What ingredients are in a Gin Tonic?

4 cl Gin, 10 cl Tonic water, 1 Slice Lemon peel, cubes Ice

What glass do you use for a Gin Tonic?

A Gin Tonic is traditionally served in a Highball glass.

How strong is a Gin Tonic?

A Gin Tonic has an estimated ABV of 7.13%.

How many calories are in a Gin Tonic?

A Gin Tonic contains approximately 129 calories per serving.

What is the classic recipe for a Gin and Tonic?

The classic Gin and Tonic (G&T) consists of gin and tonic water in a ratio of roughly 1:2 or 1:3, served over ice in a highball or copa glass. A wedge of lime is the traditional garnish, though the contemporary craft gin movement has expanded garnish options to include cucumbers, herbs, citrus slices, and edible flowers depending on the gin's botanical profile.

Why does tonic water complement gin so well?

Tonic water contains quinine, a bitter alkaloid originally derived from cinchona bark, which provides a characteristic bitterness that cuts through gin's botanical sweetness and brings the spirit's juniper and citrus notes into sharp relief. The carbonation adds refreshing effervescence, while the subtle sweetness in most tonic formulas balances the bitterness, creating a drink that is more than the sum of its parts.

How has the craft gin movement changed the Gin and Tonic?

The global craft gin boom has elevated the G&T from a simple bar staple into a premium drinking experience. Artisanal tonic waters with natural quinine and varied botanical additions now pair with specific gin styles — a floral elderflower gin might be paired with cucumber tonic, while a citrus-forward gin might be matched with Mediterranean tonic water. The Spanish-style Gin Tonica in a large copa glass with abundant ice and a complex garnish tray has become an international trend.

Among the most widely consumed mixed drinks in the world, the Gin and Tonic pairs gin with tonic water over ice, finished with a slice of lemon peel in a highball glass. Known almost everywhere simply as the G&T, the drink rose to renewed prominence in the early 21st century alongside the global craft gin movement and a wave of premium tonic brands. Its construction is elementary, and that simplicity is also its demand: with only two principal components, the character of the finished drink rests almost entirely on the quality of the gin and the tonic chosen. The combination reads as crisp and quinine-bitter, refreshing yet spirit-forward at roughly 7 percent alcohol by volume.

Gin Tonic

G&T, Gin and Tonic

Glass Highball glass

Difficulty Medium

Calories ~129 kcal

ABV 7.13%

Ingredients

Gin 4 cl
Tonic water 10 cl
Lemon peel 1 Slice
Ice cubes

Instructions

Fill a highball glass with ice, pour the gin, top with tonic water and squeeze a lemon wedge and garnish with a lemon wedge.

Refreshing Strong

The Gin and Tonic, known universally as the G&T, is one of the world's most popular cocktails, combining gin with tonic water over ice and garnished with a lemon peel. The drink's popularity has exploded in the 21st century alongside the global craft gin movement and premium tonic water brands. It is deceptively simple — the quality of both gin and tonic determines the drink entirely.

History & Origins

The Gin and Tonic was developed by British officers of the East India Company in 19th-century India as a way to make the anti-malarial drug quinine more palatable. Tonic water contained quinine to prevent malaria, and mixing it with gin, sugar, and lime turned a medicine into a pleasure. The drink spread throughout the British Empire and became one of the most recognized cocktails worldwide.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: gin botanicals — juniper, coriander, citrus peel — with the clean, slightly bitter quinine note of the tonic water and a bright lemon zest. Palate: crisp and refreshing with gin's herbal complexity balanced by the tonic water's quinine bitterness and a subtle citrus sweetness. Finish: dry, bitter, and botanical with a long, clean quinine fade.

juniper quinine citrus herbal refreshing

Pro Tip

Always pour the tonic water slowly down the inside of a well-chilled glass to preserve the carbonation, and choose a premium tonic water with a clean, pronounced quinine character to match the gin.

Techniques Used

Building

Nutrition Facts →

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