The Gibson is a cocktail that is said to be a variant of the Dry Martini, but it differs from it in that the first original recipe added bitter and, on the other hand, in the later recipe (prior to Prohibition) the bitter was omitted and I’d trade the pickled onion for a citrus twist.
The first known history of the Gibson cocktail points to cartoonist Charles Dana Gibson, who created the popular “Gibson Girls” illustrations as its creator. He allegedly challenged Charley Connolly to improve the Dry Martini. Connolly, a bartender at a club in New York City, accepted the challenge, although to improve the drink he simply made a very subtle change, substituting a pickled onion for the olive he had. So Gibson asked his trusted bartender to swap her Dry Martini for the new version enhanced with pickled onion, and they gave the drink his last name.
In the second story it is told that a United States ambassador to Great Britain, named Gibson, attended many receptions for his work and in order not to drink the typical Dry Martini, of which he was tired, he filled a glass with water and a small onion in instead of an olive, and called his invention by his own name. Finally, another third story attributes its invention to a prominent San Francisco businessman, one Walter DK Gibson. Apparently, in an interview, he claimed that he had invented this cocktail at the “Bohemian Club”.
Whatever the origin of its distinguished name, what we do know is that this variant has triumphed over time, giving us a new twist on this popular classic.
recipe information
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- Preparation time: 5 minutes
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- total time: 5 minutes
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- rations: 1
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- Category: drink
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- type of cuisine: American
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- calories: 166 kcal per glass
Gibson cocktail ingredients for 1 person
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- 60ml gin
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- 10 ml dry white vermouth
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- cubed ice
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- pickled chives
How to make the Gibson cocktail
As they belong to the Martini family, these cocktails are served in a Martini glass. There are numerous variants where one of the liquors is changed, such as the sweet Martini, with red vermouth and a cherry as decoration, or adding vodka instead of gin.
To start preparing a Gibson we will put the ice in a mixing glass to cool it well. Previously we will have put our Martini type glass to cool, so our cocktail will be at the optimum temperature.
We will add the gin in the desired amount.
We will then add the dry white vermouth.
We will remove with the stirring spoon. This type of cocktail, like the Martini, is prepared “mixed, not shaken.”
We serve with the strainer or the strainer of the shaker in our cold glass.
Decorate with pickled onions to taste. At the end of the mix, don’t forget to eat the chives, since they absorb the aroma of the liqueurs and the combination of flavors is irresistible in the mouth, a real delight!
Easy overview of the preparation
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- We put the ice in the shaker
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- Add the gin with the dispenser
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- Add the dry white vermouth and stir with the stirring spoon
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- We serve in a cold glass
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- Decorate with a skewer of pickled chives
