It doesn’t get much simpler or more refreshing than the classic Gimlet. Composed of gin, fresh lime juice and sugar, the cocktail is classified as a gin sour, putting it in great company with other tried-and-true drinks.

The Gimlet is believed to have been invented out of necessity by British sailors in the late 18th century. Sailors who needed the citrus to prevent scurvy, a disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin C. The best way to get sailors to drink lime juice? Mix it with liquor. It didn’t take long to realize that this preventative drink was also delicious. So, while scurvy may be a thing of the past, the Gimlet is here to stay.

The original real version Gimlet must use lime cordial. In Raymond Chandler’s The Long Goodbye a character says it has to be Rose’s, but that was in the days before they started sweetening it with corn syrup instead of cane sugar. It’s now awful and not recommended.

• 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
• 3/4 ounce simple syrup
• 2 ounce vodka (Tito’s) or gin (you decide)

• Add the vodka (or gin), lime juice and simple syrup to a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled
• Double strain into a chilled cocktail glass or a glass filled with fresh ice
• Garnish with a lime wheel