Born from British colonial India when quinine tonic was mixed with gin for medicinal reasons, the gin and tonic evolved into a simple, elegant long drink prized for its balance of bitter, botanical, and bright citrus notes. What makes a great G&T is attention to three things: a quality gin whose botanicals you enjoy, a very cold and clean tonic, and minimal dilution with large ice and the right ratio (roughly 1:2 gin to tonic). One practical tip is to pre-chill your glass and pour the tonic slowly over a spoon to preserve carbonation; if you're in Buffalo, our store stocks recommended chilled tonics and a rotating selection of excellent gins.
Ingredients
| 2 oz | London dry gin |
| 4 oz | high-quality tonic water, very cold |
| 1 tsp | lime wheel (garnish) |
| 3 tsp | juniper berries (garnish) |
Instructions
- Pre-chill a copa or highball glass and fill it completely with large ice cubes to slow dilution.
- Pour 2 oz of gin over the ice.
- Gently pour 4 oz of very cold tonic water down the inside of the glass or over the back of a barspoon to preserve carbonation.
- Stir once or twice with a barspoon to integrate spirit and mixer without flattening the tonic.
- Express the oils of a lime wheel over the surface, drop it in, scatter juniper berries on top, and serve immediately.
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