Serve it up this Gin & Tonic day!

Oct 14, 2022

International Gin and Tonic Day is on October 19th (as if you’d forgotten!) so it's time to get to work if you want to create some special serves and menus to celebrate the day with your guests. If you’re going to share the idea of a special Gin and Tonic Day menu with your team the recipes below will give you some good ideas! 

It's unclear exactly when Gin was first combined with Tonic. Gin in its various forms has been around since the 1600s and Quinine, which is the bark extract known for giving tonic its bitterness, has been used to combat Malaria for even longer. Tonic gained popularity in India around the 1870s when brands created carbonated quinine tonic, marketed as Indian Tonic water and it is accepted that the Gin and Tonic was popularised in the region partly to ward off Malaria. 

If you’ve noticed Gin and Tonics being served in all kinds of different glassware with extravagant garnishes you might wonder how this 2-ingredient drink became so fancy. The story behind the trend of serving Gin and Tonics in large round “Copa” glasses seems to originate in Spain. Chefs are said to have started making their “GinTonics” in Bordeaux (large red wine) glasses. This allowed them to fit more ice into the glass and by holding the stem instead of the glass, the drink stayed colder for longer than a traditional highball serve. 

In 2001 Tanqueray No. TEN launched and was one of the original small batch gins with its signature flavour profile of grapefruit and camomile it quickly became a firm favourite in bars and consumers worldwide. Since then, the choices of both Gin and Tonic have grown to a point where we have seemingly endless combinations. Meanwhile, the “Copa serve” quickly spread throughout Spain and beyond as the preferred format for Gin and Tonic aficionados. This was further accelerated by the growth of both the Gin and Tonic industries.  Aside from the additional space for ice, using a larger glass also allows more space for garnishes. A well-chosen garnish will accentuate the botanicals in the Gin and the Tonic.  

Thanks to all this innovation we now have the luxury of choice with how we want to present our Gin and Tonics whether it’s a short chunky Rocks glass, a tall classic Highball or a large luxurious Copa or Wine glass, the choice is yours. We encourage you to experiment in your venue and pay attention to what works for you. It’s important to remember that people eat, drink and order with their eyes first! You’d be amazed at how often simply changing a drink from one glass to another will affect its popularity. 

There are a couple of rules we’d suggest using when creating your signature Gin and Tonic serves. 

Liquid ratios: A ratio of Gin to Tonic ranging from 1:2 to 1:4 parts, tends to be the sweet spot and will allow you to accentuate or lengthen the flavours of our Gin. Try it for yourself and remember there are no fixed rules here. Less tonic will mean more pronounced Gin flavours and vice versa. The sweet spot will vary depending on the Gin and Tonic that you are pouring along with your guest's personal preferences. 

Plenty of ice: As with all cocktails we want lots of ice in our drinks to slow the dilution and ensure that the ratios of liquid above fit in the glass. 

Garnishes: Garnishes provide a wonderful opportunity to improve the aesthetic of a drink whilst adding to the aromas (and flavour). However small garnishes floating on the surface of the drink such as juniper berries, peppercorns or rose petals run the risk of interfering with the drinking experience as they can get stuck in your mouth as you take a sip, so use these with caution! 

Here are a few examples of tasty Gin and Tonic serves to get you started: 

 

Gordon's Pink & Tonic 
A pink twist on the classic G&T, crafted to balance the crisp taste of Gordon’s Gin with the sweetness of raspberries and strawberries. 

45ml Gordon’s Pink Gin 
120ml Premium Tonic water 
1 sliced strawberry/2 raspberries/lime wedge 
Copa/ Wine Glass 
Cubed ice 

Add Gordon’s Pink to a Copa glass full of ice, Top with tonic water. Stir to mix. 
Garnish and serve. 

Approx. 1.3 Standard Drink 

 

Aviation Aromatic G&T 
Light and fragrant, Aviation pairs brilliantly with citrus and herbs. 

30ml Aviation Gin 
100ml Premium Tonic water 
Pink grapefruit & mint sprig 
Cubed ice 
Copa/ Wine glass 

Build all ingredients over ice in a Copa glass. Add more tonic if needed. 
Garnish with a wedge of pink grapefruit and a sprig of mint. 

Approx. 1 Standard Drink 

 

Tanqueray No. TEN & Tonic 
A small batch gin with delicious flavours of grapefruit, orange and lime. Compliment with a grapefruit wedge for a bright and complex citrus flavour 

45ml Tanqueray No. Ten 
150ml Premium Tonic Water 
Grapefruit Wedge 
Highball glass 
Cubed ice 

Add all ingredients to a highball glass filled with cubed ice, stir, garnish and serve. 

Approx. 1.6 Standard Drinks 

Make sure to try out all our combo suggestions, and if you come up with any of your own, please share and tag! 

Food pairing: 

Aviation Gin is complimented with citrus, spice and herbaceous foods which accentuate and compliment the floral notes of the gin. Try it with lighter seafoods such as scallops or mussels or with a pork Bahn Mi. If you’ve already had your mains try it with cinnamon scrolls or citrus cakes. 

Tanqueray No. Ten and Tonic has the ability to be served with a number of cuisines, due to it’s citrus heart.​ The citrus combination means the serve pairs easily with dishes from Mexico, South East Asia, as well as Australian seafood that is grilled or raw. Think ceviche, papaya salads and crab dishes! 

Continue your learning with us 

If you want to learn the techniques required to make perfect drinks, complete our 15 minute eLearning course, Serve with Spirit – Click Here 

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