Talk to me about Gin please!

[hippohector]

I have never like Gin and tonic, I find the taste far too bitter. But.. I really want to like it!

Someone said you can now get different flavoured tonic water - would that make a difference and make it not so bitter?

What about Pink Gin? Does that taste a bit softer?

Ice? I meant tonic

Gin itself is not bitter. The bitter taste comes from the quinine in the tonic water or, if, for example, you add Angostura bitters (name is a giveaway).
Why not try a French 75? Gin, lemon (or lime juice) topped up with champagne. Guaranteed not to be bitter.
By the way, you should be able to drink a really good gin "neat", like brandy or schnaps.

My mum drinks gin and orange.

I love all kinds of gin but I have done for years. The only one I don't like that I've tried is Ophir.

I mix orange/rhubarb ones with ginger ale, Hendricks type with elderflower tonic etc. I very much second fevertree mixers - they do some nice special additions.

I see people have mentioned Aldi but I really rate Lidl Gins too.

Aldi do a nice cheap slimline tonic which is much nicer than normal tonic. Love a g&t!

Also - piece of advice I received from a gin aficionado was to either drink an expensive gin and cheap tonic or cheap gin and expensive tonic. Otherwise one cancels out the other. Has always stood me well!

I prefer lidls fintons pink gin to the gordons one.

Try a low quinine tonic. It might be a bit more expensive but it tastes so much better and lets the taste of the gin shine through. Also have a Google and see what the best garnish is for the gin you pick because it really changes the flavour!

I'd try that before going for a flavoured gin. The fruity flavouring just masks all the amazing flavours in a good gin that come out when it's made well with the right garnish and a good tonic!

@FraughtwithGin

Gin itself is not bitter. The bitter taste comes from the quinine in the tonic water or, if, for example, you add Angostura bitters (name is a giveaway). Why not try a French 75? Gin, lemon (or lime juice) topped up with champagne. Guaranteed not to be bitter. By the way, you should be able to drink a really good gin "neat", like brandy or schnaps.

Yes! North Berwick navy strength neat is amazing! 😋

Purist here....no fruity flavours or weirdness....straight up in its full glory or drink something-else entirely.

Same here.
I don't mind some of the flavoured gins, but I might as well be drinking flavoured vodka or other spirit. The reason I like gin is its juniper flavour. IMO flavoured gins are for people who don't like gin

And flavoured tonic water just kills the taste of original gin. It's fine to drink gin with lemonade if you don't like tonic water as you can still taste the gin, but if you add any other flavourings we shouldn't pretend it is proper, grown up gin.

And before I get accused of being a gin snob, my favourite gin is Gordon's