Spices for Gin & Tonic

Gin & Tonic is one of the most popular cocktails that, regardless of the season, always graces our Instagram and Facebook feeds. For many, it is the go-to drink during the summer heat or the perfect way to relax at the end of the day. The very significance and popularity of this timeless cocktail can be read from various references to it - from songs, movies, and especially from Winston Churchill's saying: "The gin and tonic has saved more Englishmen's lives and minds, than all the doctors in the Empire".

The cocktail known as Gin and Tonic originates from India in the 19th century, where British soldiers drank tonic to protect themselves from malaria, and because of the bitterness, they added a mix of water, sugar, lime and gin to it. Since today we no longer fight malaria with tonic, its taste is less bitter, and Gin & Tonic has been given countless different editions.

In case you are tired of the classic version of this cocktail or you simply like to try new things, you can find your favorite spice or addition to Gin & Tonic, whether you are a fan of sweet, refreshing or bitter flavors.

Since juniper is one of the main ingredients of gin, we can safely say that gin without it is not gin, and many use it as an addition to a cocktail to further emphasize the taste of gin and add bitterness, just like cardamom. Citrus peels are also popular because the oils under the peel are sweeter than the juice of those fruits, such as lemons, oranges and grapefruits.

Additions such as fresh cucumber and lemongrass are also popular during summer days for refreshment, and fruits such as strawberries, watermelon and red oranges are increasingly used.

For all lovers of sweet flavors, rose buds or petals are an indispensable spice, especially with the many new craft gins that are often distilled from rose, chamomile and elderflowers. The sweet aroma of the rose goes perfectly with the hibiscus, which adds a pink hue to the drink, and to complete that pink palette, you can add pink pepper to your gin and tonic, which, together with cubeb pepper and chili flakes, gives a characteristic hot taste. Recently, an increasingly common floral addition is lavender, which is not only a visually beautiful addition like a rose, but will also give your drink warm and aromatic notes of Provence.

For these upcoming autumn and winter days, in addition to cakes, you can also use cinnamon's strong notes in gin and tonic, just be careful not to play with it like a stick because of its strong aroma. Apart from it, the spices you probably already have at home are rosemary and star anise.

Rosemary compliments perfectly juniper with its spicy and earthy notes, and star anise with its menthol flavor goes well with sweet and spicy flavors.

With the growing popularity of the Gin & Tonic cocktail, bars around the world, as well as here, have put together countless different combinations of spices, among which you can find your ideal version of this legendary cocktail, and probably the most fun way of playing with flavors is at home with a handful of friends and various spices. Cheers!