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As a cocktail alcohol, Gin has a strange history. It was never originally made for social consumption, but as a medicine and maybe unlikely events led to it being one of the bar regulars. The classic Gin cocktail is of course the Gin and Tonic, but since then there are many variations with additional flavours that have been added to the repertoire of the G&T family.
The origin of the cocktail dates back to the 1700s when British colonists in East India were fighting a losing battle with malaria outbreaks. At that time the main component of Tonic Water was quinine and a Scottish doctor named George Leghorn claimed that this made it a viable treatment for malaria.
The British troops took him at his word but it turned out that the suffering soldiers weren’t willing to suffer further from the bitter taste of the tonic. To make it palatable, they added water, sugar, lime and a splash of gin to boost their spirits.
Within a few hundred years medicine had developed enough to verify that this blend was doing nothing to heal people except maybe to get the party started! Today, it’s become an iconic part of the cocktail menu and comes in many fun and interesting iterations, one of the most popular being the Sour Cherry G&T where the tart cherries balance with the natural flavours of gin for a perfect sip.
Make one for your next evening in and enjoy!
Ingredients:
- 5 sour cherries, pitted, plus 2 more for garnish
- 15 ml simple syrup
- 15 ml fresh juice from 1 lemon
- 45 ml gin
- 30 ml tonic water
Method:
- In the bottom of a highball glass, lightly muddle sour cherries, simple syrup and lemon juice until the cherries are gently smashed, but not completely pureed.
- Fill the glass with ice, add gin and stir for a few seconds until everything has combined. Top with tonic, garnish with the remaining cherries and serve.
