Gin and Tonic Recipe
Gin, tonic and a good garnish. Ratio decides everything.
A gin and tonic has two ingredients, so ratio, ice and tonic quality decide how good it is. Lots of ice keeps it from going flat.
Ingredients
- 50 ml Gin
- 150 ml Chilled tonic water
- 1 wedge Lime or cucumber slice For the garnish
Garnish: Lime wedge or cucumber slice
How to Make a Gin and Tonic
- Fill a large glass with ice to the top.
- Add the gin.
- Pour chilled tonic slowly down the side of the glass.
- Stir once, gently.
- Add the garnish.
Best Bottles for a Gin and Tonic in India
Strong juniper holds up to tonic
Lighter and more floral
Classic budget gin
Indian craft option
Indian craft gin with botanical depth
Indian gin with local botanicals
Prices are the lowest listed India price and vary by state. Check each spirit page for the full state-wise table.
Tips for a Better Gin and Tonic
- Fill the glass completely with ice. More ice means slower melting and a cooler drink.
- Pour tonic down the side or down a bar spoon to keep the bubbles.
- Buy small bottles of tonic. Once opened, the fizz fades within hours.
About the Gin and Tonic
The Gin and Tonic began as medicine in British India. Quinine, extracted from cinchona bark, was the only effective protection against malaria in the 19th century, and it was intensely bitter. Officers of the British Indian Army took their daily dose dissolved in water with sugar and lime, and added their gin ration.
Commercial tonic water followed. Erasmus Bond patented the first one in London in 1858, and Schweppes launched its Indian Quinine Tonic in the 1870s. Modern tonic contains far less quinine, enough for flavour but not for medicine.
The drink was reinvented in Spain in the 2000s as the "gin-tonic": a large balloon glass, plenty of ice, premium tonic and a garnish chosen to match the gin. That style spread through Europe, the United Kingdom and Australia and fuelled the craft gin boom, including India's own new wave of gins.
Gin and Tonic Variations
- Spanish Gin-Tonic: a balloon glass, lots of ice and botanicals such as juniper berries, citrus peel or rosemary.
- Pink Gin and Tonic: pink gin with strawberries, or a dash of Angostura bitters.
- Gin Sonic: half tonic and half soda water for a drier, lighter drink.
- Elderflower Gin and Tonic: add 10ml of elderflower cordial or use elderflower tonic.
- Nimbu Pani Gin Cooler: an Indian take with salted lemonade and roasted cumin.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is in a Gin and Tonic?
How strong is a Gin and Tonic?
What is the best gin to tonic ratio?
What is the best gin for a Gin and Tonic?
Which garnish goes with which gin?
Does tonic water prevent malaria?
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