How to Make the Ideal Gin Cocktail

Who’s ready to pop some bottles? Let’s see some hands shoot up in the air. It’s been quite the week and it’s only a Tuesday. Can the weekend get here already? Too soon? Well then, we should all just go for the next best thing – serving some of our ideal summertime drinks and feeling the flavour of liquor overcome our tastebuds.

Perhaps one of the most iconic cocktail combinations is the classic gin and tonic recipe. It’s one of the easiest and most beloved alcoholic drinks out there. But what’s stopping you from trying some of the other delicious gin cocktail recipes that are just waiting on you to take a sip? You might as well be missing out on a long list of undiscovered cocktail blends. Who knows, maybe you’ll stumble upon your next go-to drink while you’re at it.

How Do You Prepare a Gin Cocktail?

First thing’s first, before jumping into some creative gin recipes, you should be stocked up on all the necessary ingredients. Only then will you be able to produce the cocktail of your dreams.

Use Proper Glassware

You know how soda tastes different when it’s served in a plastic cup as opposed to a glass one? It’s literally the same drink in both cases but somehow, some way, it tastes entirely different. Well, not surprisingly, you can expect something similar with your gin cocktails, and virtually any other liquor ever.

For this reason, having suitable gin glasses to serve your cocktails is an absolute must. You have a couple of options to pick and choose from, including the signature copa and rocks glasses. Regardless of which gin glass you go for, rest assured that your cocktails will be served in style.

Choose Quality Ingredients

You can’t build a house without nails and wood much in the same way that you can’t make a gin and tonic cocktail without, well, gin and tonic. After all, the sum is only as good as it’s parts so you can’t expect your mix to hit the mark if the individual components don’t quite live up to it.

This doesn’t mean that you should go ahead and splurge all your savings on alcohol just because you want your cocktails to be good. Here’s a tip – if the gin or tonic comes in plastic packaging, there’s a high chance they’re not the best choice out there.

Use Plenty of Ice

Is there a better way to cool down in the summer heat than by drinking an iced cocktail? Make sure you use larger cubes instead of smaller ones so that your liquor doesn’t get watered down too soon. In this way, your drink will be colder more quickly and it’ll stay that way longer.

Don’t Forget to Add Garnishes

Citrus-based gins work best with herbal garnishes, such as rosemary or thyme whereas those with floral undertones can be paired up with cucumbers, rose petals and a dash of lavender. On the other hand, spicy gins work really well with orange peels, cloves and cinnamon, all of which complement each other wonderfully.

What Are Some Popular Gin Recipes?

Now it’s time to get into the good stuff. Naturally, how you mix and match your cocktail ingredients has the biggest impact on what your drink will ultimately taste like. Let’s dive into some gin cocktail recipes you should try out.

Raspberry Gin Popsicles

This one’s an interesting take on traditional gin cocktails. Instead of using an actual glass, why not make a popsicle? Totally fitting for summer, wouldn’t you agree? All you have to do is boil a bit of water and sugar to create the syrup which will serve as your base. Then add some club soda, lime juice, gin and, of course, some diced raspberries. Pour the mixture into popsicle molds and place them in a freezer for at least 8 hours. Enjoy!

White Chocolate Gimlet

There’s nothing quite like vanilla-based drinks all year round. Just fill a cocktail shaker with gin, lime juice and some white chocolate flavouring. Stir the concoction with a long spoon until it gets cold. Once it does, strain the mix into your glass of choice and voila, you’ve just made yourself a new cocktail.

The Gingerbread

Forget gingerbread cookies, how about celebrating Christmas with a gingerbread cocktail? Now that’s a trend to get on board with. Preparing this cocktail is fairly simple – mix up some gin and lime juice with one dash of Angostura bitters and a bit of ginger beer. Feel free to add some garnishes when you’re done, including lime and mint.

Cherry Gin Royale

This is the perfect drink for the festive season. Simply pour some Procecco over crushed ice and sprinkle a few rosemary sprig leaves on top. Add some sloe gin and cherry brandy very slowly to ensure that they sink to the bottom of the glass. The end result is a cocktail that starts off with burgundy tones at the bottom and transitions to lighter orange hues towards the top.

White Negroni

Rounding things off with something on the more minimalist side, the somewhat bitter White Negroni is a real kicker. To make this drink, you’ll need three basic ingredients – dry gin, Lillet Blanc and Suze Gentian Liquor. Stir all of the ingredients together into an old-fashioned rocks glass, add some ice and lemon and you’re all set. Cheers!