Easy
Fresh
2 Minutes
Highball Glass
Ingredients
Gin and Tonic – also commonly known as a “G&T” – is a classic cocktail made with gin, tonic water, and citrus garnish.
Known for its simplicity, a Gin and Tonic is one of the most popular highball drinks in the world and one of my personal favorites.
To say this drink is timeless is a great understatement; few drinks are as legendary or as popular as a Gin and Tonic.
How To Make a gin and tonic cocktail
Bar tools you’ll need
Jigger
Bar Spoon
How to Mix
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Fill a highball glass with ice cubes.
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Use a jigger (or measuring instrument) to measure and pour Beefeater Gin into the glass.
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Pour tonic water into the glass until it’s filled to the top.
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Use a bar spoon to give your drink a gentle stir.
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Cut a lemon wheel and garnish the glass edge or drop in.
All about the Gin and Tonic
A timeless two-ingredient mixed drink made with gin and tonic water, served in a highball glass.
Fresh, crisp, botanical, and mineral with a wonderful hint of citrus bitterness. It’s one of the most refreshing-tasting drinks you’ll ever taste.
The exact origins of the Gin and Tonic, like many classic cocktails, aren’t clear or documented. However, there is enough information to suggest it emerged in 19th-century British India, where soldiers combined gin with quinine-infused tonic water to make the bitter anti-malarial medicine palatable.
The first commercial tonic water was patented in 1858, following the British soldiers’ practice of mixing medicinal quinine with soda water in the early 1800s.
The Gin and Tonic gained widespread popularity in the mid-20th century, particularly during the 1950s. Today, the G&T remains one of the most popular drinks in the world, particularly in Spain and the UK.
- Pre-chill your highball glass
The key to perfecting a drink as simple as a G&T is all about the details. A little detail like chilling your highball glass can make a big difference to the drink experience. Put your glass in the freezer for 30 minutes – 2 hours before you plan on making the drink.
- Choose the best tonic water
You’ll find many different brands of tonic water in your local supermarket or liquor store. If you have a favorite brand of tonic water, choose that one. The relationship between the gin and the tonic water comes down to the quality of each. In other words, don’t skimp on quality.
The beauty of a Gin and Tonic lies in its simplicity and interplay of herbal and botanical elements. Here are some popular Gin and Tonic variations you can try at home.
- Replace Tonic Water with Ginger Ale
- Replace Tonic Water with Grapefruit Soda
- Garnish with cucumber
- Garnish with a sprig of rosemary.
The G&T is a classic for a reason. Therefore, we recommend serving it in a chilled highball glass with ice cubes and garnished with either a lime or lemon wedge.
If you want to add a twist to your G&T, see the variations section above.
Gin and Tonic FAQ
London Dry Gin. Our preference is Beefeater Dry London Gin.
You should preferably use a premium London Dry Gin gin but, of course, it also comes down to personal preference. Personally, I like to use Beefeater London Dry Gin in my G&T.
We recommend pouring the gin before the tonic water. First add ice cubes to the glass, then gin, followed by tonic water.
The “perfect” gin and tonic is usually 1:2 or 1:3 gin-to-tonic ratio. The perfect G&T also depends on the quality of your products. Therefore, you should use the best premium London Dry Gin you can find, high-quality tonic water, and garnish with a fresh lime or lemon wedge.
Ultimately, the perfect gin and tonic is the one that you like best. After all, everyone’s taste preferences are unique.
Yes, we recommend chilling your gin in the freezer. Although it’s not necessary, it will help keep the carbonation of your tonic water. How? Carbon dioxide (CO2) dissolves better in cold liquids, it’s less likely to escape, helping the drink maintain its fizz longer.
You should stir a Gin and Tonic. Can you imagine what would happen if you shook a carbonated beverage like tonic water?
The go-to ratio for a classic and versatile gin and tonic is 1 part gin to 2 parts tonic water.
Tradition says a G&T should be garnished with a lime wedge. However, for our recipe here, we went for a lemon wedge. It’s up to you – it’s your drink!
