Gin and Tonic

Recipe from Andrea Cecchini

Adapted by Toby Cecchini

Gin and Tonic
Craig Lee for The New York Times
Total Time
10 minutes
Rating
4(286)
Notes
Read community notes

This refreshing summer cocktail for a crowd came to The Times by way of Toby Cecchini, a bartender and the inventor of the once ubiquitous cosmopolitan cocktail. This recipe originated with his father, Andrea Cecchini, a research chemist who “brought his scrutiny to bear on cocktails.” A few things the senior Mr. Cecchini would insist upon here: Use a pitcher because proportion is crucial, and you need plenty of room for the ice, tonic and limes. The limes should be room temperature. The tonic chilled, and the ice cracked, preferably by hand. Of course, do what you can, and if you want to make a single cocktail, simply divide the amounts by four (use the juice of one lime per cocktail and have another on hand for garnish). Toby likes to use Tanqueray for “its punchy botanicals and authority; it is 94 proof to the more common 80, making it cantankerous in a martini, but perfect for a G and T.” —Toby Cecchini

Featured in: SHAKEN AND STIRRED; Summer in a Tall Glass

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
    Subscribe

  • Print Options

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 5limes, room temperature
  • 16ounces of gin
  • Cracked ice
  • 1liter tonic water, chilled
Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Knead 4 of the limes on a cutting board, then juice. Slice used rinds into thin strips.

  2. Step 2

    In large pitcher, combine gin and rinds, and muddle for two minutes. Add lime juice, and let stand for five minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Fill pitcher halfway with ice. Slowly add tonic. Mix carefully, and pour into tall, chilled highball glasses. Garnish with lime rounds cut from the remaining lime.

Ratings

4 out of 5
286 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.

Cooking Notes

Deb A

If you have leftover tonic, freeze in an ice cube tray. Use instead of regular ice for G & T.

Michael

I prefer to drink gin using Churchill's martini recipe: Pour ice-cold gin in an ice-cold martini glass while glaring at a bottle of vermouth.

DRC PGH

Make this individually instead. Into a tumbler add 2 oz. gin, then squeeze half a lime on top. Add used rind to glass, muddle. Let sit two minutes. Add ice, then slowly pour fresh tonic from a small bottle (no large bottles! Once opened they're good for one use only!) over. Stir lightly. I'm British, and my G&T-loving friends call these "Muddled Limeys." Brilliant.

Bruce Lindsay Rochester NY

Well the real issue with G & T is in the tonic chosen. The British tradition of tonic calls for literally no sugar and lots of Quinine. In the 1960's in England we got Indian Tonic in 7 once bottles it was the true bitter tonic, but excellent for G & T. Today in the USA I prefer Fever Tree in both "Bitter Lemon" and Tonic Water. It has an honest appeal for a true summer cocktail. Gin? well there are so many good ones now. Hendricks is my favorite currently. Cheers

David G.

Fever Tree Tonic only! I second that. Any other tonic, you might as well buy a cheap gin and get it ice cold. It’ll go down fair. No sir, a great gin deserves a great tonic!

elle

At LAST! A good, honest down-to-earth proportion of gin. Four ounces per serving is about right. So glad it's not 1 jigger per. THANK you! I'm a former bartender and truly respect your quantities.

Oregon valley girl

Rather than using Tanqueray, you might want to try out (if you in NY and other east coast locations can obtain one) one of the numerous gins that Oregon is producing, all of which have plenty of botanicals. Aviation, Aria, Old Tom Ransom, Vicacity are some of the best. Besides the wines and microbrews that Oregon is known for, the past several years has seen a incredible growth in spirits.

TCW

Several other suggestions...Keep the bottle of gin in the freezer...it's like adding liquid ice...Mix with half SanPellegrino Lime.. half Schweppes tonic...plenty of fresh lime...

Amy S

Use good tonic, fever tree is great so is Q tonic. For something different and delicious try Fevertree elderflower tonic.

Billy

Doing this in a pitcher makes the tonic more flat. Individual chilled glasses, with chilled tonic out of bottles or cans.

Ben H

I personally think the perfect ratio for a G&T is 3:1 which means you should use a quart and a half of tonic instead of just a liter.

Gene J

Because you are going to measure the gin in an American measuring cup and the tonic comes in 1 liter bottles.

RMM

Any suggestion for sourcing the pitcher used in the recipe?

Meg

I like to throw in mint leaves, cucumber slices, lemon, even basil. A little much, but so good on summer evenings

tripleL

Plymouth for G&T!

Gina

209 gin out of San Francisco is my fave. Very clean and great in any cocktail.

Karen A

I now borrow my dear brother-in-laws trick of taking the final lime slice and wiping it firmly around the edge of the glass before serving. There’s something about the taste of the lime juice and aroma of squeezed rind as I sip my drink that elevates it for me.

Jeanie Diva

Is is the same when made with vodka?

Jeanie Diva

Is this the same when making it with vodka?

kevink

this is a real chaotic way to make a G&T. Part of what's nice about the drink is the extremely high level of carbonation, so turning it into a pitcher drink really negates the refreshing effect of a freshly poured G&T

KS

For one person: one lime, 4oz (113g) gin, and 250g tonic

J.B.

Recommend St. George, Terroir Gin from California. Made from 12 botanicals and yes, Fever Tree is always the way to enjoy.

Hawky

I love St. George Terroir Gin. It tastes like an aromatic walk through California coastal chaparral. Some will find that far too botanical.

Samantha

The recipe was fine but muddling the limes brought out too much bitterness from the peels. What I really want to know is where I can get the fabulous pitcher and glasses in the picture! Anyone have an idea?

Anne

I've been making cold-extracted tonic syrup for the last three years (I use the recipe at Pinch and Swirl dot com, with a couple of adjustments—e.g., grapefruit instead of orange zest), and not only have I become a COMPLETE convert to DIY tonic, I have converted any number of friends after they've tasted mine. Homemade tonic + fizzy H₂O + lime + gin = a truly superior G&T. It's extremely easy to make. And it doesn't go flat.

Cynthia

Brooklyn Gin and Fever Tree Naturally Light for the win!

Anne B

Ooh, 4 oz. of gin per drink! Seriously, make your G & Ts individually. Put two ounces gin and several ice cubes (never, ever cracked) into a glass (chilled is nice). Squeeze a lime wedge over the drink and plunk into the glass. Add a small amount of desperately cold (and never fake sugar) tonic. Do not mess with perfection.

gnat

I agree with the fever tree and Q tonic suggestions, and have taken to adding other herbs from my deck garden - some oregano, rosemary, thyme, etc. to make it more botanical/earthy and yummy.

Bob

For me, it's a toss up between Boodles and Bombay Sapphire. Definitely prefer the more delicate and refined aromatics, not the heavy, syrupy botanicals.

Myra

Skip the lime and garnish your g+t with a basil leaf and a bramble (blackberry). Great with a more botanical gin.

Amy S

Use good tonic, fever tree is great so is Q tonic. For something different and delicious try Fevertree elderflower tonic.

Sharon P

Fevertree Elderflower-my favorite! Perfect G&T, with lemon.

Private notes are only visible to you.

Credits

Adapted from Andrea Cecchini

Recipe Tags

Advertisement

or to save this recipe.

More From Summer Recipes We Look Forward to All Year Long

More Recipes From Toby Cecchini

Cooking Guides