Gin Tonic
A gin and tonic is a highball cocktail made with gin and tonic water, usually garnished with a slice of lime or lemon and often served over ice. The ratio of gin to tonic water can vary considerably, from a glass of gin with a splash of tonic to equal amounts of gin and tonic.
In some countries, gin and tonic is marketed pre-mixed in single-serving cans.
Gin Tonic Ingredients
* 3 ounces gin
* 4 tonic ice cubes
* Tonic water
* Slice of lemon or lime
History of Gin and Tonic
This cocktail was introduced by the army of the British East India Company in India.
Tonic water contains quinine, which was used to prevent malaria. Because the tonic water consumed to prevent malaria in the 18th century was extremely bitter, gin was added to make it more palatable. The bitter flavor of quinine complements the green notes of gin (flavored with juniper) much like dry vermouth complements gin in a classic martini.
Although the consumption of tonic water currently has less medical use than it once did, gin and tonic remains a popular drink. Tonic water available today contains less quinine and is consequently less bitter (and is sometimes sweetened). Because of this connection to warmer climates and its refreshing nature, this cocktail is more popular during the warmer months.
Gin and tonic
The spirit base of Gin is mainly grain (commonly wheat or rye), which benefits in a light-bodied spirit.
Genever is made principally from "malt wine" (a combination of malted barley, wheat, corn, and rye), which produces a fuller-bodied spirit comparable to raw malt whisky. A modest range of genevers in Holland and Belgium are distilled immediately from fermented juniper berries, generating a particularly intensely flavored spirit.
The chief flavoring agent in each Gin and Genever is the very aromatic blue-green berry of the juniper, a low-slung evergreen bush (genus Juniperus) that is commercially grown in northern Italy, Croatia, the United States and Canada. All Gin and Genever makers have their very own mystery combination of botanicals, the variety of which can variety from as number of as four to as many as 15.
Recommended Tonic Water
