A Gin Sling can mean more than one recipe. This version combines gin, sweet vermouth, lemon, syrup, bitters, and soda: a modern, Dale DeGroff-style long drink with citrus brightness and a gently spiced, herbal finish. It is different from a pineapple-and-cherry Singapore Sling, and the vermouth makes it richer than a straightforward Tom Collins.
Simpler Gin Slings also exist. Sweet vermouth is a feature of the version below, not a universal historical requirement. If you came here wondering about Gin Sling vs Tom Collins, the answer depends on which Sling recipe you are comparing.
Gin Sling cocktail recipe with sweet vermouth
Adapted from Williams Sonoma's Gin Sling, credited there to Dale DeGroff's The Craft of the Cocktail. This adaptation reduces the listed syrup from 1 oz to 1/2 oz, specifies equal-parts syrup, and fixes the soda at 2 oz instead of an unspecified top-up.
Makes: 1 cocktail. Prep and total time: 5 minutes, using prepared syrup. Equipment: shaker, measure, strainer, spoon, and a tall 12–14 oz glass.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz (45 ml) London dry gin
- 1 oz (30 ml) sweet red vermouth
- 3/4 oz (22.5 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 oz (15 ml) simple syrup, made with equal weights sugar and water
- 1 dash Angostura aromatic bitters
- 2 oz (60 ml) chilled soda water
- Ice for shaking and serving
- 1 lemon-peel spiral, for garnish
Ounces are US fluid ounces; milliliter measures are rounded for practical pouring.
Instructions
1. Prepare the serving glass
Fill a tall 12–14 oz glass with fresh ice and cut a lemon-peel spiral for the garnish.
2. Shake the cocktail base
Add the gin, sweet vermouth, lemon juice, simple syrup, and bitters to a shaker. Fill with ice and shake for about 10 seconds, until cold.
3. Strain and add soda
Strain into the prepared glass. Pour in 2 oz (60 ml) chilled soda water and give one gentle stir to combine.
4. Garnish and serve
Twist the lemon peel over the drink to release its oils, place it in the glass, and serve immediately.
Gin Sling vs Tom Collins vs Singapore Sling
The names overlap more than a neat cocktail family tree suggests. Compare the actual ingredients before deciding what to make.
| Drink | Defining ingredients in the versions compared here | What to expect | | --- | --- | --- | | Modern Gin Sling, this recipe | Gin, sweet vermouth, lemon, syrup, aromatic bitters, soda | Herbal depth, lemon tartness, gentle spice and bubbles | | Simpler Gin Sling | Gin, lemon, sugar syrup, soda | A lighter citrus-and-gin profile, close to a Collins | | Tom Collins | Gin, lemon, syrup, soda | A direct, sparkling lemon-and-gin drink | | Singapore Sling, our Raffles-inspired recipe | Gin, pineapple, lime, cherry liqueur, Cointreau, Bénédictine, grenadine, bitters | Tropical fruit, cherry and herbal accents |
Difford's Guide's Gin Sling uses gin, lemon, rich syrup, and soda without vermouth or bitters. That is why saying “a Gin Sling always contains vermouth” would be misleading. Its ingredient family closely resembles a Tom Collins, although the proportions differ.
The Singapore Sling is a separate named cocktail with its own recipe traditions. Adding cherry syrup to this drink does not reproduce the pineapple, lime, and liqueur combination in our Singapore Sling recipe.
Choosing ingredients for this version
Use a London dry gin as a starting point. Its juniper character gives you a recognizable gin base alongside the vermouth. A flavored or sweetened gin changes both the aroma and the balance; save that variation until you know which part you want to change.
Choose sweet red vermouth, sometimes labeled rosso. Dry vermouth from a dry Martini recipe is not an equivalent substitution: it removes sweetness and changes the wine-and-herb profile. Refrigerate vermouth after opening and check that it still smells fresh before pouring a full ounce into the drink.
Use plain soda water or club soda, not tonic water. Tonic introduces its own sweetness and quinine bitterness. Fresh lemon juice also makes adjustments easier than a sweetened bottled citrus mixer, whose sugar would overlap with the syrup.
Technique: keep the fizz and control the dilution
Measure the soda instead of filling whatever space remains in the glass. Two ounces in this recipe gives you a repeatable starting point; a much larger glass can otherwise quietly turn the same base into a different drink. If you prefer it longer, add another 1 oz (30 ml) after tasting and note that adjustment for next time.
Shake only the still ingredients. Soda belongs in the serving glass after straining; shaking it loses carbonation and can force liquid out of the shaker. One gentle stir is enough to distribute the base through the sparkling water.
Prepare the garnish before shaking so the finished drink does not wait around. Use solid cubes and cold soda. Crushed ice melts quickly and makes it harder to compare one serving with the next.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Gin Sling sweet?
This version contains both sweet vermouth and syrup, balanced by lemon and soda. If it seems too sweet for your preference, reduce the syrup by 1 teaspoon (5 ml) on the next serving. Change one measure at a time rather than adding extra lemon, gin, and water together.
Can I make it without vermouth?
Yes, but use a complete simpler formula, such as Difford's linked above, rather than just removing an ounce from this recipe. Its syrup is rich, so do not assume it uses the same concentration as the equal-parts syrup specified here.
Can I prepare Gin Slings ahead?
Measure the gin, vermouth, and syrup ahead and keep them chilled. Add fresh lemon and bitters when ready to shake. Keep soda separate until serving, and shake individual drinks so each glass receives the same ice dilution and measured soda finish.
Does a Gin Sling need cherry liqueur?
No. Neither this vermouth version nor Difford's simpler version requires it. For a cherry-and-tropical-fruit drink, follow the linked Singapore Sling recipe instead.
