How to UP your Gin & Tonic Game at Home

A Gin & Tonic is a classic cocktail drink, which is fabulous on it’s own. Like anything in life though, it can totally be jazzed up with just a few simple details. Here are some ideas on how you can up your gin & tonic game at home to enjoy the best G&T cocktail every single time.

A gin & tonic cocktail has become one of my go to drinks, late in life, relatively speaking. I always believed gin was a drunk’s drink, but about a little over a decade ago I discovered gin. Yum! It started with Lime Rickeys, moved onto Gin & Tonics and now my favorite cocktail is a French 75.

Anyway, the G&T is a great summer drink, since they are super refreshing and best served with plenty of ice. And of course I strive to make my gin & tonics not only delicious but also pretty. It’s all about the Good life and striving for Joie de Vivre.

About the Gin & Tonic Drink

Both Lime Rickeys and Gin& Tonics seem to have origins as preventive elixirs for medical purposes. Lime Rickey’s used for sailors to prevent scurvy and G&Ts were used to combat infectious diseases in the British Colonies. So what I gather is that it is a healthy drink, which is good for you. That’s my story, and I am sticking to it.

Apparently, gin & tonics are a big thing in Spain’s cocktail scene. I never knew that until I did some research for this post. My dad was born in Spain, so I found it super interesting. Also one of our favorite Spanish local restaurants, Telefèric Barcelona, has a fabulous G&T, and now I know why. I have connected the dots, since I always wondered why a Spanish restaurant had an assortment of fancy G&Ts. The cocktails are incredibly delicious and beautiful as well. Mystery solved, and another reason to add to the list of why I want to visit Spain so badly.

In Spain G&Ts are served in a balloon glass. The version of G&T I prefer at Telefèric Barcelona comes garnished with an orange slice, rosemary sprig, juniper berries and an orchid flower. Love. We always drink (eat) with our eyes first and this is a feast for our sight. I am not aware of what gin or tonic water they use, but I’m tempted to inquire next time I’m there.

How to make the best Gin & Tonic Cocktail at Home

Of course, like with any recipe, your end result will only be as good as the parts. You always want to use the best ingredients possible, which in this case means the best gin and tonic water possible. The key to a great gin and tonic recipe is to balance the bitterness of the tonic against the bite of the gin, never tasting one much over the other. With a few simple garnish details you can elevate a basic gin & tonic drink to a Gin & Tonic home crafted cocktail worthy of a cocktail runway.

Gin

Gin is the KEY ingredient. Our everyday gin of choice is Bombay Dry, but there are other gins that have captured my heart. The Queensmen Dry gin is also a favorite around here. Empress Gin is fun with its violet color if you want to try something different. As far as flavor is concerned, I recommend a classic dry gin.

Tonic

Tonic is the MAIN ingredient. A well-chosen tonic plays well with the complexity of gin, allowing it to really strut its stuff. Our favorite tonic to use around here is Fever Tree.

Ice Cubes

Whatever type of ice cubes you choose to use make sure you have plenty to fill your glass. That’s key to a good gin & tonic, making it refreshingly chilled. I actually like to infuse my ice cubes with another garnish or aromatic to allow the flavor to come out in the drink as it melts. I shared in this post {how to make lavender ice cube stirrers} how you can create your own. I’ve used varied fruits and herbs, including lavender, rosemary, limes and berries to name a few.

I read a recommendation to use a big ice cube so it will melt slower not watering down your drink. I actually prefer when the ice melts down a bit, mellowing all the flavors. These infused ice cubes actually add more depth of flavor to the drink as they melt and infuse another layer of flavor.

Garnishes

Although the traditional garnish accompaniment for a traditional G&T is a wedge of lime, other citrus fruits can add a different burst of flavor, including lemon, grapefruit and orange. Other fruits can be used too like berries or even pineapple for a tropical twist. .

Vegetables and herbs also infuse a different flavor profile bursting with freshness and herbaceousness. I have a girlfriend who loves to start by mulling cucumber to build her gin & tonic cocktail, which is super fresh. Rosemary, thyme, basil and mint are all great herb choices to add to a gin & tonic. They not only add a pop of flavor but make your drink super pretty as well.

Gin & Tonic Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 oz gin
• 4 oz tonic
• .5 oz (splash) lime juice
• garnish

Directions

• Fill you glass with ice all the way to the top.
• Add gin

• Add tonic
• Add lime juice

• Mix well with a long spoon or stirrer to combine thoroughly
• Garnish as desired

Closing Thoughts about Making the best Gin & Tonic Cocktails at Home

Don’t over complicate things, and only choose one or two key flavors. The gin & tonic cocktail is simple, which is one of its charms. You don’t want to lose that simple appeal, but certainly inject some interest in an edited fashion. The fact that it’s such a simple recipe is what opens it up to play well with added flavors and details.

We recently planted our home vegetable garden for the season and one of the new things we included this year are pansy flowers. I added them with thoughts of desserts in mind, but it makes a great garnish for G&Ts as well. I was inspired by the orchid at the Spanish restaurant and added it to a G&T cocktail with juniper berries, which is another fabulous garnish. The pansy does not enhance the flavor per se, but it makes for a pretty beverage. A great party trick when you’re mixing & mingling with friends and family in your home.

Other Mixed Drinks

“Life is a crazy mixture of intoxicating cocktails.” 

Ken Poirot

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sharing @between naps on the porch