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!
This post was originally published on December 21, 2018. The text and photos were updated on July 18, 2021. The review and rating have not been changed.
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 (a 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 some orange peel, a slice of 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 second time I made this cocktail, I happened to have some fresh basil and rosemary on hand. It was just sitting in the crisper with nothing better to do, so I invited it to join my Spanish Gin Tonics.
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. There’s no way I could have done it with a knife. Well, I would have lost a few fingernails and gotten a thick, lopsided piece of cucumber. Trust me on this.
The rest of the process was super simple. I added the aromatics to the glasses (all except the herbs) and topped them with plenty of ice cubes. Then I measured out the gin and tonic over that and popped in a sprig of basil and rosemary to garnish.
I didn’t measure the peppercorns or juniper berries—I just added a little of each, and voila! Two lovely and delicious-smelling Spanish Gin Tonics.
