November 28th, 2017, 7:26 am
To go with your gin you need to buy the best tonic you can get - what's the point of having really great gin if you mix it with bad tonic?
For everyday use I go for Fevertree - easy to get and you can choose ordinary, Aromatic, with elderflower or Mediterranean.
However, there are a couple of more pricey (and harder to get hold of) tonics that can add to the experience.
Firstly, Lamb & Watt - another English company who do good tonic and have varieties with Cucumber, Basil and Hibiscus. The cucumber works surprisingly well with Dry London type gins - definite hint of cucumber which enhances the gin rather than overpowering it! Hibiscus is my favourite - really nice!
Finally, if you really want to splash out there is 1724 Tonic from Peru! The herbs are grown on the Inca trail at an altitude of 1724ft (gives it the name) and it is a really delicate tonic. It boosts the flavour and notes of the gin - don't waste it on Gordon's , Bombay Sapphire or other supermarket gins! Problem is no major company imports it to UK (sorry I don't know the status in USA) so its really expensive - when I tried it I ended up paying more for postage than for the actual tonic. But it was really nice!
Tip to UK readers - DO NOT buy Schweppes unless you are drinking cheap gin to get drunk - go for Fevertree - you'll thank me for it!
Here was certainly a sin worth sinning and I applied myself with characteristic vigour to its practice
Aleister Crowley