The perfect gin & tonic

Capturing that unique sense of British heritage, the iconic and brilliantly simple gin & tonic has to be one of the best Friday night drinks with which to herald the new weekend.

In the early 19th century, British officers in India took quinine – an incredibly bitter powdery substance – to ward off malaria. At this time the soldiers were given gin rations by the army so they started mixing the quinine with water, gin, lime and sugar to make it more palatable. And thus the gin & tonic was born.

Hendrick’s is our favourite gin and is distilled in Scotland in small batches which typically means miniscule batches of 500 litres, which gives their master distiller even greater control of her careful artistry.

This is Lesley Gracie, Master Distiller at Hendrick’s, who meticulously oversees the distillery along with her lone apprentice. 

What’s special about Hendrick’s is that its botanical signature consists of flowers, roots, fruits, and seeds from the world over including juniper, yarrow, elderflower, angelica root, orange peel, caraway, coriander,  and lots of other weird and wonderful ingredients. These are the foundation to which Hendrick’s add two infusions: Bulgarian Rosa Damascena and specially selected cucumbers from the finest producers around the world. And that’s why no other gin tastes like Hendrick’s – because no other gin is made like Hendrick’s.

The perfect gin & tonic

Bitter . Floral . Fizzy .

Ingredients: 50ml Hendrick’s Gin, 150ml Tonic Water

Preparation: Build all in a hi ball glass over ice and garnish with a few slices of fresh cucumber.

Visit the Hendrick’s website for an amazing journey into the society of the unusual, the treasury of tipples, learn about their peculiar past and find out all about a gin made oddly.

Images: Hendrick’s Instagram