The gin and tonic — Easy, fast and refreshing

“Gin and tonic” is a classic and popular cocktail. It is one of the highballs. A highball is a drink that combines alcohol with a carbonated beverage. The special thing about the gin and tonic is that it is refreshing and easy to prepare.

The origin of gin

The first Gin (Jenever) originated in Holland. A king exported the gin to England. Gin became very popular because beer was expensive due to the duty costs. Since a lot of people drank gin in the 18th century, the government decided that only sellers with a license could sell the alcohol. With distillation in the 19th century, gin became higher in quality. The alcohol was created by heating and cooling the vapors.

How the mix of gin and tonic came about

British soldiers in India fought against malaria. The bitter quinine from the cinchona tree was supposed to protect them from the disease. But it didn’t taste good. The soldiers added sugar and mixed it with their national drink, gin. Thus, the gin and tonic was born.

Gin and tonic recipe

Mix the preferable amount of gin with tonic, add ice cubes — and the refreshing drink is ready.

Glass, gin, and tonic water should be cold. If you use the same amount of tonic water and gin, your cocktail will taste more like gin.

If you use four times the amount of bitter lemonade, you will, of course, have a different flavor. Basil, rosemary, chili, or pepper provide different flavors. You can use orange, lemon, lime, or maybe even sliced cucumber as a garnish.

Tips for the perfect gin and tonic preparation

If you have ice cubes on hand and your drinks are already cooled, it only takes 5 minutes to mix this cocktail. A good gin and tonic doesn’t need any extras. Here are some tips on buying gin and tonic, which glass to choose, and insight into a special lighting effect.

The gin

Pay attention to the quality of the juniper spirit, don’t take the cheapest, but it doesn’t have to be the most expensive either. Choose between Old Tom Gin (slightly sweet), Dry Gin, or London Dry Gin.

Tonic water

There are many tonic waters. Dry and light tonic waters go well with aromatic gin. Spicy lemonades go well with spicy gins with herbal flavors. Flowery bitter lemonades harmonize with floral botanicals. Gin also contains other botanicals in addition to juniper. Fruity, flavorful tonics should be combined with dominant flavored gins so that you can taste the gin. Classic tonic waters with a citrus flavor are suitable for a gin with a clear juniper flavor.

The ice cubes

The shape of the ice cubes does not matter. Crushed ice, however, melts too quickly and waters down your cocktail. Exception: You make the crushed ice out of 3 parts tonic and 1 part gin.

The glass

Use a highball glass or a long drink glass with a volume of 240 to 340 ml. A drinking glass that is not too thick-walled prevents the ice cubes from melting too quickly. Bulbous glasses allow herbs and spices to float, which is visually appealing.

Blacklight

If you want to create a special atmosphere, turn on the blacklight. Your drink will glow in a light blue color. The blue light is created when the bitter substance quinine in the lemonade absorbs the black light in short waves and then emits the UV light in longer waves, which looks blue to our eyes.