John Collins

Bourbon gives you vanilla and corn sweetness that sits well with the sugar. Rye is drier and peppery, and it makes a sharper drink that suits people who find the standard build a little soft. Either way, stay around 40 to 45 percent. Bottled-in-bond whiskey survives the soda better.

Last, and never into the shaker. Shake the whiskey, lemon and syrup with ice, strain into a tall glass over fresh cubes, then pour the soda down the inside of the glass. One slow stir with a bar spoon is enough to combine it without knocking the bubbles out.

Cold and pressure are what hold carbonation, so start with soda straight from the fridge and a glass full of ice rather than three cubes floating in it. A small bottle you open fresh beats the last third of a two-liter. Skip the swizzle stick, which knocks the gas out fast.

Today, the spirit. Tom Collins uses gin, this one uses American whiskey, and everything else stays put. Historically the names have swapped around more than once, and nineteenth-century sources don't agree with each other. If you order one in a bar, say the spirit out loud and skip the argument.

Not much, unless it's a good one. A bright red maraschino from a jar leaves sugar syrup in the bottom of the glass and tastes of almond flavoring. A dark Luxardo or Amarena cherry actually adds something as it sits. Otherwise drop it and keep the lemon slice.

A classic John Collins calls for 45 ml (1.5 oz) Bourbon, 22 ml (0.75 oz) Fresh lemon juice, 15 ml (0.5 oz) Simple syrup, 60 ml (2 oz) Soda water. That single-serve spec scales cleanly — the recipe above converts it to oz and multiplies it for 2–4 drinks.

A standard John Collins is roughly 14% ABV once mixed (before ice melt softens it further). That makes it about as strong as a glass of wine.