4 Ways to Make a Better Gin and Tonic

On the surface, there is nothing particularly manly about the humble gin and tonic. In fact, many men see this as the stereotypical drink for women. But there are two reasons why this is just isn’t true:

1. Gin has historically been drunk by both men and women.
2. A true man can make any drink look manly!

So, with that gender BS out of the way, let’s arm you with the knowledge on how to make this classic drink with a little more flair than just measuring out some gin and tossing it into a half a glass of water. What nuances are you going to learn? With this drink, it’s all about presentation and the right Gin!. The Classic Gin & Tonic We’ll start with the simplest recipe ever before going into detail about which gins, tonics and garnishes to use. First, add in two or three ice cubes, but don’t fill it with ice. Pour in one shot of gin (two shots seems to unbalance the taste), add in a slice of lime, and then pour cold tonic water up to near the rim of the glass. Stir once, and then run a lime wedge along the edge of the glass (this last part is optional). Pretty simple, right? You could stop here, but why would you? Fortune favors the bold and that’s definitely you.Glass SelectionFor our ultimate gin and tonic we used a highball glass, but there are actually three types of glasses that you could use. Each one has their advantages and disadvantages, and it really is all about personal preference. The three glasses are highball glass, the lowball glass, and the Copa de Balon glass.

You can probably guess what a highball glass looks like, it is long and thin. A lowball glass is shorter and stouter, and a Copa de Balon looks like a wide bowled wine glass. These glasses were popular in America during the prohibition years, and was first produced in Spain, but they are now the go-to glass for any gin lover. Which Gin to ChooseIf you want whiskey, you have to buy American. If you want wine, you should look to our friends in France. If you want Gin, you have to look at merry old England. London has been the spiritual home of Gin for almost 300 years, where it experienced a “Gin Craze” in the early 18th Century. A lot of the more well known Gin brands originate from London, and thanks to a resurgence, a lot of the new up and coming brands are also coming out of London again, where Gin bars, Gin Distilleries, and Gin Festivals are all popping up.The first gin we will mention is also the most famous: Beefeater Gin. A dry gin that has been distilled in London since 1863, it’s usually the first thing you see when you enter a British Airport. Beefeater Gin is a seriously underrated spirit and, while there are newer, sexier gins out there, with fancier packaging, the Beefeater Gin is an ever-reliable spirit that tastes incredible in a Gin and Tonic.Hendrick’s Gin is a relatively new gin that was first created in 1999. It was described by the Wall Street Journal in 2003 as the best gin in the world. Unusually, Hendrick’s Gin is served with ice, tonic water and cucumber rather than lemon or lime, and the vegetable really suits it. Bombay Sapphire Gin is another London-based gin. This gin was introduced in 1987 so it is relatively new compared to Beefeater, but it is now one of the most popular gins in the world. The last gin we are going to mention is actually made in the Black Forest of Germany. It’s called Monkey Shoulder 47. It has 47 botanical elements added and comes in at 47% proof. One of those botanical notes comes from cranberries which really helps Monkey Shoulder 47 stand out.Which are you going to chose? Post your best Gin and Tonic in the comments!