Gin & Tonic, Gin and Tonic, G & T, Spanish Gin And Tonic, Citadelle Gin, Hendricks Gin, Tomr Tonic, Fentiman’s Tonic, Jack Rudy Cocktail Company Tonic Syrup, Fever Tree, Q Tonic, Burgundy Glass, Glassware, Ice, Kold-Draft, Tovolo, Ice Cubes, King Cube, Beefeater’s, DH Krahn, Hans Reisetbauer Blue Gin, Victoria Gin, Garnish, Lime, Lemon, Slice, Twist, Peel, Cardamom, Star Anise, Cinnamon, Nutmeg
The Dutch are credited with originating the drink formerly known as genever and the British can lay claim to shortening the name to “gin.” But it’s the Spanish who currently hold bragging rights for consuming the highest amount per capita in the world.
Try making your own Spanish Gin and Tonic with these suggestions from bartenders, gin makers and tonic producers.
Cocktail | The Spanish Gin & Tonic
April 20, 2012
Article
Free The Gin & Tonic
“In Spain, it is much more civilized. They use a big glass with the right quantity of gin and the right quantity of tonic” says Alexandre Gabriel, the president and creative force behind the cognac company Pierre Ferrand and the maker of Citadelle Gin. “When you finish making the gin and tonic, add a little bit of cardamon, because it’s one of the ‘hidden’ botanicals in the gin recipe. It will stick its little head out for you and give you a tickle on the top. In the winter, add a cinnamon stick.”
Alexandre Gabriel is starting a campaign he calls “Free the Gin and Tonic, because the way it is now, gin and tonic is totally in a straight jacket, it’s like in little test tubes. The ice cubes are stuck at the bottom, they pour in the gin and then the tonic and you try to stir it, but it doesn’t work. So you taste the tonic first and then the gin afterwards. It’s a very stylish drink that has been held to the ground.”
Glassware
The Riedel Vinum Burgundy | The Riedel Stemless “O” Burgundy
“For the ultimate Gin and Tonic, get a big glass.”
- Bartender Tom Richter of The Beagle in New York, NY
“Use a tumbler or a Riedel Burgundy glass.”
- Alexandre Gabriel of Pierre Ferrand, maker of Citadelle Gin
Ice
Tovolo King Cube | Large Square Ice Cubes | WIlliams-Sonoma King Cube
“Ice is very important. Use big ice cubes -- Kold-Draft or square ice molds.”
- Bartender Tom Richter of The Beagle in New York, NY
Tovolo King Cube
Single silicone tray comes in various colors, with six 2-inch square cubes.
- Recommended by mixologist Jamie Boudreau of Canon in Seattle, WA
Williams-Sonoma King Cube
Set of silicone trays, with four 2-inch square ice cubes.
- Recommended by ice carver Shintaro Okamoto of Okamoto Studio Ice Carving in New York, NY
Gin
Gins: Beefeater | Gordon’s | Blue Gin | Plymouth | Citadelle
What separates one gin from the next is the choice of botanical, citrus and spices.
London Dry Style | Beefeater and Gordon’s
“As far as gins go... I think it is best with a London Dry style.”
- Bartender Tom Richter of The Beagle in New York, NY
Beefeater | Plymouth | Tanqueray
“My holy trinity of gin.”
- Bartender Jim Meehan of PDT in New York, NY
Citadelle
“I like Citadelle gin quite a bit. I like the floral to it and I like the smoothness to it. While it does have tons of juniper in it, it doesn’t have that like junipery bite to it that sometimes it's a little overwhelming to people.”
- Bartender Todd Thrasher of PX in Washington, DC
DH Krahn
“It has really nice citrus, ginger notes and not a strong juniper berry flavor which makes it unique.”
- Bartender Jill Schulster, co-owner of JoeDoe in New York, NY
Hans Reisetbauer Blue
“Bombay Saphire is designed to lure vodka drinkers over to gin. Instead try Blue Gin from cult Austrian eau de vie distiller Hans Reisetbauer. He distills each botanical separately and vats them for his gin. It is a very well put together distillate.”
- Bartender Erik Adkins of Slanted Door and Heaven’s Dog in San Francisco, CA
Victoria
“I love its bold flavor profile. When I drink a gin, I want it to taste like gin, not vodka.”
- Zeb Stewart of Cafe Colette, Hotel Delmano and Union Pool cocktail bars in Williamsburg, New York.
Tonic
Tonic Sodas: Fever Tree & Q Tonic | Tonic Syrups: Jack Rudy Cocktail Co. & Tomr’s Tonic
Sodas
Fever Tree
“It’s very aromatic and multi-dimensional. It’s not like a sweet, fizzy water. It has a nice bitterness and very exuberant aromas.”
- Alexandre Gabriel of Pierre Ferrand, maker of Citadelle Gin
Q Tonic
“For a gin and tonic, you need to have a good tonic. Q Tonic is one that I like.”
- Alexandre Gabriel of Pierre Ferrand, maker of Citadelle Gin
Tonic Syrups
“It's light, crisp and refreshing, with a soft backbone of quinine that makes it incredibly quaffable. Beyond that, the tonic is in syrup form, so it won't lose its edge and go bad between drinks.”
- Creator Brooks Reitz, bartender at FIG in Charleston, SC
“There are great gins coming out and nothing but mediocre tonic to mix with them. I wanted something better, richer, and more balanced. I searched out recipes, wasn’t happy with any particular one, but I did like qualities of each, so I began combining and this recipe just came together.”
- Creator Tom Richter, bartender at The Beagle in New York, NY
Garnish
The obvious and in some minds, traditional, garnish is the slide or wedge of lime or lemon. But follow the Spanish and enhance your cocktail with new options beyond the citrus.
Citrus
Lemon Twist | Lime Twist
A large piece of the lemon or lime skin, for just a little oil from the peel.
- Alexandre Gabriel of Pierre Ferrand, maker of Citadelle Gin
Lime Slice
- Bartender Brooks Reitz of FIG in Charleston, SC
Lemon Slide | Lime Slice
- Bartender Tom Richter of The Beagle in New York, NY
Vegetable
Cucumber Slice
- Bartender Brooks Reitz of FIG in Charleston, SC
Spice
Nutmeg | Star Anise | Cardamom Pod | Cinnamon
Use any of the three as a garnish to top off the drink.
- Alexandre Gabriel of Pierre Ferrand, maker of Citadelle Gin
Recipe | The Spanish Gin & Tonic
Recipe by Alexandre Gabriel of Citadelle Gin
1 drink
Glass: Burgundy Wine Glass
Citrus Garnish: Large Lemon or Lime Twist
Spice Garnish: Grated Nutmeg, Cardamom Pod, Star Anise, or Cinnamon Stick
Ice: Large Cubes
Ingredients
- 1 oz Citadelle gin
- 4 oz Fever Tree or Q Tonic
- Lime or lemon skin (for just a little oil from the peel; not the full wedge)
- Grated nutmeg, cardamom pod, star anise, or cinnamon stick
Directions
1) In a large tumbler, stir together gin, tonic and large ice cubes.
2) Twist citrus peel over the drink and add to the glass.
3) Garnish with spice and drink.
More Recipes
Try these classic gin and tonic recipes:
AKA The GinTonic
Video
