Tonic water — the Robin to the Batman called gin. The gin explosion in the country has led to a rise in homegrown tonic water labels, and we get top mixologists to concoct some boozy cocktails
Tonic water alert. From Svami to Sepoy & Co, to Jade Forest, and others like Franklin & Sons, the sheer variety of tonic water flavours available today would be unthinkable just a couple of years ago. If you’ve spotted these brands at your local grocery store and wondered how you could use them, well, here’s your chance to make some of the best bar-quality cocktails.
We asked a few top mixologists to bring tonic water into the limelight with their cocktails, and they didn’t disappoint. Presenting the top cocktails you can make with tonic water today.
Grapefruit GNT
Recipe by: Rohan Rege, Beverage Manager, The Westin Goa
Ingredients:
- Two sprigs of rosemary
- One slice of grapefruit
- 30 ml of gin
- 100 ml of grapefruit tonic water
Method:
Pour the gin, and squeeze the grapefruit in a glass. Gently toast the rosemary, and add while stirring well. Top the drink with grapefruit tonic water, and serve.
The Botanist
Recipe by: Rahul Tiwari, master mixologist and manager at The Polo Club at The Oberoi, Bengaluru
Ingredients:
- 5 ml lime juice
- 5 ml basil cordial
- 45 ml coconut water
- 50 ml gin
- Top Up with rosemary & olive tonic
- Castor sugar
Garnish: Rosemary sprig or lime wheels, or basil
Method:
- Make a basil cordial with castor sugar and fresh basil
- In a gin glass or red wine goblet, add lime juice, basil cordial, coconut water, and gin
- Stir gently to mix all ingredients
- Fill the glass with ice
- Top up with rosemary and olive flavoured tonic water
- Garnish with rosemary sprig, lime wheels, or fresh basil
Posh G&T
Recipe by: Vijay Purty, venue manager, Foxtrot x Mamagoto
Ingredients:
- 60 ml gin
- 120 ml Sepoy & Co. tonic water
- 3 fresh cucumber strips
- 5-6 pieces of juniper berries and peppercorn each
- Garnish: Rosemary, mint leaves, basil leaves, lemon slice, orange slice
Method:
- Put the cucumber slices along the inner side of the glass
- Fill the glass with ice
- Add juniper berries and green peppercorn
- Add 60 ml gin
- Add 120 ml tonic water
- Garnish with mint leaves, basil leaves, orange slices, lemon slices, edible flowers, and a sprig of rosemary
Blushing Spritz
Recipe by: Prakash Chandra, lead mixologist, Juniper Bar, Andaz Delhi
Ingredients:
- 50 ml pink pepper gin
- 25 ml watermelon syrup
- 25 ml sparkling wine
- 50 ml Sepoy Indian tonic water
- Garnish: Edible flower
Method:
- Fill the glass with ice cubes
- Add gin
- Add syrup, and mix it well
- Top with sparkling wine, and then tonic water
- Garnish with edible flower
Passion Cooler
Recipe By: Gautam Rathod, head of operations, Mumbai (The Sassy Spoon and House of Mandarin)
Ingredients:
- 60 ml vodka
- 30 ml passion fruit
- 60 ml pineapple juice
- Few sprigs of mint leaves
- 15 ml honey
- Franklin & Sons elderflower and cucumber tonic water to top it up
Method:
- Shake all ingredients together in a mixing glass without tonic water
- Pour in a copa de balon glass, and top up with Franklin & Sons elderflower and cucumber tonic water
- Garnish with a cucumber slice
Gin Fizz
Recipe by: Ankit Vashist, bar manager, Hyderabad Marriott Hotel & Convention Centre
Ingredients:
- 60 ml gin
- 10 ml lemon juice
- 15 ml maple syrup or simple syrup
- 1 egg white
- Mint tonic water
Method:
- Shake together the gin, fresh lemon juice, syrup, and egg white in a cocktail shaker without ice first, then add ice, and pour it into the glass.
- When you top off each glass with mint flavoured tonic water, the carbonation combines with the egg white to make a frothy foam topping.
- The trick to the foam topping: a dry shake. Shake the drink ingredients without ice first. This lets the protein in the egg begin to form foam, instead of being diluted by the ice.
- Then add ice and shake again. This cools the drink, and strengthens the foam. Strain it into the glass, and you’ll get a thick, white frothy layer.
- The mint flavoured tonic water lends a fresh and minty essence to the drink, and caters to the unique taste of the Indian palate.
G&CT
Recipe by: Akash Dutta, Aloft Bengaluru Cessna Business Park
Ingredients:
- 45 ml gin
- ½ Lime, freshly squeezed
- 15 ml simple sugar syrup
- Cucumber flavoured tonic water, to top up
- 2-3 cucumber chunks
Method:
- Add the gin, lime juice, sugar syrup, and cucumber chunks in a shaker and muddle
- Add ice and shake well
- Double strain into a glass of your choice
- Top up with cucumber flavoured tonic water
- Garnish with a lemon slice and thin cucumber slices
Rasayana Mojito
Recipe by: John Leese, group beverage manager, Bastian Hospitality Pvt Ltd.
Ingredients:
- A handful for basil leaves
- 30 ml lemon juice
- 30 to 50 ml gin, as per preference
- 30 ml Bianco vermouth
- A handful of crushed ice
- 150 ml Franklin & Sons Sicilian Lemon Tonic
Method:
Clap the basil and add it along with the remaining ingredients in a glass, fill the glass with crushed ice, and churn. Top with tonic water and garnish with basil leaves.
