Gin and Tonic

In today's world, a cocktail is anything with ice and spirits in a glass. But, then, Tommy Bahama shirts are considered appropriate in a casino where, once, only black tie (a tuxedo) would have done.  So spins the world. In any case, the Gin and Tonic is only barely a cocktail by old time qualifications (spirits+sugar+bitters) in that modern tonic water uses quinine (which is traditional) and is sweetened (which is less so).

Oft referred to as a G&T within the British Isles, the Gin and Tonic is a highball, or tall cocktail. James Bond orders one in the novel Goldfinger where Auric Goldfinger quite improbably allows Bond unfettered access to his home in England while he steps out so that he can record by film whatever it is Bond is looking for.  Bond has, by this point in the novel, already interfered with Goldfinger's vacation-oriented hijinks in Miami and Goldfinger knows Bond is up to something; he is just not sure what. He invites Bond to dinner and makes up an excuse to leave for a short while, putting Bond in a position where he can search Goldfinger's estate.  Unbeknownst to 007, Goldfinger has rigged a movie camera to film Bond's every move from behind a two way mirror.  Before searching the house, Bond, quite reasonably, fixes himself a drink. He chooses a Gin and Tonic which, for a heavy drinker, is a logical choice, as it is a tall drink and takes one time to work through.  Bond drinks another (or three, if memory serves) in the novel Doctor No.

As the weather is warming a bit where I am at the moment, I thought the Gin and Tonic might be a worthy drink for this entry.  Ostensibly, just tonic water and gin, the G&T couldn't be an easier cocktail to prepare. It is also somewhat austere as most of Bond's preferred cocktail are.  Originally developed by the army of the British East India Company in India to encourage their staff to drink quinine which was used to prevent malaria. The gin apparently made it more palatable and, I would imagine, more compelling. 

The gin and tonic has many interpretation in terms of proportions but remains fairly simple in terms of ingredients.

In Doctor No, Bond orders a double Gin and Tonic and cuts the lime in two, squeezing the halves into the glass, dropping them in and topping it with ice and tonic. A single G&T is:


A highball (tall) glass filled with ice, pour and stir in:

• 3 measures of gin,
• Fill the glass with tonic water
• squeeze one lime, cut in half, into the glass and drop in as a garnish

 So far as I know, Bond never calls (specifies) the gin although we know from past entries that he very much enjoys whatever it was Gordon's was producing in the 1950s. He also never specifies the tonic, which is probably because most bars don't offer a choice.


That said, I prefer Q Tonic brand to the more common Schweppes brand as it's a much subtler flavor that does not feature high fructose corn syrup as the sweetener (I'm certain Bond's tonic water enjoyed good, old fashioned sugar as the sweetener).


The Legendre Thirst method:

While limes are common and, initially refreshing in the G&T, I prefer to leave them out as I feel they eventually seem to dominate the drink. Instead, I make what is known as a Pink G&T (pictured), omitting the lime, adding 5 or 6 enthusiastic dashes of Angostura aromatic bitters and building the following in an ice-filled highball glass: 

• 3 oz. gin

• Add 6 robust dashes of aromatic bitters 
• fill with Q-Tonic tonic water and stir

If I want a bit of lime in the bouquet (which contrasts the flavor of the bitters beautifully), I'll use a twist of the peel instead of the whole fruit.

I enjoy Old Raj gin in my G&T as it has a stronger herbal quality than most gins while still remaining somewhat citrus forward. The infusion of saffron lends it a certain savory quality in addition to the amber color. Old Raj is probably too high proof and, perhaps, too flavorful for the delicate balance that makes a Martini but it is perfect for a tall, somewhat more forgiving drink like a Gin and Tonic as it brings a surprisingly flavorful companion to the tonic, adding  a pleasant and subtly savory kind of interest..  Unlike in the Pink Gin cocktail, the bitters only play a supporting role in this drink.  The result is pleasantly effervescent with refreshing vegetal notes vaguely reminiscent of the strawberries and cucumbers one might find in a Pimm's Cup (albeit much more dry) with a slight creamy flavor while the mouth feel remains crisp. The citrus notes in the gin are sufficient to add a warm, celebratory note to the cocktail while the bitters bring out and occasionally offset the other herbal notes. (If you cannot find or afford Old Raj, Tanqueray Ten is an acceptable alternative. Somewhat less flavorful but arguably smoother.)

Try it both ways.  Imbibes most pleasingly in balmy weather.

In Doctor No, 007 enjoys 3 double G&Ts.  This amounts, to roughly, 18 measures of gin. As the average human liver can only process 1 ounce of alcohol per hour, this writer would like to recommend you start with singles first and work your way up.

Enjoy!

-L.T.