Truly, a simple G&T is hard to beat. But one of the best things about gin is that it is just so versatile, there is no end to the number of fantastic tipples that you can create - just look at how many different martinis or negronis or fabulous concoctions like our toffee flavoured gin there are. Don’t worry though, you don’t need to go to quite so much effort to branch out.
When you aren’t afraid to experiment and try some of the more adventurous mixers out there, you can find just as much variety by simply swapping out your normal tonic water. That’s why we have put together this list of some the most exciting alternative mixers that are out there, and we have even thrown in some of our favourite serve suggestions too.
Warning: This list may make you very thirsty!
CRAFTED Mango & Passion Fruit Juice by Cracker Drinks Co
Mixed in small batches in the UK, this fantastic, fruity tipple is incredible with gin! The team at Cracker Drinks Co use only the best fruits to produce juices of remarkable quality and flavour that will bring a smile to your face with every sip. Their Mango & Passion Fruit edition works so well in our July 2020 Cocktail of the Month, Craft Gin Club’s Copacabana Cooler, as well as simply mixed with gin in this delicious serve:
Ingredients
50ml gin
330ml CRAFTED Mango & Passion Fruit Juice by Cracker Drinks Co
Method
Pour your gin and juice over ice and stir. Simple and delicious!
Fruit juices are a great, easy way to create gin drinks that are bursting with flavour. If you have ever tried a Screwdriver or a similar ginny alternative, then you will know what we mean. The great thing about CRAFTED Drinks is that they have a wide range, so if mango or passion fruit isn’t your thing then you should definitely check out their other juices. You can find our suggestions, here!
Lixir Rhubarb & Ginger Tonic Water
This is a tonic water like no other. A company started by two bartenders, Lixir prides itself on their creativity when it comes to amazing drinks, and their Rhubarb & Ginger Tonic Water is a flavoursome testament to that! Its delectably tart Rhubarb notes and zingy, refreshing ginger tones are the perfect matches for a fruity or herb-forward gin, especially in this lip-smacking serve that’s simple yet oh-so-delicious:
Ingredients
50ml gin (we recommend One ‘Sage and Apple’ Gin, our March 2019 Gin of the Month)
Lixir Rhubarb & Ginger Tonic, to top up
Lemon slices, to garnish
Method
Fill a glass with ice and add the gin. Top up with the tonic and garnish with the lemon slices. Delicious!
Rhubarb is a beautifully tart classic flavour that pairs so well with quintessential juniper tones of gin, and some of our favourite gins are even flavoured with rhubarb themselves. Slingsby Rhubarb Gin is particularly delicious, we definitely recommend giving it a try! Find both Lixir and Slingsby on our online shop, here!
Merchant’s Heart Hibiscus
Specifically designed to elevate your drinking experience, Merchant’s Heart’s Spirit Enhancers are a divine creation that you have to try with your favourite gins! Their hibiscus edition is full of rare and utterly delicious floral, fruity flavours that can only be found in hibiscus flowers. Using this mixer with your gin will give you a drinking experience like you have never had before. Try out this perfect serve:
Ingredients
50ml gin (Naud Gin is delicious in this tipple)
150ml Merchant’s Heart Hibiscus (follow the link to get yours)
A twist of lemon peel, to garnish
Method
Pack a copa glass with ice and add your gin. Top up with tonic and garnish with dried hibiscus flowers or rose petals for a truly romantic tipple.
Merchant’s Heart Spirit Enhancers are a remarkable invention that really does elevate your drinking experience. What’s more, their cans are already measured into perfect serves so you can just pour without worrying about over-diluting your gin - they really have thought of everything! We reviewed their range at Christmas and you can hear what we had to say, here.
Lovely Drinks Garden Lemonade
This delicious lemonade is made with Sicilian lemons, a dash of lime and a hint of lavender to give it a remarkably fresh, floral touch that will elevate any gin you mix it with. It’s a vibrant alternative to your usual tonics or mixers. This serve is a must-try:
Ingredients
50ml gin (Copperfield London Dry Volume 2, would be our first choice here)
Lovely Drinks Garden Lemonade
Lavender, to garnish
Method
Add ice to your glass and then pour in your gin. Add the lemonade, topping up the glass, then stir. Garnish with the lavender and serve. It’s as easy as that!
Lemonade is always a great way to add a refreshing touch to your gin drinks, especially in cocktails like our Pink Grapefruit & Gin Lemonade cocktail recipe.
Tonica Superfine Tassoni
This is a tonic water with a very big difference, instead of quinine, which is usually used to give tonic water it’s unique bitter flavour, Tonic Superfine Tassoni is made with quassin, which has an altogether subtler bitterness that may appeal to those gin fans who don’t like tonic water. It is also made with Diamante citron, which is a unique citrus fruit with a beautifully fragrant profile that works particularly well with herb-forward gins. This is the perfect way to enjoy this unique tonic:
Ingredients
50ml gin (Altitude Gin goes perfectly with this tonic)
180ml Tonica Superfine Tassoni
Cinnamon sticks and lemon wheels, to garnish
Method
Pour your gin over ice and top up with the tonic. Garnish and serve.
Soda Folk Grape
In all honesty, we could have picked any of Soda Folk’s incredible range of drinks for the list, their Soda Folk Cherry is amazing in our June 2020 Cocktail of the Month, Craft Gin Club’s Knickerbocker Glory. Each one is as delicious as the next, but there is something about Soda Folk Grape that is just so yummy! In a cocktail like our purple take on a French 75, or simply served with a measure of gin like below, this gorgeous, unique mixer is full of wonderful fizz and delectable grape flavour.
Ingredients
50ml gin (Blue Bottle Gin is wonderful in this recipe)
Soda Folk Grape, to top (follow the link to our online shop)
Lemon slice, to garnish
Method
Pour your gin over lots of ice in a glass. Top up with Soda Folk Grape and stir. Garnish and serve. It couldn’t be simpler!
Soda Folk are using their gorgeous cans to celebrate the good deeds of miraculous individuals by placing their portraits on each of their cans. Learn the stories behind the heroes on each Soda Folk can.
Ikoyi Chapmans Original
All the way from West Africa, this vibrant non-alcoholic punch-like mixer has been referred to as Nigeria’s favourite tipple. With its sweet, citrussy palate that’s bursting with flavour, it will be your favourite too. Try it in this delicious perfect serve for a truly scrumptious gin experience:
Ingredients
50ml gin (we recommend a good London dry like Boatyard Double Gin)
125ml Ikoyi Chapmans Original
Lime wedge, to garnish
Method
Add your gin and Ikoyi Chapmans Original to a glass full of ice and stir. Garnish and serve.
Ikoyi Chapmans Original is also fantastic for using in cocktails. You should give these amazing recipes a try!
The Artisan Drinks Co. Violet Blossom Tonic
Mirror, mirror, on the wall, which is the prettiest tonic water of them all? There are certainly a few contenders for that prize, but perhaps Artisan Violet Blossom may just clinch it. Its subtle violet hue and beautifully floral, sweet notes make it the perfect balance of exotic and familiar, experimental and homely. What a treat! Especially in this simple serve accompanied by a tasty London dry like Manchester Signature Gin or Gŵyr Gin Rhamanta Edition.
Ingredients
50ml gin
The Artisan Drinks Co. Violet Blossom Tonic, to top up
Lime slices and pink peppercorns, to garnish.
Method
Add your gin to a glass full of ice. Top up with the tonic water. Garnish and serve.
Pssst… it was actually really hard to pick just one of Artisan’s range for this list. They have a real knack for creating unique and utter delicious mixers. After trying the Violet Blossom tonic water, you should give their Pink Citrus and Fiery Ginger Beer editions a go too. Just use the same recipe as above but swap out one Artisan tipple for another.
Pedrino Vermouth & Tonic Spritz
Anyone who enjoys a martini from time to time knows that gin and vermouth are made for each other. So it’s no surprise that the herby, sparkling delight that is Pedrino Vermouth & Tonic Spritz makes such a perfect mixer for gin. And its Spritz fizz makes it such a delicious summer tipple! Try this recipe out at your next garden party, it’s sure to impress!
Ingredients
25ml gin (a rich, slightly spiced gin like Gin 1689 compliments the vermouth perfectly)
Pedrino Vermouth and Tonic Spritz, to top up
orange slice, to garnish
Method
Fill a wine glass with ice and add your ingredients. Stir gently, garnish and serve.
Pedrino Vermouth & Tonic Spritz is also fantastic in this Herbaceous Spritz cocktail recipe.
London Essence Pomelo & Pink Pepper Tonic Water
This unique and ridiculously delicious pink tonic water from The London Essence Co. is a light, low-calorie treat that’s full of complex citrus and pink peppercorn flavours that are balanced so well against the traditional bitter quinine notes found in tonic water. It’s amazing in The London Essence Co.’s Cosmopolitan inspired Cosmo Highball cocktail recipe and in simple serves like the one below:
Ingredients
50ml gin (Dodd’s Small Batch Gin, with its refreshing palate, is delightful in this recipe)
The London Essence Co. Pomelo & Pink Pepper Tonic, to top up
Rose petal, to garnish
Method
Pour the gin over lots of ice. Top up with the tonic water and stir. Garnish and serve. Enjoy!
The London Essence Co. has a truly fascinating method of making their mixers and it all relies on their technique of distilling their key ingredients into essences that give their drinks remarkable flavours - a technique that they first used to supply scents to the perfume industry of Victorian London. We have a behind-the-scenes interview that will be sure to interest any gin connoisseur.
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