This Simple But Refreshing Gin Cocktail Captures Star-Crossed Romance In A Glass

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Just like the Shakespearean play it's named after, the Juliet & Romeo cocktail brings its own sense of romance, drama, and urgency. This modern classic may inspire passion and longing, but will end with, hopefully, little more than an evening of debauchery. No tragedies here. 

At first sip, this alluring beauty, created by Toby Maloney of Chicago's iconic cocktail bar The Violet Hour, can be classified as a classic gin sour, with a base of gin, simple syrup, and fresh lime juice, but that's only the beginning of the story. As its foundation, this cocktail requires the notes of juniper and citrus found in a London dry gin such as Beefeater, but in a pinch you could also use Tanqueray or Sipsmith.

Other essential players includes cucumber, rosewater, mint, simple syrup, a hint of Angostura bitters (which offers warm notes of cinnamon, clove, orange peel, and gentian root), as well as a dash of salt, which according to the drink's creator is essential to making this cocktail truly "pop." 

As with most things, the devil's in the details. In this surprisingly simple yet technically-driven recipe, a pinch of salt is added to muddled cucumber to enhance its crisp, clean natural flavor; the mint leaf garnish is delicately adorned with just three drops of the bitters; and ideally, the drink should be served in a chilled coupe. But nobody will judge you if you drink it out of a juice glass. We do what we must.

Maloney's twist on an herbaceous English garden was a top seller at the bar for 12 years. It may be fair to say that this innocently deceptive drink has become a gateway cocktail to the world of gin, thanks to the James Beard Award winning mixologist of the now shuttered, but still highly-regarded, craft cocktail bar once located in Chicago's Wicker Park. 

Maloney's intention was to craft a cocktail that would prove to those who loathe gin that they could be wooed, if only by the most superb of gin-driven drinks — mayhaps like how Romeo wooed his fair lady. In fact, Maloney used this exact gin cocktail to woo his girlfriend into becoming his fiancée. 

Maloney's talents and years of experience set him up for success and well-earned recognition. He's garnered national acclaim as a mixologist, rising through the ranks at Sasha Petraske's Milk & Honey, as well as Flatiron Room and Pegu Club. He eventually published a book in 2022 called "The Bartender's Manifesto: How to Think, Drink, and Create Cocktails," which includes a recipe for his shining star, Juliet & Romeo. Enter the love struck coupe, stage right.

The point is, the Juliet & Romeo is unforgettable — it's a cocktail that tastes like a walk down memory lane, reminiscent of young romance, folly and forever. We hope you think so too.