Best Gin And Tonic Recipe - Inspired Taste

How to make the perfect gin and tonic. Our recipe shares the best gin, our favorite tonic, and the ideal ratio for a perfectly balanced cocktail.

The key to a great gin and tonic is to balance the bitterness of the tonic against the gin, never tasting one too much more than the other.

After doing quite a bit of research, some people enjoy equal parts gin to tonic, others reduce the gin and double the tonic. Our favorite ratio is right in the middle, which keeps the drink light and crisp, but still aromatic from the gin. We always add a wedge or slice of fresh lime to the glass. For more of our favorite cocktails, browse our cocktail recipes.

Key Ingredients

• Gin: Choose a mid-to-high-shelf gin. A London dry gin (such as Beefeater), Plymouth, or Bombay work really well. London dry gins are more straightforward in flavor, while Plymouth gins are more aromatic. We’ve also used Bombay Sapphire and loved it, but we really enjoy Sapphire’s extra spiciness.
• Tonic water: I prefer the tonic water sold in smaller, single-serving bottles. The tonic will be fresh, and you won’t lose any fizz. Many people swear by Schweppes, but we can’t say we have noticed a difference enough to specify. We particularly enjoy the Fever Tree and Q tonics. For a lower-calorie cocktail, use a light tonic. Just be aware that light tonic has less flavor.
• Lime: A classic gin and tonic needs fresh lime. It should be refreshing and always fresh on flavor. Fresh lime helps with this and brightens everything up. If you don’t have lime, lemon is an excellent substitute.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make the Best Gin and Tonic

Tip 1: What is the best gin to tonic ratio. I use 1 part gin to 2 parts tonic. Your cocktail should be crisp and refreshing, never boozy or heavy. For one cocktail, we like to combine 2 ounces of gin with 4 ounces of tonic water, which tastes crisp, refreshing, and not too boozy. If you prefer stronger cocktails, use 3 ounces of gin.

Tip 2: Making a lower calorie version. You can use light tonic. It doesn’t have as much flavor as regular, but it does help to lower the calories. We prefer watering down regular tonic, using a little seltzer water or club soda. We find that regular tonic tastes better even when it is watered down.

More Gin Cocktail Recipes

• Classic Gin Fizz Cocktail
• Sloe Gin Fizz
• Southside Cocktail
• Rosemary Gin Fizz

The Best Gin and Tonic

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• PREP 5 mins
• TOTAL 5 mins

The best gin and tonic recipe balances tonic water’s bitterness against the gin’s aromatics. London dry gins (such as Beefeater), Plymouth, or Bombay are great. London dry gins are more straightforward in flavor, while Plymouth gins are a bit more aromatic. I also like Bombay Sapphire’s extra herbal spiciness.

1 drink

You Will Need

2 ounces gin (1/4 cup)

1/2 ounce fresh lime juice (1 tablespoon)

4 ounces tonic water (1/2 cup)

Lime wedge or slice

Ice

Directions

1Fill a high ball glass with ice. Add gin and lime juice. Then top with tonic water. Garnish with lime wedge or slice.

Adam and Joanne's Tips

• Adjust the amount of gin called for in our recipe based on how strong you enjoy your cocktails. Increase to 3oz for a strong cocktail.
• If you really want to up your game, make homemade tonic ice cubes. This way as they melt in your drink, it won’t dilute with water.
• The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.

Nutrition Per Serving Serving Size 1 drink / Calories 269 / Protein 0 g / Carbohydrate 12 g / Dietary Fiber 0 g / Total Sugars 11 g / Total Fat 0 g / Saturated Fat 0 g / Cholesterol 0 mg AUTHOR: Joanne Gallagher