Some drinks are simply made for the season. In Britain, where summer arrives like a guest you’re never quite sure will turn up, Pimm’s Cup is the faithful standby – a bright, crisp concoction that appears the moment the sun does.

Served in tall glasses brimming with fruit, herbs and fizz, it’s more than just a cocktail – it’s a ritual, a tradition, and a cheerful marker of short-lived warmth.

The story of Pimm’s begins in 1840s London, when James Pimm, a former oyster bar owner, created a secret blend of herbs, spices and fruit extracts to aid digestion. He served it in small tankards to his clientele, calling it a ‘health tonic’ – and it quickly gained popularity. That original blend is now known as Pimm’s No. 1 Cup, a gin-based liqueur with a flavour that’s lightly spiced, citrusy and gently herbal.

Though originally intended as a digestive, by the 20th century, Pimm’s had become the drink of summer parties, garden picnics and sporting events. Its transformation into a national treasure was complete when it became the official drink of Wimbledon – where, even today, thousands of glasses are poured every year under white marquees and beneath hopeful skies.

The traditional Pimm’s Cup is deceptively simple: Pimm’s No. 1, lemonade (the clear, fizzy kind), and a medley of fresh garnishes – usually cucumber, orange slices, strawberries, mint, and sometimes apple or borage. It’s a drink that encourages creativity, and everyone has their preferred balance. Some add a splash of ginger ale or sparkling wine, others keep it strictly classic. But always, it is served cold, over plenty of ice, and meant to be sipped slowly in good company.

Its appeal lies not just in taste, but in the atmosphere it creates – light, informal and unmistakably summery. Unlike stronger cocktails, it doesn’t overpower the palate or the mood. It’s designed to be social – served by the jug, not the glass – and its fruit-laden appearance adds to the festive, almost celebratory feeling it brings to the table.

In Cyprus, with its long, golden summers and growing interest in global flavours, Pimm’s has started to find an audience. The island’s abundance of summer fruit – sweet oranges, crisp apples, and garden cucumbers – means local versions of the drink are easy to assemble, and often beautifully colourful.

More than a cocktail, Pimm’s Cup is a state of mind – optimistic, sociable and lightly nostalgic. It carries with it the spirit of white dresses and straw hats, of tennis and village fêtes, of laughter and sunshine and the knowledge that summer, however brief, should be celebrated while it lasts.

To pour a glass of Pimm’s is to mark the moment – to raise a toast not just to the season, but to the joy of being present in it.