Tom Collins

At one time, there were a great many Collins drinks out there, and many of them are still floating around today. You may have heard of a John Collins, a Charlie Collins, or others, but the Tom Collins is arguably the most famous. Perhaps this is due to America's past penchant for gin. Whatever the cause, the Tom Collins is one of those timeless mixtures of simple, pure ingredients, coming together to yield a delicious cocktail. According to legend, a waiter named John Collins at Limmer's Old House in London unwittingly lent his name to a popular drink made with Holland gin. From there, someone decided to experiment a little and switched the Holland gin out for Old Tom Gin. The name got changed accordingly, and several others followed suit with their own variations. Whatever the real story is, this is a summer drink that deserves a revival.