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Cocktail History
The Gibson is a classic cocktail that is believed to have been created by and named for Walter D.K. Gibson in the 1890s at Bohemian Club in San Francisco, California. The recipe is considered the cousin of the Martini because it’s also made with gin and dry vermouth, but this version calls for savory onions instead of an olive as its garnish. Although less popular than some other classics, the Gibson became popular again in the 2020s after being portrayed as the drink of choice for prodigy chess player Beth Harmon and her adoptive mother in the hit Netflix show The Queen’s Gambit.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
London Dry Gin: This is a type of gin made with juniper berries, botanicals, and alcohol that has been infused with flavor through redistillation without artificial ingredients or colors. I used Broker’s Premium London Dry Gin.
Dry Vermouth: This is a fortified wine made with grapes, sugar, botanicals, herbs, sugar, and alcohol. I used Dolin Dry Vermouth de Chambéry.
Cocktail Onions: These are miniature onions that have been preserved in vinegar.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Mixing Glass: This is used to hold the ingredients while they’re being stirred. I used the Viski 17 oz Cocktail Mixing Glass.
Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. I used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.
Julep Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is stirred. I used the A Bar Above Julep Strainer.
Cocktail Pick: This is used to hold the garnish. I used one from the I-MART Stainless Steel Cocktail Pick Set.
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Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Essentially clear color
• Aroma: Juniper and onion
• Taste: Spicy gin flavor complemented with the slight sweetness of vermouth, tart citrus, and vinegary onion
• Finish: More gin botanicals and alcohol burn
Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kendall’s Take: “I typically don’t go for cocktails that are quite this serious and boozy, but I absolutely love the Gibson, especially with a splash of pickled onion juice. As is depicted in The Queen’s Gambit, it’s a savory and strong celebratory sip post worth making post-checkmate… or a consolation drink after a loss, which is probably more likely for me when it comes to chess.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Essential Cocktail Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Drinks by the editors of PUNCH and Megan Krigbaum.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2025-01-22.
Gibson
The Gibson is a classic cocktail that is believed to have been created by and named for Walter D.K. Gibson in the 1890s at Bohemian Club in San Francisco, California. The recipe is considered the cousin of the Martini because it’s also made with gin and dry vermouth, but this version calls for savory onions instead of an olive as its garnish. Although less popular than some other classics, the Gibson became popular again in the 2020s after being portrayed as the drink of choice for prodigy chess player Beth Harmon and her adoptive mother in the hit Netflix show The Queen’s Gambit.
Ingredients
Method
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Add gin, dry vermouth, and cubed ice to a mixing glass.
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Stir for 30-45 seconds.
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Strain into a cocktail glass.
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Garnish with onions.
