London, England

John Collins

Also known as Whiskey Collins, Bourbon Collins

A tall, fizzy whiskey sour built right in the glass — citrusy, lightly sweet, and easy to drink.

whiskeylemonsourfizzyrefreshinghighballcitruslighteasy-drinkingtall

ABV

Difficulty

Overview

What this drink is like

The first sip is bright lemon and whiskey with a gentle sweetness underneath. In the middle, the soda lifts everything up and keeps it light. The finish is short and clean with just a trace of whiskey warmth.

Who will like it

For people who like sour, refreshing highballs but want something with more backbone than a vodka soda.

When to drink

A solid warm-weather afternoon drink, or anytime you want something cold and citrusy that still tastes like whiskey.

Ordering tip

If you want it less sweet, ask the bartender to go easy on the syrup or use extra lemon — most bars are happy to adjust.

Ice: CubedTemp: ColdCost: $2–$5Glass: CollinsBatch-friendlyHome bar friendly

Flavor

Taste profile

This is a bright, easy-drinking highball where the lemon does most of the talking. The whiskey gives it some weight and warmth underneath, but the soda keeps everything lifted and casual. It's not a drink that unfolds in layers — you get the whole picture on the first sip. The bitters add a faint spice note that you might not notice unless you look for it. Overall it's a warm-weather thirst-quencher, not a contemplative sipper.

Finish: The finish is short and clean, with a little whiskey warmth and lemon tang fading out quickly.

Primary tastes

soursweetfruity

Secondary

herbalearthy

Aroma

lemon zestwhiskey caramelbaking spice

Bitternessbarely bitter
Just a trace of bitterness from the Angostura, mostly in the background.
Sweetnessmoderately sweet
The simple syrup balances the lemon but doesn't make the drink sugary.
Sournessnoticeably tart
Fresh lemon juice gives it a bright, mouth-watering tartness that leads the flavor.
Strengthlight and sessionable
The soda stretches the whiskey down to an easy-drinking strength.
Refreshingvery refreshing
Cold, fizzy, and citrusy — this is about as refreshing as a whiskey drink gets.
Complexitystraightforward
A simple, honest mix of whiskey, citrus, sweet, and fizz — nothing hidden.

Recipe

Make it at home

Built · Collins · equal parts on Bourbon Whiskey. Any decent bourbon works; avoid anything too oaky or high-proof

Before you start

Make sure your soda water is cold and your Collins glass is clean. Have your lemon juiced and your ice ready before you start.

Ingredients

Bourbon WhiskeyBase Spirit45ml
Lemon juiceJuiceFresh squeezed only30ml
Simple syrupSyrup1:1 ratio sugar to water15ml
Soda waterSodaCold, freshly opened90ml
Angostura bittersBitters2 dashes
Lemon wheelGarnish1 piece
Maraschino cherryoptionalGarnishLuxardo or similar preferred1 piece

Garnish: Lemon wheel, Maraschino cherry

Tools

Collins glass · Serving
The tall glass you build and serve the drink in
At home: Any tall glass that holds at least 300ml
Jigger · Measuring
Measuring the whiskey, lemon juice, and syrup accurately
At home: Measuring spoons or a small measuring cup
Bar spoon · Mixing
Stirring the drink gently after adding soda so it stays fizzy
At home: A long spoon or chopstick
Citrus juicer · optional · Other
Extracting fresh lemon juice
At home: Squeeze by hand over a strainer

Steps

1
Take your Collins glass and fill it almost to the top with ice — big cubes if you have them, regular is fine. The ice should sit high enough that you can see it above where the liquid will reach.
!Filling the glass only halfway with ice, which makes the drink warm up fast and get watery.
2
Pour 45ml bourbon whiskey, 30ml fresh lemon juice, and 15ml simple syrup directly over the ice in the glass. Add 2 dashes of Angostura bitters on top. The bitters will sit on the surface for a moment before mixing in.
!Using bottled lemon juice — it tastes flat and metallic compared to fresh.
3
Take your bar spoon and stir everything together gently for about 10 seconds, moving the ice around so the whiskey, citrus, and syrup blend evenly. You'll know it's mixed when the liquid looks uniform and the glass feels cold to the touch.
~10s
!Stirring too aggressively and splashing liquid out of the glass.
4
Top the glass with about 90ml cold soda water, pouring it slowly down the inside of the glass so you keep as much fizz as possible. The drink should come up close to the rim.
!Pouring soda too fast and killing the carbonation before it reaches the glass.
5
Give the drink one gentle stir with your bar spoon — just a couple of turns to pull the soda through the mix without flattening it. You want the layers to blend but still keep the bubbles lively.
!Over-stirring after adding soda, which makes the drink go flat.
6
Place a lemon wheel on the rim of the glass and drop a maraschino cherry into the drink if you're using one. Serve it right away while it's still cold and fizzy.

Serve

Serve it in the Collins glass you built it in, packed with ice and topped with soda. Drink it soon — highballs don't wait around.

Variations

Ingredient substitutions

Each row shows what you can swap in place of an original ingredient, and how the drink changes.

Swap options for Bourbon Whiskey

Bourbon WhiskeyLondon Dry Gin
Match
Common availability
Bourbon Whiskey → London Dry Gin: Makes it a Tom Collins — lighter, more herbal, and crisper on the finish.
Bourbon WhiskeyRye Whiskey
Match
Common availability
Bourbon Whiskey → Rye Whiskey: Drier and spicier than bourbon, with less vanilla sweetness.
Bourbon WhiskeyIrish Whiskey
Match
Common availability
Bourbon Whiskey → Irish Whiskey: Smoother and lighter, with a subtle fruity note instead of bourbon's caramel.

Swap options for Simple syrup

Simple syrupSugar cube
Match
Common availability
Simple syrup → Sugar cube: Same sweetness but takes longer to dissolve and can leave grit in the drink.
Simple syrupHoney syrup
Match
Specialty availability
Simple syrup → Honey syrup: Adds a floral, slightly earthy sweetness that changes the character noticeably.

Swap options for Lemon juice

Lemon juiceLime juice
Match
Common availability
Lemon juice → Lime juice: Sharper and more fragrant, pushes the drink toward a whiskey-gimlet direction.

Similar cocktails

Cousin drinks that share DNA with this one — each profile stands on its own.

Similar cocktail

Tom Collins

Tom Collins uses gin instead of bourbon, making it lighter and more herbal.

Match

Both drinks are built the same way and taste similarly tart and fizzy, but the John Collins has a softer, richer base while the Tom Collins is sharper and more aromatic.

In common: Collins family, built highball, citrus-forward, refreshing

Ingredients

Both share

Lemon juice, Simple syrup, Soda water, Angostura bitters

Only in John Collins

Bourbon Whiskey

Only in Tom Collins

London Dry Gin

The only difference is the base spirit — bourbon gives the John Collins warmth and caramel notes, while gin gives the Tom Collins a dry, botanical edge.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Bright lemon tartness, light sweetness, fizzy soda lift

How Tom Collins differs

John Collins is rounder and warmer, Tom Collins is crisper and more herbal

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Whiskey Sour

The Whiskey Sour is shaken and served short without soda, making it stronger and more concentrated.

Match

They share the same core flavor, but the Whiskey Sour hits harder and drinks shorter, while the John Collins is diluted and refreshing.

In common: whiskey sour family, citrus-forward, balanced sweet-sour

Ingredients

Both share

Bourbon Whiskey, Lemon juice, Simple syrup

Only in John Collins

Soda water, Angostura bitters

The John Collins takes the same whiskey-sour base and stretches it with soda water, turning a short sour into a tall highball.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Bourbon warmth, lemon tartness, balanced sweetness

How Whiskey Sour differs

John Collins is lighter and fizzier, Whiskey Sour is stronger and more concentrated

View recipe & details →

Similar cocktail

Rum Collins

Rum Collins uses light rum instead of bourbon, making it lighter and slightly sweeter.

Match

Both are easy-drinking Collins highballs, but the rum version feels more tropical and the bourbon version feels richer.

In common: Collins family, built highball, citrus-forward, refreshing

Ingredients

Both share

Lemon juice, Simple syrup, Soda water

Only in John Collins

Bourbon Whiskey, Angostura bitters

Only in Rum Collins

Light Rum

Swapping bourbon for light rum removes the oaky warmth and adds a cleaner, slightly sugarcane sweetness.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Citrus tartness, fizzy texture, refreshing character

How Rum Collins differs

John Collins has caramel and oak notes, Rum Collins is cleaner and lighter

View recipe & details →

History

Origin

The John Collins emerged in London in the 1860s, likely at Limmer's Hotel, and was originally made with genever or Dutch gin. The name probably came from a headwaiter named John Collins who worked at the hotel. Over time, whiskey versions became common, and the drink settled into its modern bourbon-based form, with the gin version becoming known as Tom Collins.

Era: 1860s
Confidence

The original John Collins was likely made with genever, not bourbon. The bourbon version became standard in American bars, while the gin version became the Tom Collins. Recipes vary on whether bitters are included.

Practical

Tips & pitfalls

What works at home and what to skip when making this drink.

Tips

Worth knowing before you pour

Use fresh lemon juice — the bottled stuff tastes flat and metallic.
Add soda last and stir gently to keep the bubbles alive.
Taste before adding soda and adjust the syrup if your lemon is extra sour.
Chill your glass in the freezer for a few minutes if you have time.

Avoid

Common mistakes

Don't shake a Collins — it kills the soda and makes it flat.
Don't use too much syrup or the drink gets cloying fast.
Don't let it sit around; highballs are best drunk right away.