12 Gin Cocktails to Toast Summer

A cold gin and tonic is a pretty perfect thing: There's the herbal bite of the gin, the zing of the lime, the fizz of the tonic. There are a bunch of ice cubes clinking around in a tall glass. You can drink it through a straw. It makes us want to be barefoot. And who are we to mess with a perfect thing? BUT: While we love the classics, it's just as much fun to try new things. Go ahead, reach for the gin—but try one of these instead of your tried-and-true G&T. (And if you just can't shake the G&T habit, we've got a fresh play on that, too.)

Mix things up with some of the cocktails below:

Drinking with a crowd? Try a big batch of easy-drinking gin punch.

Bowery Punch by Food52

Mother's Ruin Punch by Kenzi Wilbur

Boozy Watermelon Rosemary Lemonade by piccantedolce

Booze-heavier gin cocktails, like the Negroni, make proper apertifs. These ones are citrusy and bright without being too sweet.

Last Word by Erik Lombardo

The Gin Hound by JRDsquared

The Negroni by Erika Kotite

The Pessimist's Requiem by ProfPessimist

Darkness At the Edge of Town by fiveandspice

Pull out the highball glasses for these fresh, cold, seltzer-topped drinks, which highlight gin's cooler herbal notes.

Lemon Lavender Gin Rickey by Samantha Weiss Hills

Lotus Cocktail by drinkoftheweek

Rosemary Gin Cocktail by Amy Stafford @ A Healthy Life For Me

Minty Orange Gimlet by Rebecca Firkser

Hosting a happy hour? Don't forget the snacks!