The Best Gin and Tonic

Here is how to make a perfect gin and tonic. Our recipe shares the best gin to use, our favorite tonic, and the ideal ratio for a perfectly balanced cocktail.

A gin and tonic is probably one of the simplest cocktail recipes out there (well, that and maybe the screwdriver cocktail). But just because it’s simple doesn’t mean you can’t make it better. The key to a great gin and tonic is to balance the bitterness of the tonic against the gin, never tasting one too much more than the other.

If you are newer to mixing drinks at home and wondering exactly what is a gin and tonic? It is a refreshing cocktail that perfectly combines gin with slightly bitter, bubbly tonic water. After doing quite a bit of research, we found that some people enjoy equal parts gin to tonic, while others reduce the gin and double the tonic. Our favorite ratio is right in the middle, which keeps our go-to gin and tonic recipe light and crisp, but still aromatic from the gin.

Key Ingredients

• Gin: When looking for the best gin for a gin and tonic, we recommend choosing a mid-to-high-shelf option. A London dry gin (such as Beefeater), Plymouth gin, or Bombay gin works really well. London dry gins are more straightforward in flavor, while Plymouth gins are more aromatic. Adam loves using spicier Bombay Sapphire, which is a fun twist. Since you’ll have a bottle of gin on hand, try one of our other gin cocktails like our gin fizz or southside cocktail next time.
• Tonic Water: We prefer the tonic water sold in smaller, single-serving bottles. This ensures the tonic will be fresh, and you won’t lose any fizz. Many people swear by Schweppes, but we can’t say we have noticed a difference enough to specify. We particularly enjoy Fever-Tree and Q tonics. For a lower-calorie cocktail, use a light tonic. Just be aware that light tonic has less flavor.
• Lime: A classic gin and tonic needs fresh lime. The drink should always taste bright and refreshing, and a squeeze of fresh lime does exactly that. If you don’t have lime, lemon is an excellent substitute.

Find the full recipe with measurements below.

How to Make a Gin and Tonic

To make a gin and tonic, fill a glass with plenty of ice, then pour in the gin. Top with the tonic water, give it a gentle stir to combine, and squeeze a fresh lime wedge over the top before dropping it into the glass.

• Tip 1: Finding the best gin to tonic ratio: We use 1 part gin to 2 parts tonic. For a single cocktail, we combine 2 ounces of gin with 4 ounces of tonic water. This keeps the drink crisp and refreshing, rather than heavy or boozy. If you prefer stronger cocktails, use 3 ounces of gin.
• Tip 2: Making a lower-calorie version: You can use light tonic to reduce calories, but we find it doesn’t have as much flavor. Instead, we prefer cutting our regular tonic with a little seltzer water or club soda. We find that regular tonic tastes better overall, even when it is lightened up a bit.

Gin and Tonic Variations

We’re always pretty happy with the classic, but since this cocktail is so simple, it’s easy to experiment with different variations:

• Instead of lime, add a few thin slices of fresh cucumber and a sprig of fresh mint. The cucumber works really well with the botanical notes in the gin.
• Swap the lime wedge for a grapefruit slice and drop in a sprig of fresh rosemary (or do lemon and rosemary as we do in our rosemary gin fizz).
• Add a splash (about half an ounce) of elderflower liqueur, such as St-Germain, to your glass before adding the tonic. It adds a lovely floral sweetness and is what we use in our sparkling St. Germain cocktail.
• Drop a few sliced strawberries, blackberries, or raspberries into the glass. As they sit in the drink, they infuse it with a fruity flavor and a pretty pop of color, just like blueberries do in our blueberry mojito.

More Gin Cocktail Recipes

• Classic Gin Fizz Cocktail
• Sloe Gin Fizz
• Southside Cocktail
• Rosemary Gin Fizz