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I just came across a recipe for the Ramos Gin Fizz, Alphonse Perret, Head Bartender, Roosevelt Hotel, New Orleans. It is interesting in that it calls for Old Tom Gin. I thought I would share it here.

Ramos Gin Fizz
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
3 teaspoons lemon juice
3 teaspoons lime juice
3 dashes orange flower water
2 teaspoons egg white
2 ounces Tom Gin
2 ounces milk
cracked ice

Hand shake and pour.

Interesting drink.

Old Tom was a lightly sweetened gin. I think it was the brand name of a well-known gin and had a sleeping tom cat on the label. The term "Old Tom" in any case denoted a lightly sweet gin. The London Dry style later gained hegemony and the Old Tom style almost died out: I think some is still made in Europe but not much.

Old Tom gin originally was probably a sweetened Dutch-style gin, the so-called Hollands which was so popular around the world in the 1800's. That gin can be quite pungent (from the rye in the low-distillation mash) and sugar, juniper and other flavourings were added to soften the taste. To duplicate Old Tom, add a dash of sugar syrup to any good gin or even, say, to Hostalings rye whiskey. That rye is rather juniper-tasting from maturation only and with (or without) a bit of sugar is quite similar I believe to some aged brands of Hollands from the 1800's.

Because of the amount of sugar in the recipe, no doubt London Dry gin would go just fine in the recipe.

Gary

The U.D. archive had a few bottles of Old Tom Gin from the 1930'/40's. Chris and I toyed with the idea of a gin collection based upon historical old gin recipes but it never caught on with anyone in marketing. It would have been interesting to have a modern Old Tom Gin on the market.