Rickey

Rickey (Lime Rickey)

A classic American highball born in Washington, D.C. around the 1880s, the Rickey is a tart, bubbly cocktail built on lime, gin or bourbon, and soda water. It's the kind of drink that rewards a generous squeeze of fresh lime and very cold ice.

Prep

5 min

Total

5 min

Serves

1

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •60 ml (¼ cup) gin or bourbon, gin = Gin Rickey; bourbon = Bourbon Rickey, the original 1880s version
• •1 whole lime, fresh, for juice and a wedge for garnish
• •120 ml (½ cup) soda water, chilled; club soda works too
• •120 g (1 cup) ice cubes, enough to fill a highball glass

Steps

1. 1 Fill a highball glass (about 350 ml / 12 oz) to the top with ice cubes.
2. 2 Squeeze the juice of half a lime (about 15 ml / 1 tbsp) directly over the ice. Drop in the squeezed lime shell - the original Rickey is not shaken or stirred.
3. 3 Pour 60 ml (¼ cup) of gin or bourbon over the ice and lime.
4. 4 Top with 120 ml (½ cup) cold soda water.
5. 5 Give it one gentle stir just to combine, then garnish with a fresh lime wedge. Serve immediately while very cold and fizzy.