Gin & Tonic recipe
The simplest great drink — and the hardest to make perfectly.
Method: Build ·
Glass: Copa glass or highball ·
Time: 2 min ·
Difficulty: Beginner ·
Family: The Highball Family
Ingredients
- 2 oz Gin (Choose based on style — London Dry, Plymouth, or New Western)
- 4-5 oz Premium Tonic Water (Fever-Tree, Q Tonic, or East Imperial)
How to make a Gin & Tonic
- Fill a copa glass or highball with ice to the top.
- Pour gin over the ice.
- Tilt the glass and pour tonic slowly down the side to preserve carbonation.
- Give one gentle stir — just one — to integrate.
- Add your garnish.
Garnish
Depends on gin botanicals — lime for London Dry, cucumber for Hendrick's, grapefruit for New Western.
Pro tip
The tonic is 60-70% of this drink, so never use cheap tonic. Fever-Tree changed the game — their Indian Tonic Water has real quinine and natural botanicals. Also, pour the tonic slowly down the side of the glass. Dumping it in kills the bubbles.
History of the Gin & Tonic
British soldiers in colonial India took quinine to prevent malaria, but it was incredibly bitter. They mixed it with water, sugar, lime, and gin to make it palatable — creating the G&T. The drink traveled back to England and became a staple of British culture. Today, Spain's 'gin-tonic' culture has elevated it to an art form.
Flavour profile
Botanical, Bitter, Refreshing, Crisp
Variations
- Spanish G&T — Use a copa glass, premium tonic, and elaborate garnishes (herbs, spices, citrus)
- Elderflower G&T — Add 0.5 oz St-Germain elderflower liqueur
- Pink G&T — Use pink gin (or add a splash of Aperol) with grapefruit tonic
Practise making the Gin & Tonic in the free Virtual Bar game.