The John Collins is a Collins made with bourbon instead of gin. The lemon, sugar, and soda stay exactly as they are; the whiskey simply gives the drink a warmer, rounder base — a tall, easy refresher with a little more weight.
Proof that the Collins was always a format, not a single recipe.
The Collins, Confused
The names have been tangled for over a century. The original John Collins was made with genever; when London dry gin took over, the gin version became the Tom Collins, and 'John Collins' drifted onto the whiskey one. Today, John means whiskey.
A Long, Patient Drink
The John Collins is built directly in a tall glass and never shaken hard — it is meant to be long, gently fizzy, and slow. Plenty of ice and good cold soda keep it crisp from the first sip to the last.
Bourbon or Rye
Bourbon gives the friendlier, sweeter Collins; rye keeps it drier and a touch spicier against the lemon. Either works — the drink is forgiving, which is rather the point of it.
The Tom Collins Family
The classic — gin, lemon, sugar, and soda, served long and fizzy over ice.
- 2 ozGin
- 1 ozFresh lemon juice
- 1/2 ozSimple syrup
The Collins at its most neutral — vodka for the gin, letting the lemon lead.
- 2 ozVodka
- 1 ozLemon juice
- 1/2 ozSimple syrup
The rum Collins — light rum for the gin, a faint sugarcane warmth.
- 2 ozLight rum
- 1 ozLemon juice
- 1/2 ozSimple syrup