Grand Slam Cocktails

Wimbledon has to be the most proper sporting event ever. Players battle it out on traditional grass courts in classic tennis whites, while members of the royal family look on from their courtside box. Even loudmouth John McEnroe has enough sense to speak in hushed tones. But underneath all the decorum and etiquette, the fans at the matches are actually partying like they’re at a NASCAR race. During the course of the championship, 200,000 Pimm’s Cups (the unofficial cocktail of Wimbledon) are served. Plus, the tennis faithful put away 100,000 pints of beer and 20,000 bottles of champagne. Forget points and aces—those might be the tournament’s most impressive stats of all.

To get the full Wimbledon experience, put on your tennis sweater, tune in the day’s matches and start mixing drinks. To help you out, we asked two of our favorite British bartenders—Dan Warner, brand ambassador for Beefeater Gin, and Angus Winchester, global ambassador for the House of Tanqueray Gin—for drinks that are perfect for a day of tennis. How civilized.

Pimm’s Cup

Contributed by: Angus Winchester

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 oz Pimm’s No. 1
• 3 oz Sprite or 7Up
• Cucumber slice
• Strawberry, hulled and cut into quarters
• Half an orange slice
• Half a lemon slice
• 6 Mint leaves
• Mint sprig
• Glass: Highball

PREPARATION:
Add all the ingredients to a highball glass filled with ice. To mix things up a bit, you can replace the Sprite or 7Up with ginger ale, champagne or ginger beer.

Gone Native

Contributed by: Angus Winchester

INGREDIENTS:

• 1.5 oz Tanqueray Gin
• .5 oz Pimm’s No. 1
• .5 oz Fresh lemon juice
• 1 oz Guava juice
• 1 oz Apple juice
• 1 barspoon Simple syrup (one part sugar, one part water)
• 4 Mint leaves
• Glass: Collins
• Garnish: Mint sprig

PREPARATION:
Shake all the ingredients with ice and strain into a Collins glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Waterloo Sunset

Contributed by: Dan Warner

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 oz Beefeater Gin
• .25 oz St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur
• .25 oz Chambord
• Brut champagne
• Garnish: Raspberry on a toothpick
• Glass: Flute

PREPARATION:
In a mixing glass stir the Beefeater Gin and elderflower liqueur with ice. Strain the drink into a flute and top with champagne and the Chambord. Garnish with a raspberry on a toothpick.