Gin, lemon, and crème de mûre over crushed ice — Dick Bradsell's 1984 London masterpiece.
The Bramble was created by Dick Bradsell at Fred's Club in London in 1984. Bradsell — widely considered the godfather of the modern London cocktail scene — was inspired by picking blackberries as a child on the Isle of Wight. He wanted to create a quintessentially British cocktail.
The visual effect is part of the point: the deep purple of the crème de mûre bleeds through the white crushed ice, creating something that looks as good as it tastes. The drink popularised the drizzle-over-ice technique that dozens of modern cocktails now use. Bradsell also created the Espresso Martini.
Replace crème de mûre with strawberry liqueur (Mathilde Fraise). Sweeter and more approachable for those who find blackberry too tart.
Replace the crème de mûre with sloe gin. More traditionally British, and gives the drink an almond-berry edge.
Shake together gin, lemon, simple syrup, and ¼ oz crème de mûre all at once. A more integrated version that gives up the visual effect but delivers a cleaner flavour.