About to pop my gin cherry - advice needed!

[Clevs]

I'm probably the only person in the world that's never tried gin, despite how trendy it's become in recent years.

My husband has been given a bottle of 'Botanist' gin from a customer which looks like it could be a good quality (and expensive!) gin. So how do we drink it?

He's bought a bottle of tonic water but is that all you can drink with it? Or can you mix it with juice/other mixers? And what ratio of gin to tonic is it to make a pleasant drink?

I know I've led a sheltered life for the last few years so would like to see what all the hype is about!

You have a whole bottle. Experiment. Find the combination you like.

If it's a really good gin you need a good tonic too. Fever tree light is my go-to favourite. The cheaper you go to more you'll get something harsh and over-sweetenered that swamps the flavour of the gin.

Different fruits - lemon or like are most usually used but apple, melon, orange and cucumber are all perfectly viable.

You need ice cubes.

Ratios are a matter of personal taste. Some people prefer 5:1 mixer to gin, others might go for 2:1

Great advice above, experiment and see what you like!

I splash out on tonic water and buy the mini cans or bottles, that way its always fresh and fizzy.

I honestly don't get the hype about gin. It's definitely trendy at the moment though. DH likes it and we have a variety of gins and mixers. I can't bear any of them!

Feel free to use lemonade instead of tonic. Or just a juice of your choice.

I like fever tree ginger ale tonic with gin, ice and lemon slice.

I like gin, drank it for years long before its become the trendy drink it is now, but not the over flavoured ones like, rhubarb/hot cross bun/cherry and so on they just taste like pop.

I enjoy a nice Poetic Licence with grapefruit juice, or a Hendricks midsummer solstice and a good tonic (like fevertree, but hate the cost), or a plain old Gordons with ice and a slice of lemon, but a slice of cucumber is nice as well.

Experiment!

Should of added, tried Botanist gin, pleasant but nothing special for me, Tanqueray is still my favorite followed by plain Hendricks.

But I do like the Japanese gin Roku, and a couple of years ago DH brought me a one back from Germany, Monkey something or other, neither tap nor taste!

Tried so many from local distillery's, god some take the roof of your mouth off!

Sorry I digress, I like gin!!!!!!

Definitely need a decent tonic water!

The fevertree flavoured tonics are nice- I like the aromatic, clementine or elderflower ones.

My friends who prefer v sweet drinks use lemonade as a mixer instead 🤮😂

@HiPieInTheSky was in Monkey 47? When I was a bartender it was one of our ‘fancier’ gins on the menu.

I prefer lemonade but I like my drinks sweet. Hendricks is my favourite gin with a slice of cucumber in.

@YerAWizardHarry, yes thats it just checked the bottle and for the price its only a 50cl bottle, definitely not worth the money nothing special for me at all.

Now has anyone tried the Italian blood orange gin from Malfy? Think that might be a very refreshing summer drink, if its not to sweet.

Definitely try it with ginger ale - very refreshing!
I am very fussy about gin though, I only really like silent pool but it’s £££ unfortunately.

I like Roku gin too. It's available in Sainsbury's and it's the gin they serve in Wagamama.

Back in the day gin and orange was a thing (ie Orange juice), but it doesn't seem popular now - probably for good reason.
My DM always drinks gin with bitter lemon, but I've never seen anyone else drink bitter lemon, with gin nor anything else.

Gin, a decent tonic, lots of ice, and a slice of citrus fruit of your choosing is the king of drinks.

Hendricks, Fever Tree light, cucumber ice
The cheaper tonics aren't nice, they leave a nasty aftertaste

The Malfy blood orange one is very nice. The lemon one is gorgeous too.

I love gin, try it with cranberry juice! Or if you have time look up a gin bramble cocktail. Absolutely delicious.

Look up the botanist website - they have good serving suggestions.

It's the gin from bruichladdich distillery on Islay and they've got a whole foraging thing going on so some of the serves are hereby rather than traditional lemon etc.

I don't like fever tree tonic. Don't like artificial sweeteners so definitely no "light tonic". I'm currently mixing with Schweppes 1783 crisp tonic - sugar only/ no sweeteners. If you don't like/can't take quinine then cushiedoos tonic is quinine free.

Thanks everyone for the advice and suggestions! Seems like Fever Tree is the tonic of choice by the majority. He came home with a bottle of Schweppes slimline tonic so we'll have that for now. A local deli has a selection of gins and tonics, including Fever Tree, so I'll have a browse in there one day.

I'll let you know what I think of it, hoping to try some tonight 👍🏻

I don't like fever tree tonic. Don't like artificial sweeteners so definitely no "light tonic"

Fever tree light has no artificial sweeteners which is why people like it!
Spring water, fructose, citric acid, natural flavourings including natural quinine

I love gin, and tonic - but I know a lot of people who are ok with gin but don't like tonic. If you find you are one of them, try bitter lemon, ginger ale or lemonade.