What Type Of Liquor Is In A Pimm's Cup Cocktail?

There's nothing quite as refreshing as a Pimm's Cup cocktail, which combines the very British Pimm's No. 1 liqueur, sparkling lemonade (or ginger ale) and lots of fresh fruit, mint, and a crisp cucumber wedge. This classic drink has been enjoyed courtside at Wimbledon, where it's considered the official drink, and in New Orleans at places like the famous (and famously haunted) Napoleon House. (I've enjoyed numerous Pimm's Cups at this restaurant over the years, but have yet to see a ghost there, by the way.) While this drink is mainly associated with summer, it's delicious any time of the year.

Like sloe gin, which isn't actually considered gin, Pimm's No.1 is a gin-based liqueur. And, similarly, they both have a lower alcohol content than gin does. Pimm's No. 1 comes in at 50 proof while most gins hover around 80 proof. Besides gin, Pimm's No. 1 includes herbal botanicals, spices, and caramelized orange, but the actual recipe is a secret and supposedly known only by a handful of people. On its own, Pimm's No. 1, which has a dark reddish brown color, is herbaceous and bittersweet.

Like that other classic British mixed drink, the gin and tonic, which should be enjoyed in a balloon-shaped glass to enhance the gin's aromatics, Pimm's No. 1 Cup was initially used medicinally. The liqueur's inventor, James Pimm, sold it at his London oyster bar beginning sometime in the 1820s as a digestive aid. He called it the house cup, which is where the "cup" part of the cocktail's eventual name came from, and began bottling his concoction beginning in the 1860s. 

As for the No.1 in the name, Pimm also created other cups, such as the No.2, which had Scotch, and the No.3 with brandy. While the bulk of Pimm's liqueurs are no longer around, there is still a Pimm's No. 3 that's marketed as Pimm's Winter Cup. As for the Pimm's Cup cocktail, if you want to make one, it's as simple as combining 1 ¾ ounces of Pimm's No. 1 with 5 ounces lemonade or ginger ale, slices of whatever fruit you favor (citrus, strawberries, apples) and a cucumber slice in a Collins glass full of ice. Stir, top with a sprig of mint, and drink.