I love any type of G&T, but I’m a particularly big fan of the Spanish gin and tonic. The Spanish approach keeps the two key ingredients, but emphasizes the importance of a higher ratio of gin to tonic water, allowing the flavors of a fine gin to shine through. It avoids this becoming boozy or harsh by incorporating plenty of ice, and I’m in favor of using particularly large ice cubes to keep the temperature down without melting and making the drink watery.
To fit all of this ice, you need a big glass — so the Spanish-style drink traditionally uses a large, round copa glass that also has plenty of space for the other key feature of a Spanish G&T: big, bold garnishes. A slice of lemon is a fine addition to a G&T, but you can be far more adventurous than that, adding in spices, herbs, and big chunks of fruit to provide varying textures and scents within the glass.
An example of how much you can throw into a G&T to make it something truly special comes from the bar Prohibition in Charleston, SC, which as an Irish-owned establishment lends its own twist to the concept by using an Irish gin, Drumshanbo Gunpowder.
The Jackalope
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin
- 1 bottle Fever Tree tonic
- 1 bar spoon mixed peppercorns
- 6 cardamom pods
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 slice grapefruit
- Grapefruit/rose water mist
Method:
- In a large wine glass filled with ice, add gin, tonic, peppercorns, and cardamom. Stir gently with a bar spoon.
- Spray the grapefruit/rose water mist on top. Garnish with rosemary spring and a slice of grapefruit.
