Gin and Tonic with Ingredient Guide

A No-Fuss Classic Cocktail

Gin and Tonic is a classic, crisp, refreshing, and easy-to-make cocktail. A no-fuss cocktail you can jazz up with various flavors, but my favorite is the classic. I love it best with Tanqueray, dry and crisp and not bitter.

My Favorite Gin for Gin and Tonics

Start with a good London dry gin. My favorite in Tanqueray, but London Beef Eater or Caorunn Scottish gin are good as well. I love Tanqueray gin, it’s crisp with just the right amount of juniper flavor with a hint of grapefruit.

My Favorite Tonic Water

I typically buy either Canada Dry tonic water or Schweppes Tonic water. Nothing fancy, but both brands are sweet and have just a little bitterness from the quinine. Recently I have noticed some special tonic waters that cost more, they may be worth a try.

Gin and Tonic Ingredients

4 – 6 ice cubes

1 – 2 oz London Dry Gin

3 oz tonic water

slice of lime, or wedge

How to Make the Classic Gin and Tonic

If you have time to prep, chill your glasses. Place your room-temperature cocktail glasses in the freezer for two hours before making your Gin and Tonics.

If you really want to impress your friends serve the gin and tonic in a copa or balloon glass. (I had one from a Tanqueray gift set but can’t find it. Keep an eye out the liquor store may have one.) You can also use a highball glass.

Fill the glass with ice first.

Then add the gin.

Top with the tonic water.

Some recipes add a tablespoon of lime juice. I don’t add lime juice to my gin and tonics. Instead, I dress them up with a slice of lime.

That’s all there is to it. An amazing crisp, clean, and classic Gin and Tonic. Just writing this post made me thirsty. It’s a great cocktail.

Calories in Gin and Tonic

When compared to most cocktails, the gin and tonic is relatively low in calories. The simple gin and tonic cocktail has about 140 calories. There are no calorie savings from regular tonic water, you can reduce the calories using diet tonic water, but I don’t recommend it. The flavor of a gin and tonic is subtle and the chemical flavors in diet tonic water throw the flavor off balance.

If you’re like me and trying to drink less soda, I have begun a Drinks and Beverages board on Pinterest for all the drink recipes both warm and cold that I think are really good.

Other Cocktail Recipes to Try