The G&T is the drink for all occasions! But how do you make the perfect gin and tonic? First thing’s first, the secret to making the perfect gin and tonic truly lies within the quality of ingredients you choose. Everything from the gin itself to the garnishes you incorporate all affect the flavour and quality of your G&T. 

With this in mind, here is a summary of the ingredients you will need to make the perfect gin and tonic: 

• Gin, of course! 
• Tonic
• Ice
• Garnishes, such as lemon or lime 
• Coppa glass

There’s no G&T without gin, but choose your gin carefully. We’re biased, we know, but the first step to a perfect gin & tonic of course involves one of our delicious Harrogate Gins! Our gin has even been known to convert non-gin lovers, so we’re confident it will help you on your quest to make the perfect G&T!

As tonic makes up the largest proportion of your gin and tonic, the tonic you choose is hugely important to your drink. In fact, it’s quite common for people who believe that they don’t like gin, to realise that it’s the tonic that they don’t like. Get your tonic right and it will complement the flavour of your chosen gin, as opposed to ruin it! There are some great tonic brands out there, and FeverTree is one that we certainly recommend. FeverTree create a fantastic range of tonics to bring out the delicious flavours of gin, and you can even choose from flavoured tonics if you’re in the mood for something fruity! We suggest trying a beautiful light tonic to let the flavours of your gin and chosen garnishes to do the talking. 

Gin? Check. Tonic? Check. Now it’s time for garnishes. Adding garnishes allows you to personalise your G&T, and you can have some fun by playing with different flavours! Popular gin & tonic garnishes include lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit. These work particularly well alongside gins made with citrus botanicals. If you’d like a more subtle citrus garnish, try using the zest instead of the fruit itself. 

Alternatively, herbs such as rosemary also work really well in gin, as it complements the taste of Juniper. And for spice-lovers, adding some peppercorns into your gin and tonic can add some exciting heat to your drink!

You’re probably familiar with the famous gin and tonic glass which closely resembles a small fishbowl on a stem! Not only does this glass allow you to fit a fair amount of gin, tonic and ice into it – winner! – but there’s actually a reason as to why the Coppa gin glass is so commonly used for G&Ts. The shape of the Coppa glass helps to trap the aromas of your gin and tonic, which then enhances the taste of your drink and overall experience of your G&T. 

Bringing Your G&T to Life: 

Firstly, make sure to add plenty of ice to your glass, and try to use large ice cubes as opposed to small pieces of ice. The reason for this is to keep your drink nice and cold and prevent the ice from melting quickly and diluting the lovely G&T you have just made!

Once your ice has been added to your glass, pour a measure of your gin (make it a double! 50ml), followed by your chosen tonic. The perfect proportion of gin to tonic varies depending on preference, but as a general rule, we recommend pouring 1 part gin, 2 parts tonic. You don’t want to diminish the taste of your lovely gin too much, so sometimes less is more! Once your drink has been poured, add your garnishes and give it a stir. Finally, drink up and enjoy – cheers! 

If you’re looking for a new gin to add to your collection, we have a beautiful range of Harrogate Gins available to buy via our website. Choose from our Original, Blueberry, Gooseberry and Rhubarb gin flavours. We have something for everyone!