The Biggest Theories On How The Classic Tom Collins Cocktail Got Its Name

The Online Wine Course goes on to note that the John Collins name came from the headwaiter at Limmer's Old House, a hotel and coffee house in London, England in the late 18th century to early 19th century. Eventually, the brands London Gin and Old Tom Gin came into fashion, and "The Steward and Barkeeper's Manual of 1869" referenced the recipe for John Collins, replacing genever with, specifically, Old Tom Gin. It's possible that patrons asking for an "Old Tom Collins" led to the gin, lemon, sugar, and soda drink becoming known as the Tom Collins. 

In 2008, mixologist Gaz Regan wrote about Tom Collins history for the San Francisco Chronicle and shared a song that had existed about the original John Collins: "My name is John Collins, headwaiter at Limmer's / Corner of Conduit Street, Hanover Square / My chief occupation is filling brimmers / For all the young gentlemen frequenters there." Regan also discussed another possible origin for the Tom Collins moniker, which came from the 1870s equivalent of a meme. 

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