Gin and Tonic

G&T · Gin tonic

A long, bubbly highball of London dry gin and tonic water, dry and bitter-edged, with the fresh scent of a squeezed lime wedge.

9.1% ABV
Built in the glass
2 min
Highball glass
bitter
refreshing
dry
bubbly

about 1.1 standard drinks (US, 14 g of alcohol). Estimated after dilution with ice.

Ingredients

1¾ ozLondon dry ginIts juniper and citrus notes are the backbone of the drink.
Top up withTonic waterKeep it cold and pour gently so it stays bubbly.
1 wedgeLimeSqueeze it over the glass before dropping it in.

Ice: Ice cubes · Garnish: lime

Method

Fill a highball glass to the top with ice cubes.
Pour 50 ml of London dry gin over the ice.
Top with about 150 ml of chilled tonic water, pouring slowly down the side of the glass to keep the bubbles.
Squeeze a lime wedge over the drink, drop it in as the garnish and stir once, gently.

Tips

Use plenty of ice and a chilled, freshly opened tonic: more ice means slower dilution and a livelier drink.
The ratio here is 1 part gin to 3 parts tonic. Adjust between 1:2 and 1:3 depending on how bitter and strong you like it.
A lemon wedge or a slice of cucumber also works, but a lime wedge is the classic garnish.

Swaps

Missing something? These swaps change the taste a little but keep the drink balanced.

Lime → Lemon

History

The gin and tonic is generally linked to British officials in India in the 19th century, who took quinine, the bitter compound in tonic water, against malaria. The popular story that they mixed it with gin to make it easier to drink is hard to document precisely.