Gin and tonics are my favorite cocktail, and I had no idea there was a Spanish version. Until now, that is. My Mediterranean cooking adventure is continuing with a twist on my favorite cocktail. This version is filled with aromatics and promises to be a wonderful drink to sip on a hot day. Yes, it’s still hot here in Fort Lauderdale, despite the fact that it’s “winter.” How do I know it’s winter? It’s only in the 80s during the day instead of the 90s. Bring on the Spanish Gin Tonic!
These Spanish Gin Tonics are the perfect refreshing sipper for a hot summer day! Ice cold, filled with aromatics, gin and high quality tonic, they are sure to cool you down!
The Ingredients
I went with my favorite gin, Hendrick’s for a couple of reasons. First, I had it on hand (big part of my reasoning). Second, it uses cucumber, and that was listed as one of the aromatics that could be added to the Spanish Gin Tonic. And third, I just love the taste and smell of cucumber. It’s so clean and refreshing!
After reading the author’s post, I did decide to splurge on high-quality tonic water. I’ve never tried one because I assumed there wouldn’t be that much of a difference from my standard grocery store stuff.
And, as you can see below, I also used orange peel, lime, peppercorns, and juniper berries for my aromatics. Believe it or not, I had the juniper berries on hand. I have no idea why, but it saved me from having to hunt them down and wait for them to be delivered.
The Process
Getting the aromatics ready was the biggest part of the work for this cocktail. I used a peeler for the orange peel and made sure not to press too hard. I didn’t want to get the bitter pith with the peel. My mandoline came to the rescue for the lime and cucumber slices. I also halved the cucumber slice lengthwise as it was much too wide left whole.
The rest of the process was super simple. Just measure out the gin and tonic water, and add it to the glass over the aromatics and ice. I didn’t measure the peppercorns or juniper berries–I just added a little of each, and voila! One lovely and delicious smelling Spanish gin tonic.
