Photograph: Joakim Blockstrom

This fresh summer drink is a twist on the classic Collins that combines gin, sugar and lemon juice then is lengthened with something fresh and sparkling. There are many stories surrounding the origins of the name “Collins”; my favourite, however, quotes this poem from the 1830s about John Collins from the Limmer’s Hotel. The hotel bar itself was a late night haunt for gentlemen in the “sporting world” and although described as “dirty, gloomy and comfortless” it was famous for its gin punch and almost always fully booked.

My name is John Collins, head waiter at Limmer’s,
Corner of Conduit Street, Hanover Square,
My chief occupation is filling brimmers
For all the young gentlemen frequenters there.

The drink was first memorialised in writing in 1876 by celebrated bar tender and author of How to Mix Drinks, Jerry Thomas, as a “gin and sparkling lemonade”. It has been updated for our No.3 Gin by Michele Mariotti of Jason Atherton’s new bar and restaurant Sosharu.