Elderflower Gin and Tonic

This Elderflower Gin and Tonic is a refreshing floral twist on a classic cocktail. It's such an easy and delicious summertime drink! The sweet and citrusy notes of elderflower pair beautifully with the botanical flavors of gin, while the bitter quinine in tonic water balances out the sweetness.

This twist on a classic Gin and Tonic features floral elderflower liqueur, which has a distinctive sweet and floral scent and flavor. It is like a mix of sweet honey, with notes of citrus and pear. It's such an easy cocktail recipe, you can throw it together to sip on in the backyard, or mix up a batch for a dinner party!

If you're looking for more elderflower, this Elderflower Gin Fizz is sooo tasty, and looks amazing too! For more easy recipes, try the simple and delicious Vodka Press, the springtime favorite Lavender Vodka Cocktail or the delicious Amaro Spritz.

Ingredients

• Gin - I used The Botanist gin, which is a dry gin that also uses a wide variety of botanicals. A London dry gin is also great, as a more subtle gin might get overpowered by the elderflower. Tanqueray and Bombay Sapphire are great options.
• Elderflower liqueur - I used St Germain, which is a liqueur that is flavored with fresh elderflower blossoms. This liqueur is also known as “bartender’s ketchup”, because the flavor is so versatile and tastes great with so many other flavors. Other brands include St. Elder and Drillaud Elderflower.
• Tonic water - tonic provides both sweet and bitter flavors, along with bubbly carbonation. I used Fever Tree tonic water here, which is a great and flavorful option.

Substitutions

Here are some ways you can substitute the ingredients in this cocktail:

• Gin - if you aren't a fan of gin, vodka or tequila work great.
• Liqueur - you can use an elderflower syrup instead (I love d'arbo Elderflower Syrup). If you do, you may want to add a little more gin to the mix.
• Tonic - try your G&T with elderflower tonic water for an extra kick. You can also use just elderflower tonic, instead of the elderflower liqueur plus regular tonic. Some good brands of this are Fentiman's Elderflower or Fever Tree elderflower tonic.

Variations

Here are some variations on this recipe:

• Non-alcoholic - use d’arbo Elderflower syrup in place of the St Germain, and try out Monday zero alcohol gin in place of the gin.
• Keto Friendly - you'll need to omit the liqueur and use a capful of elderflower extract to create a keto version of this drink. Tonic water also has sugar, so you'll either need to find a diet tonic water in your local store, or try Top Hat keto tonic syrup along with plain seltzer.
• Spanish G&T - the signature of a Spanish style G&T is a lot of fruit! Try adding different types of citrus fruit slices, strawberries, juniper berries or fresh sprigs of mint or rosemary to give this drink a garden vibe.
• Empress Gin - Empress 1908 Gin is a great choice for this cocktail since it will make the finished cocktail a beautiful pink color. Perfect for Mother's Day, birthdays or any girls night!

Equipment

There isn't too much equipment needed for this cocktail, making it really easy to prepare. You'll just need a jigger, a cocktail glass and a bar spoon or straw to stir the final drink. (And possibly a bottle opener, depending on your brand of tonic!)

I used a modern style white wine glass for this, but you could also use a tumbler or highball glass.

To prepare your lime wheel garnish, a cutting board and sharp knife will come in handy.

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Instructions

Start out by cutting a round wheel of fresh lime, and set it aside. Then fill your serving glass with ice.

Add in the gin and the liqueur.

Place the sliced lime on the inside of your glass, and top off the drink with tonic water.

Give it a gentle stir, then serve and enjoy!

Hint: Try cutting a lime wedge and squeezing in some fresh lime juice just before you pour in the tonic. While optional, I find that it cuts some of the sweetness of the liqueur and adds a bright and fresh flavor to the drink!

Frequently Asked Questions

Top tip

Definitely try to chill all of the ingredients before mixing up this cocktail, including the glass! Just pop everything in the fridge for about 30 minutes, if it's not already cold. This will help keep the drink colder longer, and the ice will melt more slowly too.