Photo: Claire LowerHappy hour with 3 ingredientsHappy hour with 3 ingredientsThe weekly beverage column with super simple but delicious libations.
I don’t drink gin & tonics in winter, but it’s no longer winter. The G&T is a garden drink best consumed when lounging among pretty flowers and in green fields (or backyards), preferably in a fun summer dress. (They’re also a very good hot tub drink – they have a moisturizing effect, even though they’re exactly the opposite.)
Besides the gin, I also like how adaptable they are. The combination of a powerful spirit and an aggressively bitter (but still pretty sweet) tonic mixes well with fruits, herbs, and even peppercorns, making it a great vehicle for the “last bit” of languishing herbs or berries. It also plays well with other spirits, especially those with a lower ABV like fortified wine, amari, and liquors.
Lillet is one such fortified wine, and it goes particularly well with G&T. The golden, honey-colored and flavored aperitif has a good chunk with notes of mint, citrus and pine and goes well with tonic with gin and china flavor. (If you don’t love a lot of tonic, you can always cut it with some lemonade.) To make this happy little sipper you will need:
- 1 3/4 ounces gin
- 3/4 ounce Lillet Blanc (although the blush or rosé might be fun too)
- 2-3 ounces of tonic water, depending on how much you like tonic
Combine the gin and lillet in a highball glass filled with crushed ice and stir. Top with tonic and garnish with any citrus peel that you have in your product drawer. Why not throw in a few berries too? Heck, I could even include some thinly sliced cucumber. It’s finally out beautiful – go crazy.