1960 The U K B G Guide to Drinks (3 rd edition revised)

Part n

SECTION V

COLLINS

These are normally summer or hot weather drinks, long and refreshing and made with plenty of ice. There is some doubt as to their origin,though they are often claimed to be American and may have been derived from the Gin SHnf. However, as gin was widely drunk in the British Is":js long before it gained popularity in the United States, it is quite probable that the drink may have ■originated on this side of the Atlantic. A clue to this is containedin abook called" Drinks of the World "published in 1892. This contains the following rhyming verse m ■connection with a celebrated waiter of the time :— "My name is John Collins, headwaiter at Limmer s Corner of Conduit Street, Hanover Square. My chief occupation is filling brimmers For all the young gentlemen frequenters there." The book states that the ingredients of the drink dis pensed by this gentleman were gin, soda, lemon and sugar. There is no doubt that the Collins has developed a large family since the early days and some of its cousins are Gin Coolers, Gin Rickeys, etc., information about which will be found in following sections. In the 1930's and before a John Collins was made with Dutch Gin, and Tom Collins with " Old Tom " Gin. The modern trend in the British Isles is to use London Dry for both these drinks. 102