22 Gin And Tonics That Will Blow Your Mind

Gin and tonic 2.0.

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Gin and tonic. They go together like peanut butter and jelly. Fish and chips. Selfies and filters.

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It's a classic. And some people say you shouldn't touch a classic. But those people are wrong.

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Gin should be drunk any way you know how, do you hear me? ANY WAY YOU KNOW HOW.

So we asked a bunch of bartenders and industry experts to tell us their favourite unusual G&T recipes. Because you owe it to your G&T to explore every facet of its personality.

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Be the gin lover you wish to see in the world.

We talked to brand ambassadors, gin distillers, bar owners, and a lot of bartenders. Whether you want a slight twist on your G&T, or to have your mind well and truly blown, there's something here for everyone.

Here’s what they suggested.

1. Strawberry and Black Pepper G&T

Jared Brown

"Much more than a garnish, the strawberry slices gradually bleed their flavour into the drink. It becomes a bit more summery with each sip. For this recipe, I think Bloom, Geranium, and Martin Miller's gin all go especially well with strawberry...though I usually reach for Sipsmith myself."

– Jared Brown, master distiller at Sipsmith

Jared's Recipe:

If you have time, cut the caps off your strawberries and let them sit in either a little balsamic vinegar or Cointreau. Then take your pre-soaked strawberries, slice them and add them to a glass with your preferred amount of gin. Add ice and top with tonic. Garnish with more strawberries and a crack of fresh black pepper.

2. Earl Grey G&Tea

Instagram: @relationshipsbuiltonbreakfast

"Bergamot and juniper are a match made in heaven, and this recipe combines the bergamot of Earl Grey with the juniper notes of gin."

– Philip David, freelance bartender and writer

Philip's Recipe:

Make Earl Grey simple syrup by mixing equal parts strong Earl Grey to cane sugar and stirring until dissolved. Mix 30ml of this with 20ml of lemon juice (adjust to taste) and 50ml of gin. Add ice, and top with tonic water. Garnish with orange peel.

3. Blueberry Thyme Gin and Tonic

Proper Tasty

Proper Tasty's Recipe:

Add a handful of blueberries, two sprigs of thyme, and simple syrup to a glass and muddle. Add a shot of gin and then fill the glass with ice cubes. Pour over the tonic water and garnish with another sprig of thyme

– Proper Tasty

4. Coriander and Cinnamon G&T

Three Six Six

"Every gin will include a spice note in the botanicals, and cinnamon is a great way to bring this out. Both cinnamon and coriander accentuate the freshness of the gin. For a properly spicy G&T, go for a spiced gin like Darnley's, and use Schweppes ginger and cardamom tonic if you can find it."

– Eduardo de la Mora, owner of Three Six Six

Eduardo's Recipe:

Put a few sprigs of coriander into a glass and muddle gently. Add the cinnamon and then pour your gin over the top. Mix it well, then add ice and top with tonic.

5. Bramble and Tonic

Instagram: @bombaysapphire_spain

"I’ve always been a fan of the classic bramble and this incorporates it into the G&T to make a lovely refreshing drink that works fantastically well in the summer."

– Tony Kousoulou, bartender at East London Liquor Company, London

Tony's Recipe:

Take a few blackberries, a measure of lemon juice, and a dash of sugar syrup, then muddle them together with a spoon until thoroughly mashed. Next, add a double measure of your gin of choice (I prefer ELLC London Dry or Sipsmiths). Add plenty of ice and top with tonic, before garnishing with a lemon wheel.

6. Basil Gin and Tonic

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"Gin and basil go together fantastically well. My favourite basil to use is purple basil but any basil will do."

– Jamie Baxter, director and master distiller at 45 West Distillers

Jamie's Recipe:

Bruise a little basil in some gin (we like Burleigh's Export Strength), add ice and top up with tonic water. Garnish with a wedge of orange and more basil.

7. Raspberry Rose Gin and Tonic

Proper Tasty

Proper Tasty's Recipe:

Add a handful of fresh raspberries, one tablespoon of simple syrup, one tablespoon of lime juice, and one teaspoon of rosewater to a glass and muddle. Add a shot of gin and then fill the glass with ice cubes. Pour over tonic water and garnish with a wedge of lime.

– Proper Tasty

8. Grape and Elderflower G&T

Instagram: @theangelsudbury

"The grapes give a little tartness and a subtle sweetness, which nicely complements the fresh mint and English elderflower cordial. Gin-wise, I'd go for Queen Victoria's favourite, Bombay Sapphire."

– Holly Willcocks, bar manager at Meatmission

Holly's Recipe:

Muddle five grapes, a handful of slapped mint, and a splash of elderflower cordial together. Add a double shot of gin, ice, and top with tonic.

9. Coffee Gin Tonic

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"Coffee and tonic have been a great combination for some time. Adding gin, which you wouldn't expect to work, takes it to another level. Clean, citrusy with an almost chocolatey finish. Plus carbonated caffeine = win. The best coffee liqueur you can use in this is Mr Black's cold press coffee liqueur, but any will do."

– Jamie Jones, global bars executive for The Social Company

Jamie's Recipe:

Mix 25ml of coffee liqueur with 35ml of your gin of choice. Top with either Fever-Tree Aromatic tonic or normal tonic. Serve in copa glass filled with ice, and garnish with orange zest and a fresh cherry.

10. West Country G&T

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"This is my ultimate G&T. It hits all the notes: fruit, spice, and a vegetable note. You should preferably use a good West Country gin in this, like Conker or Tarquins."

– Lloyd Brown, manager at Venner Bar

Lloyd's Recipe:

Take a whole sugar snap pea, a thumb-sized piece of candied rhubarb, and a slice of fresh ginger and give it a quick muddle in a shot glass. Pour in a double measure of gin, add big cubes of ice, and top with double the amount of tonic.

11. Bitter Sweet Symphony

Willy Borrell

"If you have them, I prefer using two dashes of Mozart bitters and two dashes of Boker's bitters in this drink, but any will do. Highwayman gin also goes well in this."

– Willy Borrell, owner of Ladies & Gents

Willy's Recipe:

Pour 35ml of gin, 20ml of sweet vermouth, and 10ml of coffee liqueur (Mr Black's is best) into a beaker or pint glass. Add ice and four dashes of bitters. Stir until the drink is suitably diluted, then strain into a glass, add more ice, and top with tonic. Garnish with orange zest.

12. Rhubarb Gin and Tonic

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"The addition of basil to this drink offsets the sweet, sharp taste of rhubarb with savoury notes. This is a great G&T twist to drink at the end of the night."

– Alfie Amayo, brand ambassador for City of London Distillery

Alfie's Recipe:

Muddle a few basil leaves with rhubarb liqueur. Top with as much gin as you like, ice, and tonic water. Garnish with a basil leaf.

13. Rosemary and Pink Grapefruit G&T

Annie / Via Flickr: 27129991@N03

"If you can find it, this recipe works beautifully with Pedrino, an alcoholic tonic water that has Pedro Ximinez sherry added to it."

– Mikul Kaylan, brand ambassador at Martin Miller's

Mikul's Recipe:

Mix 50ml of gin with a splash of pink grapefruit juice and then top with either Pedrino alcoholic tonic or regular tonic water and a splash of sherry. Garnish with rosemary and pink grapefruit.

14. Ol' Smoky

karmcamilleeon / Via Flickr: karmacamilleeon

"This is a belter of a G&T I created for a whiskey bar. A juniper-heavy gin like Sipsmith's VJOP or Beefeater will go excellently in this."

– Leon Dalloway, founder of Gin Journey

Leon's Recipe:

Mix your gin with half a teaspoon of a super smoky whiskey (think Laphroaig, Lagavulin, Caol Ila, Ardbeg, etc). Add a splash of apricot liqueur, a dash of peach bitters, and top with Indian tonic. Garnish with a chunky slice of pink grapefruit zest.

15. Thyme & Lime Twist

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"I love cooking with thyme and think it compliments gin on the nose – 80% of flavour comes from your sense of smell, so it makes sense to pair a strong-smelling garnish like thyme with a botanical-tasting gin. Always have a splash of bitters in your G&T too. It's like a chef's seasoning, bringing together the flavours and enhancing the spicy botanicals in the gin."

– Josh Linfitt, bartender at Worship Street Whistling Shop and brand ambassador for Tarquin’s Gin

Josh's Recipe:

Pour your gin of choice into a huge glass. Add a squeeze of lime juice, a splash of bitters, and ice. Top with tonic, then garnish with thyme.

16. Grapefruit Tarragon Gin and Tonic

Proper Tasty

Proper Tasty's Recipe:

Add one tablespoon of demerara sugar, one sprig of tarragon, and 50ml of fresh grapefruit juice to a glass and muddle. (The grapefruit juice is best squeezed straight from a fresh grapefruit and filtered to get rid of the bits.) Add a shot of gin and then fill the glass with ice cubes. Top with tonic water and garnish with a wedge of grapefruit.

– Proper Tasty

17. Pearberry G&T

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"This recipe is inspired by a dessert my gran used to make when I was growing up, with ingredients fresh from her garden. The combination of raspberries and pears always reminds me of summer. The recipe works best with a classic London dry style of gin, so go for something like Beefeater, Fords, or City of London Distillery London Dry."

– Emma Stokes, creator of Gin Monkey, London

Emma's Recipe:

Pour two shots of gin into a glass with two slices of pear and three raspberries and muddle. Add lemon juice to taste. Then add ice, top with tonic water, and garnish with a slice of cucumber.

18. Gin Tonic Martini

Nate Brown

"At my bar, we do a Gin and Tonic reduction that we call Time of the Raj. It's a drink with the flavour and freshness of a gin and tonic but condensed to have all the punchy sophistication of a martini."

— Nate Brown, owner of Merchant House

Nate's Recipe:

Make the tonic reduction by boiling tonic on the hob until it's a third of its size. Then mix a small measure of your tonic reduction with a large measure of gin and stir over ice until chilled. Strain into a chilled glass and garnish with lemon zest.

19. Cucumber Basil Gin and Tonic

Proper Tasty

Proper Tasty's Recipe:

Add five cucumber slices, four fresh basil leaves, and two tablespoons of lime juice to a glass and muddle. Add a shot of gin and then fill the glass with ice cubes. Pour over tonic water and garnish with a sprig of basil.

– Proper Tasty

20. Sloe Gin and Tonic

Instagram: @thomashenryofficial

"You can substitute sloe gin with your regular gin to pimp your gin and tonic. If you want an especially delicious variation on this, follow my recipe below for a Berry Sloe Day G&T!"

– Des Yatigammana, bar manager at Sticky Wicket

Des's Recipe:

Muddle three blackberries with 30ml of sloe gin. Add 20ml of Maraschino liqueur, 20ml of lemon juice, and 15ml of sugar syrup. Add crushed ice if you have it, and top with tonic water.

21. Chocolate Olive Gin and Tonic

Instagram: @thebittertruthcompany

"Don't be discouraged by this seemingly random pairing of flavours. Surprisingly the olive adds a touch of savoury saltiness that compliments the other sweet and bitter flavours. Be sure to go for a cardamom-led gin with this, like No.3 gin."

– Josh Powell, head bartender at 68 & Boston

Josh's Recipe:

Add your preferred amount of gin to a glass and add a few drops of chocolate bitters. Add ice and top with either regular tonic, or Peter Spanton's chocolate tonic. Garnish with an olive.

22. Sage Gin and Tonic

Instagram: @stgeorgespirits

"A great gin and tonic doesn't need to be fussy – just three ingredients will do. The key to a perfect one is getting the overall tonic/gin/water ratio just right, matching similar flavors, and most importantly, a good texture (this includes both effervescence and temperature)."

– Lance Winters, master distiller at St George Spirits

Lance's Recipe:

Add 30ml of gin (St George Terroir Gin goes particularly well with sage) to ice. If you want to be super technical, the ice should be chilled to -18°C and cut into roughly 30mm cubes. Stir the gin with the ice to reach about 15% dilution, then add to a chilled glass and top with tonic.

Garnish with sage leaves, then take a slice of lemon peel and gently squeeze it over the glass to release its essence.