The Pearl Collins

The Tom Collins is a well known and reliable staple that puts the focus on the company and the conversation, not the cocktail. It’s always going to be good and it’s always refreshing. You can’t go wrong with a good collins cocktail, The Pearl Collins is my take on the classic.

At my bar, I make the tea syrup for this drink with In Pursuit of Tea jasmine tea pearls ($34 for 4 ounces, inpursuitoftea.com). I moderate the gin’s boozy with a bit of Cocchi Americano, a wine-based aperitif with a delicate flavor.

Ingredients

• ¾ ounces jasmine syrup (equal parts hot brewed jasmine tea and sugar)

• Hot brewed jasmine tea

• 1 ounce Ford’s gin

• 1 ounce Cocchi Americano

• ½ ounce lemon juice

• 5 mint leaves

• Soda water

• Lemon wheel and a mint sprig for garnish

Directions

1. Make jasmine syrup: Combine equal parts hot brewed jasmine tea and sugar. Stir together until sugar dissolves.

2. In an ice-filled shaker, combine 1 ounce Ford’s gin, 1 ounce Cocchi Americano, ¾ ounces jasmine syrup, ½ ounce lemon juice and 5 mint leaves. Shake well, then strain into an ice-filled Collins glass. Top up with soda water. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a mint sprig.