Tom Collins is a cocktail with disputed origins dating back to the late 19th century. It typically contains gin, lemon and lime juice, powdered sugar, and soda water. The name may refer to a type of gin called “Old Tom Gin”. There are many variations of the drink, with different alcohol bases and names such as Jose Collins and Michael Collins.
A Tom Collins is a mixed alcoholic drink or cocktail. Like many of the old cocktails, it has many different stories about how it was invented and who invented it. Two main origin stories place the date of the drink’s creation between 1870 and 1890.
One origin story suggests that a bartender, working in the Garment District in New York City, invented the drink in his early 20s for the Whitehouse Bar. The man’s name was Tom Collins, and he wanted a cocktail that would quench your thirst but not was particularly heavy on alcohol. Another story has it that Tom Collins was an Irish immigrant who had been a bartender in New Jersey. Like the other “Tom,” he wanted a drink to quench his thirst. Either way, the name Tom Collins is quite common and the drink could have been “invented” by several people at once.
The name may also refer to a type of gin called “Old Tom Gin”. It was sweet rather than dry. This would have added to the relatively sweet flavor of the cocktail.
Early recipes for Tom Collins include the following:
Juice of half a lemon and half a lime
One ounce (about 0.02 liters) of gin
Powdered sugar
Orange oil
The drink is mixed together, topped with soda water, and served in a tall glass, usually with a couple of ice cubes. Side dishes can include slices of orange, cherries or pineapple. The advent of a Collins mixer often means cutting lemons and lemons short cuts and instead simply combining Collins gin and mixer together. However, those who like the drink tend to prefer the more natural and original form.
An extraordinary number of Tom Collins variations come from the original drink. Most of these simply displace the alcohol base, so you get things like vodka and gin glues. Other drinks get more colorful with names. A Jose Collins, for example, is made with tequila and a Pedro Collins with rum. A Michael Collins uses Irish whiskey and is a drink made in tribute to the Irish revolutionary leader and director of intelligence for the Irish Republican Army, who was killed in 1922 during the Irish Civil War. There are also drinks from Joan Collins and Phil Collins, referencing the actress and rock star, respectively.
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