- 60 ml (2 oz) gin
- 15 ml (0.5 oz) of Sicilian lemon
- 30 ml (1 oz) passion fruit syrup with raspberry
- Bahia orange slice for garnish
Directions
- Put all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker, add ice.
- Add 15ml of carbonated water and shake twice.
- Transfer the cocktail to the long drink glass with ice and finish with a slice of Bahia orange.
The Jamaica Tropical Gin Tonic from Society Bar at Hilton Cartagena blends traditional gin with tropical hibiscus flavors for an elegant and refreshing cocktail.
Jamaica Tropical Gin Tonic from Hilton Cartagena
Makes 1 cocktail
Ingredients
- 45 ml (1.5 oz) of Gordon's gin
- 45 ml (1.5 oz) of hibiscus flower extract
- 150 ml (5 oz) of tonic
- 3 or 4 hibiscus berries for garnish
Directions
- In a mixing glass, pour gin, hibiscus flower extract and ice.
- Mix and pour into a goblet glass.
- Pour the tonic into the glass and garnish with hibiscus berries.
And finally, savor every last drop of this gin cocktail from Waldorf Astoria New York, also featured in The Waldorf Astoria Bar Book.
The Last Drop from Waldorf Astoria New York
Makes 1 cocktail
Ingredients
- 2 oz Citadelle gin
- 0.75 oz fresh lemon juice
- 0.50 oz simple syrup (1 part sugar/1 part water)
- 0.25 oz Mathilde Cassis
Directions
- Add all ingredients to a mixing glass except Cassis.
- Add ice and shake well. Strain into chilled cocktail glass.
- Drip Cassis into center of drink, causing it to pool at bottom of glass. No garnish.