Gin is kind of a big deal, so much so that it's now widely celebrated with its very own day! International Gin & Tonic day gives everyone an excuse to pour themselves a G&T, Negroni or just over some ice (yes, it can taste good).
But our personal favourite has to be the gin and tonic, a perfect blend of bitter and a touch of sweetness, the glass packed with ice, and a soft blue glow from Indian tonic. It's a year-round drink but best enjoyed in the heat, when nothing else will taste so refreshing.
Gone are the days when a mere slither of lemon or lime will suffice; now many bars offer a selection of garnishes from grapefruit to rosemary. But if you're looking for something a little more adventurous, we've done the sciencey research to come up with six easy twists on the classic, and what gin to choose for each.
All recipes are based on 50ml of your chosen gin and 200ml tonic (unless otherwise stated), but adjust according to taste. Fill the glass with as much ice as you can fit, which decreases the chance of melting, keeping your drink colder for longer. Cheers!
Raspberry & Rose
Rosewater isn't to everyone's taste, but don't discount it until you've tried this combination. The soft floral notes complement the sharp acidity of the raspberry, making for a drink that would go with a middle-eastern BBQ of lamb, halloumi and pomegranate salad.
We would recommend creating this cocktail with Scottish craft gin, Rock Rose. It's made on the northern tip of Scotland, with local ingredients including rose root, lending the gin a delicate and floral flavour.
Ingredients (Makes 1)
50ml gin
4 raspberries
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp lime juice
1 drop rosewater
Tonic water
Rose petals, to garnish
Ice
Method
Muddle two of the raspberries with the sugar, lime juice, rosewater and gin. Fill the glass with ice and top with tonic, garnishing the drink with rose petals and the remaining raspberries.
Photographed by Roxana Azar
Ginger
Think fresh ginger tea, but with gin. This is more of a garnish than a cocktail, but the ginger adds a noticeable sweet spice.
Choose a spiced gin to enhance this flavour, such as the distinctly-flavoured spiced Opihr. The gin is made from ingredients spread across the globe, including Indonesian cubeb berries, Indian black pepper and Moroccan coriander.
Ingredients (Makes 1)
50ml gin
1cm slice of fresh ginger
Tonic water
Ice
Method
Fill a glass with ice and add your gin. Top with tonic, and slithers of fresh ginger.
Photographed by Roxana Azar
Lemon & Thyme
Ice and a slice? Update the pub classic with the flavour of thyme, for a more sophisticated taste. A traditional London gin works best here, we love the unsweetened and earthy Jensen's Old Tom.
To make a batch of the thyme syrup add 200g white sugar, 200ml warm water and 12-16 stems of fresh thyme to a pan. Bring to a simmer for a few minutes then remove from heat and let infuse for another ten minutes. Strain into a jar or bottle.
Ingredients (Makes 1)
50ml gin
1 lemon
1 tsp thyme syrup (recipe here)
Thyme sprigs
Tonic water
Ice
Method
Slice off a wedge of lemon, and squeeze the juice from this into a glass. Add the gin and thyme syrup and stir well. Fill the glass with ice and top with tonic, garnishing with the sprigs of thyme and slice of lemon.
Photographed by Roxana Azar
Coffee
Espresso martinis are out; coffee and gin is in.
Cold brew is the new way to drink coffee in the summer, and barely existed in London before Hackney-based craft brewers Sandows. It's made with cold water, filtering through ground coffee over a 24 hour period, for a purer taste without any bitterness.
Sandows introduced coffee gin and tonics at the 2015 London Coffee Festival, and the crowds ran them dry. This is a powerful drink, so we'd go for a single measure and a smaller glass.
Ingredients (Makes 1)
25ml gin
25ml Sandows cold brew coffee
75ml tonic water
Ice
Method
Fill a glass with ice, and add a single measure of gin (Sipsmith works well). Add the same measure of cold brew, and top with tonic (about 75ml). Great for if you've been day-drinking and need a pick-me-up to continue the party.
Photographed by Roxana Azar
Strawberry & Black Pepper
An ideal combination for a hot summer's day, make the most of British strawberries while they are in season. The hint of black pepper adds an element of spice, and compliments the fruity sweetness.
The flavour of strawberry is best paired with the citrus and floral notes of Bloom premium London dry gin. Bloom is made in Britain's oldest distillery (est. 1791), headed up by Master Distiller, Joanne Moore.
Ingredients (Makes 1)
50ml gin
4 strawberries
Black peppercorn grinder
Tonic water
Ice
Method
Muddle three of the strawberries with four twists of black pepper in the base of your glass. Fill with ice, stir and add the gin. Top with tonic, and garnish with sliced strawberry.
Photographed by Roxana Azar
Cucumber
A classic but surprisingly flavoursome twist, adding cucumber to your gin and tonic requires zero effort, but the result is summery and refreshing. We recommend trying this with Hendricks, which is distilled with an infusion of rose petal and cucumber.
Ingredients (Makes 1)
50ml gin
Cucumber
Tonic water
Ice
Method
Fill a glass with ice and add your gin. Top with tonic, and long strands of cucumber, cut with a potato peeler.
Photographed by Roxana Azar
Chilli & Coriander
Coriander is often used in the making of gin, so it's no surprise that the herb also works well as a garnish. With the addition of chilli, this makes for a punchy combination with a kick.
Ingredients (Makes 1)
50ml gin
1 red chilli, halved lengthways
Coriander
Tonic water
Ice
Method
Fill a glass with ice and add the gin. Top with tonic, and garnish with the halved chilli and a sprig of coriander.
Photographed by Roxana AzarLike what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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