Gin & Tonic
An ice-cold classic in which gin's botanical depth meets tonic's crisp, bitter fizz in perfect balance.
Ingredients
- Gin, a high-quality London Dry50 ml
- Ice, large, clear ice cubesfill the glass
- Tonic water, chilled, premium tonic by preferencetop up
- Lime, to garnish (optional)1 wedge
Method
- Fill the balloon glass to the brim with large ice cubes.
- Pour the gin over the ice and stir briefly to give it a quick chill.
- Squeeze a lime wedge lightly over the gin, then drop it into the glass.
- Top up gently with cold tonic, pouring it slowly down a bar spoon to keep the bubbles.
- Give the drink a single gentle stir to bring it together without knocking out the fizz.
- Serve at once, while it is ice-cold and full of sparkle.
About this drink
The Gin & Tonic took shape in nineteenth-century India, where British officers mixed quinine-laced tonic with gin to make their bitter malaria medicine palatable. What began as a necessity became one of the world's best-loved serves, thanks to its simple, refreshing strength. Today a good G&T is about precision: cold, sparkling, and with room for the gin's botanicals to unfold.
Questions and answers
Why does a Gin & Tonic taste different from bar to bar?
The ratio of gin to tonic, the tonic's own sugar content and how cold the ice stays all change the taste markedly. The same two ingredients can make very different drinks depending on those details.
Should the tonic match the style of the gin?
It helps. A herbal gin does well with a simple, classic tonic, while a citrus-forward gin can carry a more aromatic, spiced tonic. There is no wrong choice, just different experiences.
