Gin and Tonic

The quintessential summer cocktail, a gin and tonic is simple in ingredients yet endlessly customizable. Let’s take a look at how to make your perfect cocktail for summer or anytime!

In its basic form, a gin and tonic balances both the woody juniper berry flavor of a London Dry-style gin and the slightly sweet and bitter taste of tonic water. It’s served in a highball glass that holds about 10 ounces and usually includes a squeeze of lime.

London Dry Gin vs American Style Gin

Order a G&T while you’re out and you’ll usually be served one made with a London Dry gin. Brands in this category include Beefeater, Tanqueray, and Ford’s Gin (my personal favorite and the one I use in the recipe here). Dry gins have a crisp, strong juniper flavor and are not flavored or colored after distillation. “Dry” means they are unsweetened.

On the other end of the gin spectrum are the new “Western”, “Modern” or “American” style gins that hit the market in the mid-2000s. This type of gin pushes back the juniper flavor to varying degrees (although the bottle to be labeled “gin”. has to record it).

Two of the pioneering brands that launched this popular style are Hendrick’s, with its cucumber and rose flavor, and Aviation, which offers an abundance of spice, citrus, and floral flavors. My favorite of these styles is Val’s Botanical Gin, which features cucumber, lemon, sage, and lavender flavors.

What kind of tonic water for a gin and tonic?

There are a variety of tonic water options on the market right now, but not every style will work with your gin. When pairing, look for complementary flavors.

• Classic tonic, you may also see it listed as “Indian tonic”. is flavored with the classic bitter quinine. Look for brands like Fever-Tree, Schweppes and Q-Tonic.
• Buy tonic syrup to make your own tonic water! Jack Rudy’s Tonic Syrup lets you add just the right amount of tonic “flavor” to your sparkling water.
• There are also flavored tonics– These bottles have a variety of flavors available on the market ranging from elderflower to citrus, cucumber to the “Mediterranean” style flavored with rosemary and thyme. Look for brands like Fever-Tree, Fentimans, Q-Tonic and more.

Use a highball glass for a gin and tonic (or not)

While your G&T is traditionally served in a tall glass over ice, any roomy glass such as a Double Rocks or mason jar will also work. Don’t go without a wine glass, too, if that’s all you’ve got!

Ever heard of a Spanish G&T?

Another type of G&T is the Spanish gin tonic or “gin tonica”. In the early 2000s, chefs and bartenders in Spain began preparing the drink with a botanical and flamboyant style.

You’ll find it served in a tall, balloon-style wine glass filled with ice and heavily garnished with botanicals. The reason for the large, bowl-style glass is that if your nose dips during a sip, you get an extra layer of flavor from what’s being served in the glass. To properly garnish your drink, use the botanicals found in gin as a guide.

For example, if you use Hendrick’s Gin with its cucumber and rose flavors, you can garnish your drink with both. Even Juniper-Forward Beefeater has some citrus and peppery flavors that would be enhanced with citrus zest and a few black peppers.

Looking for more gin cocktails?

• Gin martini
• Gin cocktail with cucumber and basil
• Gimlet cocktail
• 50/50 martini
• Tom Collins