Which tonic for new gin drinker

[runwithme]

During the summer we tasted some raspberry gin which went lovely with lemonade. I've decided that I like flavoured gin, so I bought some plum and cinnamon gin from Lidl. Any advice what mixer to use? I think lemonade would be too overpowering but when I've had regular tonic water it's been quite-bleugh! I just want something that either complements the gin or tastes of nothing!

Soda water?

The plum and cinnamon is more a liquor, isn't it? 17% and sweet?

You may simply not get along with tonic - which would match with liking sweeter drinks.

Lemonade would probably be fine with a proper 40% gin. Fizzy water is about your only other option less flavoured.

How about neat or over just an ice cube? I tend to drink interesting gins (and other spirits) neat in tiny portions, works well for me.

Plum sounds like quite a sweet/syrupy gin (bit like sloe gin) and cinnamon will give it quite a pronounced flavour. So you just want a bog-standard plain tonic with it I should think.

My favourite gin is Hendricks with a slice of cucumber and a light tonic - delicious!!!

I don't like regular tonic water and especially not Schweppes, but I have recently discovered fever tree elderflower tonic and it has awoken in me a taste for gin that I never had before!

I came across this recently which I thought might be helpful to hag on to

Ginger ale might work well with plum and cinnamon - autumn/wintery flavours. Over ice with just a splash of soda or sparkling water would also be good I think?

I had a cocktail with a gin liqueur and lemonade and lots of ice not so long ago, was very nice, but nowhere near enough alcohol in it for me, I need to be able to taste it.

I have a bottle of some sort of berry gin at home that I've never opened so I'm going make my own version (I have a few cans of old style full sugar San Pellegrino limonato leftover that would be perfect).

I also have gin, tonic and fresh orange, but I don't know if that would work with a liqueur gin.

New

Thanks for posting that. I've just bought a pack of Fever Tree aromatic and Mediterranean tonics to try (I don't like elderflower) so that chart will help me choose a gin to enjoy at it's best - I have a few but it would be an awful shame if none matched and I needed to go out and buy more gin.

Ooh that chart looks handy!

Someone suggested Ginventory in a thread a while back so have been using that, but couldn't find a plum & cinnamon gin in it.

Oooh thanks for the chart NEW took a screenshot so I can use it when ordering a new gin.
I love Fevertree tonic, just wish I'd bought some shares when they first launched. I knew they'd be big but was too scared to invest. If only.......

Some great replies, thank you! No idea if it is syrupy/sweet but you're probably right. Not checked the ABV the 19 year old me would be embarrassed but I like the idea of ginger ale. Will check out Fever Tree too, and that wonderful inforgraphic. Thank you!

I'm addicted to Fever Tree clementine at the minute. I also love all of their tonics though in all honesty. I've become quite boring and stick to good old Bombay sapphire 

I came on to recommend the Ginventory app again .... but I've been beaten to it 😂

OP - I'd check the gin isn't a liqueur-style, as if it is you probably don't want to add gin. Eg some of the Edinburgh Gins are like that. However, you would do well adding prosecco or champagne to it!

Sorry, probably don't want to add TONIC .... adding more gin however may be reasonable!

Elderflower is my preference.

Fever tree is my favourite brand.

I drink Hendrick’s with elderflower Fever Tree tonic and (gasp!) a slice of lemon. I don’t mind it with the traditional cucumber but I prefer the lemon

Oh my goodness I love this thread! The chart is fab and I didn't know Clementine tonic existed! I hadn't thought of pairing the fruit gins with lemonade either!

DS's gf bought me a bottle of violet gin in the summer and oh my - it was delicious!

Some of the spiced gins are very nice too!

I have a bottle of sloe gin maturing in a cupboard - my first attempt and I hope it works!

I recently discovered after years of thinking I didn’t like gin that I actually don’t like tonic so much drink it with lemonade

I have the Aldi plum and clementine gin and mixed with fevertree orange tonic - lovely