Gin and tonic

Ingredients

• 50 mlLondon dry gin, chilled
• 150 mlIndian tonic water, freshly opened and fridge-cold
• 1lime wedge or a wide strip of lemon peel
• Cubed ice, enough to fill the glass to the brim (about 200 g)

Glassware

• 1highball or a Spanish copa de balon, chilled in the freezer 10 minutes

Directions

1. Chill the glass in the freezer for 10 minutes, or fill it with ice and water, swirl and discard, so the drink is not warmed by the glassware.
2. Fill the glass to the very top with hard, cubed ice. A full glass melts more slowly than a half-full one, so more ice means less dilution, not more.
3. Pour the gin over the ice and give it a brief stir with a bar spoon to chill it and take the alcoholic edge off.
4. Open the tonic at the last moment and pour it slowly down the bar spoon or the inside wall of the glass, so the carbonation is preserved rather than knocked out.
5. Stir once, gently, from the bottom up, and no more; every extra stir costs bubbles.
6. Squeeze the lime wedge lightly over the surface and drop it in, or express a lemon peel over the drink, rub it round the rim and add it.
7. Serve immediately with a straw or none, while the tonic is still visibly fizzing.
8. Taste: it should be bracingly cold, dry and bitter, with juniper on the nose and quinine on the finish. Add a touch more tonic if the gin dominates.

Technique

• Ratio matters more than brand. 1:3 gin to tonic is the British standard; 1:2 is a stiff pour, and 1:4 is where the juniper disappears.
• Use small bottles or cans of tonic. A large bottle goes flat after the first pour and a flat G and T is a sad, syrupy thing.
• Lime is standard in Britain; lemon is the older garnish and suits classic juniper-forward gins better.

Substitutions

• No fresh citrus? A dash of orange bitters or a sprig of rosemary lifts the drink, though it is no longer strictly classic.
• For a lower-alcohol version, use 35 ml gin in the same volume of tonic rather than diluting with extra ice.

Variations

• Gin and tonic espanol, served in a huge balloon glass with juniper berries, peppercorns and a citrus wheel.
• The Gin and It, gin stirred with sweet vermouth and no tonic at all.
• Pink gin and tonic, made with a sloe or pink gin and a strawberry garnish.

History

British officers in India mixed quinine tonic with gin to mask its bitterness; it became a defining British drink.

Frequently asked questions

What is Gin and tonic?

Gin and tonic is a cocktail from United Kingdom: gin over ice with tonic water and a lime or lemon wedge. British officers in India mixed quinine tonic with gin to mask its bitterness; it became a defining British drink.

How long does Gin and tonic take to make?

Gin and tonic takes 3 min of preparation and 0 min of cooking. The recipe makes 1 drink. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Gin and tonic?

Yes, within limits. No fresh citrus? A dash of orange bitters or a sprig of rosemary lifts the drink, though it is no longer strictly classic. For a lower-alcohol version, use 35 ml gin in the same volume of tonic rather than diluting with extra ice.

What is the most important thing to get right in Gin and tonic?

Open the tonic at the last moment and pour it slowly down the bar spoon or the inside wall of the glass, so the carbonation is preserved rather than knocked out.