Classic cocktail · Guided recipe

Gin & Tonic

The gin and tonic is the easiest great cocktail there is: two ingredients, one glass, no tools. The whole trick is lots of ice and a gentle stir — that keeps it cold and fizzy instead of watery and flat.

Preparation~2 minSuper easyStrengthMediumabout 13% ABVMethodBuilt in glass5 guided stepsIngredients3Tall (highball) glass

Highball

In the glassGin · Tonic water · Lime wedge

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Make it with guidanceOne clear action at a time, with timers built in.

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What goes in

Ingredients

An empty clear highball glass with tall straight sides and a substantial base. — Serving glassHighball glass

Set up before you pour

Use a highball glass.

The tall, straight shape leaves room for plenty of ice and mixer while keeping a long drink lively.

Standard size: 350 ml11¾ oz
Ice & serve: Fill it with fresh ice cubes.
If you don’t own one: Use a Collins glass or any tall, straight-sided tumbler.

Tools to set out

jigger or measuring spoon

Compare all glass types

Scale to your tall (highball) glassWe’ll remember this glass size.

Gin60 ml
Tonic water120 ml
Lime wedge1 wedge

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From bottle to glass

Method

01
Ice the glass
Fill the glass to the top with ice
Why it mattersMore ice melts slower, not faster — a full glass keeps your drink colder and less watery.
02
Measure and pour
Pour 60 ml gin over the ice
- Gin
Why it mattersNo jigger? 60 ml is 4 tablespoons.
03
Top gently
Top with tonic water
- Tonic water
Why it mattersPour slowly down the side of the glass to keep the bubbles.
04
Stir around the ice
Give it one gentle stir
Why it mattersOne turn of the spoon is enough — stirring more knocks out the fizz.
05
Finish the drink
Finish it — add a lime wedge

Know your drink

About the Gin & Tonic

A gin highball, dry Martini and ruby bitter gin cocktail in a botanical bar.

From malaria medicine to national institution

British officers in 1800s colonial India were issued bitter quinine as malaria prophylaxis — and quickly discovered it went down easier with sugar, soda water, and their gin ration. Commercial tonic water followed in 1858, and the G&T never looked back.

Spain reinvented it in the 2000s: the "Gin-Tonica", served in a giant balloon copa glass full of ice with theatrical botanically-matched garnishes. Worth trying at home when you have guests to impress.

Common questions

Gin & Tonic FAQ

What is the right gin-to-tonic ratio?

Start at 1:2 — 50 ml gin to 100 ml tonic — and adjust to taste. 1:1 is bracing and boozy; 1:3 is a light session drink. More important than the exact ratio: everything must be COLD, and the glass must be full of ice.

Why fill the glass completely with ice?

Counterintuitively, more ice means LESS dilution. A full glass of ice chills the drink fast and melts slowly; two lonely cubes melt into gin-flavored tonic water in minutes. Fill it to the rim, every time.

What garnish goes in a gin and tonic?

Lime wedge is the classic; lemon suits citrus-led gins; cucumber ribbons flatter Hendrick’s-style gins; a sprig of rosemary or pink grapefruit slice suits contemporary and Spanish-style serves. Match the garnish to the gin’s leading botanical.

What ingredients are in a Gin & Tonic?

A classic Gin & Tonic calls for 60 ml (2 oz) Gin, 120 ml (4 oz) Tonic water, 1 wedge Lime wedge. That single-serve spec scales cleanly — the recipe above converts it to oz and multiplies it for 2–4 drinks.

How strong is a Gin & Tonic?

A standard Gin & Tonic is roughly 13% ABV once mixed (before ice melt softens it further). That makes it about as strong as a glass of wine.

Is a Gin & Tonic shaken or stirred?

A Gin & Tonic is built directly in the glass over ice — no shaker required. Add the ingredients in order and give it a brief, gentle stir.

What glass do you serve a Gin & Tonic in?

Serve a Gin & Tonic in a highball (tall) glass, over fresh ice cubes.

Sharpen the technique