Gin Sonic

The Gin Sonic is a refreshing highball cocktail made by mixing gin with equal parts tonic water and club soda. This drink is a lighter variation on a classic Gin & Tonic.

While generally considered a less sweet drink compared to other classics like a Daiquiri or Whiskey Sour, a Gin & Tonic actually has a lot of sugar. A 12-ounce can of tonic water can have up to 32 grams of sugar (a can of Coca-Cola that same size has 39 grams of sugar). Despite such a high sugar content, tonic water doesn't taste all too sweet since it is balanced with quinine extract, an intensely bitter ingredient. The sugar present in the mixer does give tonic a rich texture and mouthfeel which comes through in cocktails.

The Gin Sonic replaces half of the tonic water in a Gin & Tonic with club soda. The flavorless mixer adds ample bubble action to the cocktail without any heaviness. It also helps highlight the flavors and aromas present in the gin.

Sondre Kasin, principal bartender at COTE in New York City, leans on Nordic gins like Harahorn Small Batch Gin for its herbaceous aromas and botanical-forward profile.

Why the Gin Sonic works

The Gin Sonic is in many ways the perfect highball cocktail: it showcases the spirit, leans on both of the most popular highball mixers, and comes together in mere minutes. For those sensitive to bitter flavors, the club soda in the Gin Sonic dilutes the tonic water and mellows out the drink.

An optional addition of grapefruit juice adds both sweet and tart notes that brighten up this cocktail. Dill plays off the herbaceous aromas present in the gin and add a pleasing savoriness.