Ninety-odd percent of the gin bought in this country is drunk this way, so it is worth doing properly. The three things that actually change the drink are the ratio, the temperature and how much you disturb it.
You need
Serves one
- 50ml gin
- 150ml tonic water, well chilled
- Plenty of ice — more than feels right
- A garnish chosen to match the gin, not to decorate the glass
Method
- Fill the glass to the top with ice. A half-filled glass melts faster and dilutes more, not less.
- Pour the gin over the ice.
- Add the tonic down the side of the glass or over a bar spoon, to keep the bubbles.
- Stir once. Garnish and stop.
Our suggestion on garnish: citrus peel for a classic dry gin, a sprig of something green for a foraged or herbal one, and nothing at all for a coastal gin — the salinity does the work and a slice of lemon just covers it.