Grab your Porter’s Tropical Old Tom Gin because this one is basically summer in a highball glass. It takes the classic Floradora and gives it a raspberry ginger glow up that you will want on repeat all season.
What Is a Tropical Floradora
The original Floradora is a gin classic dating back to the early 1900s, named after a Broadway musical, and it has stuck around because it is just so easy to love. This tropical version keeps that same bright, fizzy spirit but swaps in Porter’s Tropical Old Tom Gin for extra warmth and depth. If you want the full story on where the Floradora comes from, we have got you covered on the classic Floradora recipe too.
What It Tastes Like
Think juicy raspberry meeting sharp lime meeting a gentle ginger kick, all rounded out by the soft sweetness Old Tom gin brings to the party. It is fruity without being cloying and spicy without taking over, which makes it dangerously easy to drink more than one.
How to Make a Tropical Floradora
Shake your gin, lime juice, sugar syrup, ginger syrup, and raspberries together with ice until everything is nicely muddled and chilled. Strain into a glass over fresh ice, top with ginger ale, and finish with a lime wedge and a raspberry for garnish. Full measurements are right in the recipe card below.
Tips for the Best Tropical Floradora
Homemade ginger syrup takes this drink to another level. Simmer equal parts sugar and water with a generous handful of fresh ginger slices for about ten minutes, then strain and cool. It keeps in the fridge for a couple of weeks and you will find yourself drizzling it into everything.
If you cannot get your hands on Porter’s Tropical Old Tom Gin, any Old Tom style gin will work beautifully here. Old Tom sits right between a London Dry and a Genever, so it brings a rounder, slightly sweeter base that plays so well with the raspberry and ginger.
Ways to Switch It Up
Want to keep things lighter? Cut the gin in half and top with extra ginger ale for a low ABV version, or skip the alcohol entirely and let the raspberry, lime, and ginger carry the show on their own.
Hosting a crowd? Batch the gin, lime juice, sugar syrup, ginger syrup, and muddled raspberries together in a pitcher ahead of time, then just add ice and top with ginger ale glass by glass as your guests arrive.
Craving more Floradora energy? Our Sing Gin Floradora is another gorgeous way to riff on the classic.
Why Lush Life Loves It
This drink is proof that a tropical twist does not need a dozen ingredients to feel special. Porter’s Tropical Old Tom Gin already does so much of the work, so all this cocktail needs from you is five minutes and a shaker. It is the kind of drink that makes you look like you tried way harder than you did.
FAQ
Can I use a different gin? Yes, any Old Tom style gin will work well here, it will just shift the sweetness slightly depending on the brand.
Can I make this ahead for a party? Absolutely, batch everything except the ginger ale and ice, then top individual glasses as you serve.
Is there a non-alcoholic version? Yes, simply skip the gin and let the raspberry, lime, and ginger syrup shine on their own over ice and ginger ale.
What does Old Tom gin taste like? It sits between a London Dry gin and a Dutch Genever, slightly sweeter and rounder than a classic dry gin.
Here is the recipe
Tropical Floradora
Equipment
Ingredients
- 50 ml Porter’s Tropical Old Tom
- 25 ml lime juice
- 10 ml sugar syrup
- 10 ml ginger syrup
- 3 raspberries
- 80 ml Ginger Ale
Instructions
- Add the gin, lime juice, sugar syrup, ginger syrup and raspberries to a shaker with ice.
- Shake well until chilled
- Strain into a glass and ice
- Top up with Ginger Ale
- Garnish with a lime wedge and a raspberry