Eucaliptus
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 20.4% ABV ∙
The Eucaliptus is a two-ingredient stirred cocktail of London dry gin and eucalyptus cordial, served up in a coupe. Cool menthol and eucalyptus lift dominate over juniper backbone, with a smooth, faintly sweet body that finishes clean and herbal, suited to a slow after-dinner sip.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: London dry gin 45 mlEucalyptus cordial 45 ml
- Strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with a eucalyptus leaf
Tips
- Gin and cordial go in equal measure, so the balance rests entirely on how sweet your eucalyptus cordial is — taste it before you pour.
- Since gin and cordial are used in equal measure, balance depends entirely on the cordial's sweetness—taste and adjust the sugar syrup ratio when making it fresh.
- Chill the coupe glass in the freezer for at least 10 minutes beforehand so the stirred drink doesn't warm quickly in the wide, shallow glass.
History
The Eucaliptus is a variation on the Gimlet, the classic pairing of gin and lime cordial. The word "gimlet" for the drink is first recorded in 1928, and the earliest printed recipe appeared in Harry MacElhone's ABC of Mixing Cocktails in the early 1920s, calling for equal parts Plymouth gin and Rose's lime cordial, a formula echoed by the Savoy Cocktail Book in 1930. The name's origin is disputed: one theory ties it to the gimlet, a small tool for boring holes, evoking the drink's sharp, piercing character, while a competing and more popular story credits Royal Navy surgeon Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Gimlette, said to have encouraged sailors to mix their anti-scurvy lime ration with gin, though this naval account is not corroborated by contemporary records and is treated by some historians as a later legend. The Eucaliptus reworks the Gimlet by replacing the lime cordial with a eucalyptus cordial, giving the classic gin sour a herbal, aromatic edge in place of its citrus tartness.
