This weekend, International Gin and Tonic Day (October 19) will be celebrated around the world with those who imbibe surely having a glass of the classic cocktail. To add to the celebration, we’ll be sharing our favorite gins and tonics below in hopes that it’ll be a boost to your International Gin and Tonic Day as well.
The origins of International Gin and Tonic Day are hard to pin down but according to a post on Difford’s Guide, the day was established in 2010 in honor of the late Mary Edith Keyburn, who reportedly passed away on this day with a Gin and Tonic at her bedside. We did our best to try and nail down the source of the story but the details are vague at best.
That said, October 19 will be an excuse to pour up a Gin and Tonic, one of the simplest cocktails ever and a great way to train one’s palette for gin. Already, I can hear the collective groan of people who believe they’re not fans of gin but as I always say, gin is far more versatile than most would give the spirit credit for. In my opinion, and I am really simplifying this so don’t flame me, gin is essentially vodka with delicious seasonings.
I don’t want to nerd this out too much because I can do that on this topic but let’s understand the main gins that most would encounter in their drinking travels. London Dry would stand to be the most common of them and somewhat defines the category. The style lends itself to big flavors that mostly come from juniper but also other botanicals such as coriander, orange peel, lemon peel, and more. One thing to note is that while the name mentions London, the style of gin can be made anywhere
Navy Strength, which gets its name due to British naval officers who were given a pint a day for rations, is an overproof or higher ABV version of gin typically made with the same botanicals found in London Dry.
Then there is Old Tom, a gin that is slightly sweeter and sometimes briefly aged in barrels with the sweetness coming from an additional amount of licorice root, although it isn’t a style one would typically use for a Gin and Tonic.
There are also more modern styles of gin made in Ireland, Scotland, Brazil, the United States, and beyond. The tenets are largely the same with producers using a neutral grain spirit and then flavored with a variety of botanicals that are local to each region but almost always feature juniper and sometimes Black pepper.
For those who just can’t abide by the taste of gin, there are flavored and infused options out there but I don’t think any of those brands fit into the Gin and Tonic space so we’re skipping that lesson for another day.
Below, I’ll share in alphabetical order my favorite gins to use for the Gin and Tonic, and also a handful of tonics that I feel will do the trick and are easily found in stores. If I missed one of your favorites, it’s probably because I haven’t tried it and there is a handy way to correct that. I didn’t add any aged or rested gins because I don’t think those work well with tonics.
For now, get ready for International Gin and Tonic Day and enjoy the cocktail responsibly.
As always, sip safely and surely.
—
Photo: Getty