Gin and tonic served in a highball glass is known the world over as a classic mixed drink --
Gin Foundry calls it the "king of gin cocktails."
Tonic water was originally a mix of quinine and water, a "tonic" that officers of the British and Dutch armies took to prevent contracting malaria in the tropical regions they were colonizing. To mask its bitter taste, the men mixed their tonic with gin in the earliest version of the gin and tonic.
Today's tonic water is required to contain less than one-tenth of a gram of quinine per liter, but the classic gin and tonic is experiencing a resurgence in popularity, reports Gin Foundry. Watch the video below to see how Jamie Gordon, bartender at Maven in San Francisco, prepares this timeless drink.
Gin & TonicIngredients1.5 ounces (44.4 milliliters) gin
Ice cubes
Tonic water
Wedge of lemon
Wedge of lime
Directions1. Pour the gin into a tall highball glass. Add ice.
2. Add tonic water until glass is nearly full.
3. Squeeze the lemon and lime wedges to allow some juice to drip into glass, then drop in as garnish.
4. Stir and serve.
Gordon has his own modern take on the gin and tonic; a fresh-tasting variant he calls a "summer garden in a glass." To the classic gin and tonic, add half an ounce (14.8 milliliters) of vermouth and 2 dashes of orange bitters. Garnish with 1 wheel each of grapefruit and lemon, a slice each of cucumber and strawberry, and a slightly crushed sprig of lavender.
