Features Cocktails The Year-Round Gin & Tonic Amy Kundrat December 12, 2014 The gin and tonic has become one of my favorite year-round cocktails. Now before you shout HERESY and try to force me and my cocktail into hibernation until the summer equinox, hear me out.The first rule of a year-round G&T is that the gin must be considered carefully. If you’re looking for guidance here, you can’t go wrong with the St. George Terroir Gin, which grounds this G&T with an earthy bite of “Douglas fir, California bay laurel, coastal sage, and other evocative botanicals.” One whiff and you’ll be looking over your shoulder for the serious bear that modeled for the label. Next, find yourself a clean and crisp tonic like Q Tonic or Fevertree. They are both a serious upgrade from the cloyingly sweet tonics you find on grocery stores shelves. Q is now readily available and provides a "less sweet, more bitter approach" thanks to agave instead of sugar, which is perfect if you want to preserve the flavor of a great gin. Finally, a few transformative flourishes elevate this G&T from a summer block party sipper to "winter is coming,"— squeeze of fresh lime, a whisper of St. Germain, a fat orange peel (with oils expressed), and a sprig of rosemary. Clap the herb between your hands to release just a bit of aromatics before you sip. Full disclosure: This G&T was created by my mixologist better half (and taste-tested thoroughly by yours truly), while crafting our Thanksgiving Day cocktail options and its rarely left our weekly rotation since that fateful day. Here’s hoping it makes it into yours!Year-Round Gin & Tonic RecipeINGREDIENTS2 oz. St. George Terroir Gin4 oz. Q TonicQuarter of a lime, squeezedA splash of St. Germain1 Orange Peel, expressed1 Rosemary SprigDIRECTIONSPlace ice cubes in your preferred chilled glass (I love a rocks glass). Add the gin, tonic, fresh lime juice, splash of St. Germain, and stir well. Express oil of the orange peel onto the surface of the cocktail. Garnish with rosemary sprig.
