The Liquor Cabinet

3 easy ways to twist your Gin and Tonic

Time to jazz up your G&T? These inspired gin and tonic recipes are all made with Australian craft gin and each one has a different fresh, fruity twist on the classic drink.

gin and tonic 3 ways liquorland

Everyone knows a classic gin and tonic is fresh, zesty and downright delicious. Easy to make and great value, it’s one of the most popular cocktails of all time and, as purists will tell you, there’s no need to mess with perfection. But with so many delicious homegrown craft gins to experiment with, why not pimp your next round of G&Ts by adding a quick twist? It can be as simple as adding a splash of sparkling or garnishing with fresh fruit and herbs. Try these easy gin and tonic recipes to dial things up at your next get-together.

How to make a Passion G&T

Ingredients (Serves 2)

  • Ice cubes, to serve
  • 80mL Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin
  • 80mL passionfruit pulp
  • 40mL lime juice
  • 250mL Fever-Tree Premium Tonic Water
  • 250mL Champagne or sparkling wine
  • Passionfruit wedge, to serve

 

Method

  1. Fill 2 red wine glasses or tall tumblers with ice. Divide the gin, passionfruit and lime juice between the glasses. Stir to combine.
  2. Divide the tonic and Champagne or sparkling between the glasses. Garnish with passionfruit.

How to make a Berry G&T

Ingredients (Serves 2)

  • 2/3 cup frozen mixed berries
  • Mint sprigs, to serve
  • 120mL Archie Rose Signature Dry Gin
  • Sodasmith Tasmanian Tonic Water, to serve

Method

  1. To make berry ice, process the berries in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to an ice cube tray and freeze until firm.
  2. Arrange the berry ice and mint in 2 tall serving glasses.
  3. Divide gin between the glasses. Top with the tonic and stir to combine.

How to make an Apple Mint G&T

Ingredients (Serves 2)

  • Ice cubes, to serve
  • 120mL 23rd Street Signature Gin
  • Mint sprigs, to serve
  • Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic water, to serve
  • Apple slices, to serve

Method

  1. Fill 2 short rocks serving glasses with ice. Divide gin between the glasses. Add mint and stir to muddle slightly.
  2. Top with tonic and garnish with apple slices.

Tips and tricks to perfect your G&Ts

The best gin and tonics start with a good-quality gin, but don’t overlook the tonic – it forms two-thirds of your drink after all, choosing a craft tonic blended with its own unique botanicals can really lift your gin and tonic game. Pour your tonic slowly – too quickly and it will fizz up, release lots of CO2 and taste flat. Try tilting the glass slightly, as if you’re pouring a beer, and pour extra gently over the passionfruit pulp when mixing a passionfruit gin and tonic so it doesn’t bubble over.

 

Start with chilled glasses, and make your own large ice cubes, as they will melt more slowly and won’t dilute the delicate flavours of your gin. DIY fruit ice cubes like the ones in our
berry gin and tonic not only look amazing but add extra deliciousness as they melt. For beautiful floral ice cubes, add fresh or dried edible flowers to your ice cube tray and top with water.

Choose your gin

Whether you like your gin juniper-forward and perfectly dry or prefer something a little more floral, citrusy or fruity, there is an Australian craft gin for every palate. Get started with these top picks and gin food pairings.

 

Classic gin botanicals meet whole fresh biodynamic oranges, lemon myrtle and Tasmanian pepperberry in Four Pillars Rare Dry Gin. This aromatic gin with a citrus burst is ideal for mixing in a Passion G&T. Add Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic, infused with essential oils from Mexican Bitter Oranges, and Piper Heidsieck Brut NV Champagne – which has a smooth citrus and grapefruit finish – for extra sparkle. Serve with Curtis Stone’s crispy salmon with grapefruit salad for a light lunch.

 

23rd Street Signature Gin is another beautifully crafted homegrown gin with zesty local mandarin and lime delivering a dose of Riverland sunshine. Enhance the citrus flavour with a Fever-Tree Mediterranean Tonic with its fragrant notes of rosemary and essential oils from lemon thyme and citrus fruit. Let the garnishes in our apple gin and tonic inspire your food pairings – think mint and rosemary roast lamb or lamb, apple and blue cheese burgers cooked on the barbecue. If you’re entertaining at Easter, this is the ultimate G&T food pairing for lamb.

 

Complex flavours from native botanicals like blood limes, river mint and Dorrigo pepper leaf make Archie Rose Signature Dry Gin an ideal canvas for cocktails. Team with an Australian-made tonic – Sodasmith Tasmanian Tonic Water, made with Australian botanicals and Tasmanian mountain spring water, has floral lemon thyme notes that work well in the Berry G&T. Pair with fresh berries to balance out the sharpness of the quinine in the tonic, and dark chocolate to complement the hint of juniper in the gin. Whether you’re planning an Easter get-together, Christmas lunch or simply a long weekend feast with all the bells and whistles, for a decadent dessert pairing, sip this G&T with chocolate basque cheesecake with roasted strawberries or a sublime, dark chocolate tart with berries.

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