Pimm's No.1 is the original English fruit cup, first served by James Pimm at his London oyster bar in the early nineteenth century. Built on a gin base, it blends a closely guarded recipe of herbal botanicals, caramelised orange and warm spice into a deep amber aperitif that has become a fixture of the British summer.
The flavour is smooth and mellow rather than spirit-heavy, with marmalade-like orange, a gentle bitterness and a whisper of spice carrying through a soft, refreshing finish. It is made to be lengthened rather than sipped neat.
The classic serve is a Pimm's Cup: poured long over ice with chilled lemonade, then loaded with sliced strawberries, orange, cucumber and a few sprigs of mint. Easy, festive and endlessly drinkable, it is as much at home at a garden party as it is trackside on a warm afternoon.