How to make the ultimate Gin and Tonic

It's a classic drink, with a fresh pop of gin complemented with fizzy, refreshing tonic, and not forgetting the ice and a slice. There's many ways to make this icon in a glass depending on your flavour preferences. But how do the experts make the ultimate G&T?

Here, legendary mixologist and gin guru Pippa Guy shares her tips and tricks on how to make the best ever gin and tonic - whether you want to impress your friends and family, or simply treat yourself to something top notch.

The biggest thing everyone gets wrong with a gin and tonic is the lack of ice. But why is ice so important? Let's start with a quick lesson in thermodynamics. As we know, to keep ice from melting, you put it in the freezer, and that keeps it cold - because it's in a cold environment, surrounded by other frozen things. Therefore, to keep ice cold in your glass, you need more ice because less ice will melt much faster and dilute your delicious G&T. Pippa's final tip? The bigger the ice, the better. Small ice cubes will melt quickly, whereas large cubes or spheres will take longer and maintain the flavour of your G&T.

The simple answer is - your favourite gin. Whether it's a classic gin with traditional juniper flavours, or a flavoured gin offering something a little bit different, the ultimate gin and tonic is best made with your favourite.

But if you're new to gin, it can be challenging to narrow down the options of which gin to start with. An iconic gin truly is Tanqueray No. TEN, a favourite amongst bartenders and gin-lovers alike. Or, explore our collection of gins to find one that hits the spot.

The best tonic for a Gin and Tonic is a fresh one! Pippa recommends always using a newly opened bottle, but keep in mind that large bottles go flat quickly, so only use them if you plan to make lots of drinks at once. Otherwise, smaller packs of bottles or cans are the best - they may be pricier, but they'll guarantee you a fizzy, fresh tonic every time.

Honestly? However you want! Get creative. A good garnish can transform your cocktail from ordinary to Instagrammable. We eat with our eyes first, so anything visually appealing will always taste better and make us more excited to drink it.

How about picking the garnish based on the flavour profile of your gin? If you're using Tanqueray Rangpur gin, that calls for a beautiful wedge of fresh lime. Or Gordon's Premium Pink gin lends itself perfectly to a handful of red berries plopped into the glass.

But garnishes serve another purpose too - they add aromas of subtle flavours to your cocktail. If you love a dry gin, why not add some juniper berries? If you’ve been growing herbs in your garden, balcony or kitchen windowsill, use these to mix up your cocktail.

Only having a few friends over? Make a garnish selection. Your friends can pick n' mix the garnishes themselves for the ultimate personalised G&T.

Gin can be enjoyed in various glasses designed to enhance your drinking experience. Some people enjoy it in a classic, elegant highball glass garnished with a beautiful citrus wedge. Others love to mix a gin and tonic in a rocks glass - it's less traditional, but by shortening the cocktail by reducing the tonic, it brings the flavours of the gin to the fore a lot more. However, Pippa says the the Copa glass is the ultimate choice, thanks to the wide brim that lets you take in all the fragrant botanicals in the gin.