Data ranking
Lowest Calorie Gin Cocktails, Ranked by Data
The lowest-calorie Gin cocktails in this data are Traditional Martini (Dry) (~106 kcal), Turf Cocktail (~108 kcal), Coronation Cocktail (~109 kcal).
A cocktail's calories come from the amount of alcohol in the serving and its calorie-containing ingredients, with serving size scaling both. ABV alone does not determine total calories — a small strong drink can carry fewer calories than a large lower-strength one. We reviewed 275 nutrition-complete cocktail recipes and found 25 that fit this guide. Median for this set: 128 kcal.
275Recipes reviewed
25Matching this guide
128 kcalMedian calories
1.6gMedian sugar
29.7%Median ABV
Ranked recipes
| # | Drink | Why it ranks | Calories | Nutrition | Alcohol | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Traditional Martini (Dry) | 106.0kcal | 106 kcal | 1.2g sugar · 1.8g carbs | 29.7% ABV · 1.00 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 2 | Turf Cocktail | 108.0kcal | 108 kcal | 1.6g sugar · 2.4g carbs | 30.5% ABV · 1.07 std | Cocktail |
| 3 | Coronation Cocktail | 109.0kcal | 109 kcal | 2.7g sugar · 4.0g carbs | 25.0% ABV · 0.94 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 4 | Prairie Chicken | 110.0kcal | 110 kcal | 0.1g sugar · 0.2g carbs | 21.9% ABV · 0.73 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 5 | Dubonnet Cocktail | 113.0kcal | 113 kcal | 3.6g sugar · 5.3g carbs | 24.7% ABV · 0.94 std | Cocktail |
| 6 | Hotel Plaza Cocktail | 113.0kcal | 113 kcal | 3.1g sugar · 4.4g carbs | 25.6% ABV · 0.96 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 7 | Plaza Cocktail | 113.0kcal | 113 kcal | 3.1g sugar · 4.4g carbs | 25.6% ABV · 0.96 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 8 | Trinity Cocktail | 113.0kcal | 113 kcal | 3.1g sugar · 4.4g carbs | 25.6% ABV · 0.96 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 9 | Chelsea Sidecar Cocktail | 122.0kcal | 122 kcal | 6.1g sugar · 8.2g carbs | 23.8% ABV · 0.89 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 10 | Dry Martini | 125.0kcal | 125 kcal | 0.4g sugar · 0.6g carbs | 39.2% ABV · 1.31 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 11 | Martini | 125.0kcal | 125 kcal | 0.4g sugar · 0.6g carbs | 39.2% ABV · 1.31 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 12 | Waikiki Beachcomber | 125.0kcal | 125 kcal | 7.0g sugar · 8.6g carbs | 26.7% ABV · 0.89 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 13 | Imperial Cocktail | 128.0kcal | 128 kcal | 7.9g sugar · 12.2g carbs | 13.2% ABV · 0.74 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 14 | Brown Cocktail | 129.0kcal | 129 kcal | 0.9g sugar · 1.3g carbs | 34.7% ABV · 1.30 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 15 | White Cargo Cocktail | 129.0kcal | 129 kcal | 6.2g sugar · 7.1g carbs | 21.9% ABV · 0.73 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 16 | Gin Cocktail | 136.0kcal | 136 kcal | 0.0g sugar · 0.0g carbs | 43.8% ABV · 1.50 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 17 | Long Island Iced Tea | 136.0kcal | 136 kcal | 0.1g sugar · 0.1g carbs | 42.5% ABV · 1.44 std | Cocktail |
| 18 | Pink Gin | 136.0kcal | 136 kcal | 0.0g sugar · 0.0g carbs | 43.8% ABV · 1.53 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 19 | Lone Tree Cocktail | 138.0kcal | 138 kcal | 2.2g sugar · 3.1g carbs | 34.7% ABV · 1.30 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 20 | Gin and Soda | 139.0kcal | 139 kcal | 0.2g sugar · 1.2g carbs | 11.9% ABV · 1.46 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 21 | Lasky Cocktail | 140.0kcal | 140 kcal | 11.1g sugar · 13.3g carbs | 23.8% ABV · 0.89 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 22 | Gin Toddy | 141.0kcal | 141 kcal | 1.4g sugar · 1.4g carbs | 36.2% ABV · 1.46 std | Cocktail |
| 23 | Queen Elizabeth | 142.0kcal | 142 kcal | 2.5g sugar · 3.5g carbs | 37.3% ABV · 1.40 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 24 | Derby | 143.0kcal | 143 kcal | 0.0g sugar · 0.0g carbs | 42.5% ABV · 1.48 std | Quick, easy serve |
| 25 | Casino | 145.0kcal | 145 kcal | 0.3g sugar · 0.5g carbs | 41.3% ABV · 1.48 std | Cocktail |
All nutrition values are estimates based on standard recipe quantities. — = data not available.
Best picks by use case
Watch-out factors for calories
- Large pours of any spirit — the amount of alcohol in the serving is a major calorie source, so serving size matters as much as ABV
- Cream and full-fat dairy — adds significant calories per serve
- Liqueurs — sugar + alcohol together
- Double pours — a 60ml serve is twice the calories of a 30ml serve
- Tonic water — contains both sugar and flavour; not as neutral as soda water
Methodology
Across 966 qualifying cocktails in WhatDrink's broader study, sugar per serving was strongly associated with calories per U.S. standard drink (Spearman ρ ≈ 0.78). The analysis is observational and does not establish causation. Sugar and alcohol remain separate dimensions, so use the ABV / standard-drink guides when alcohol strength is the decision.
These are the lowest-calorie gin cocktails in WhatDrink's current recipe data. See the typical calorie range across gin cocktails for how a normal serving compares.
Is this guide right for you?
Good fit if:
- You want to compare estimated calorie counts across cocktail recipes
- You want alcohol context alongside calorie numbers
- You want a data-backed shortlist rather than a generic recipe list
Poor fit if:
- You assume lower calories automatically means lower alcohol — it does not
- You need medical, dietary, or clinical nutrition advice
- You need exact bar-specific values — these are recipe estimates
Frequently asked questions
- What drives the calorie count in a gin cocktail?
- Two things dominate: the amount of alcohol in the serving and any calorie-containing ingredients (sugar-heavy mixers such as liqueurs, syrups, and fruit juice). Serving size ties them together, because a larger pour scales both up. ABV on its own does not determine total calories — a small high-ABV drink can carry fewer calories than a large lower-ABV one.
- Which gin cocktail in this list has the fewest calories?
- Based on WhatDrink recipe data, Traditional Martini (Dry) ranks lowest in estimated calories in this list. Actual values vary by pour size and preparation.
- Does lower calories always mean a healthier drink?
- Not necessarily. A single lower metric does not make a cocktail healthier overall. Alcohol, calories, sugar, carbs, serving size, and individual context are different dimensions. Use this ranking for relative comparison on estimated calorie count, then check the other displayed metrics separately.
- How should I use this page to choose a drink?
- The table lets you compare gin cocktails side by side on calories. Click through to any individual cocktail page for the full ingredient list and nutrition breakdown. The "Top picks" panel adds cross-metric context without changing the page's primary ranking method.
- How many gin cocktails are on this page?
- This ranking includes 25 gin cocktails that pass WhatDrink's recipe quality and data completeness filters. The list updates as new recipes are added to the database.
- Why focus on gin specifically?
- Gin is the base spirit, which sets the alcohol foundation. The mixers and modifiers around it determine most of the sugar and calorie variation, making gin cocktails a useful controlled comparison.