you could make soap that glows under a black light…
or just drink it with booze.
Tonic with bitters is a “dry” cocktail called a Southampton. I have a Mormon friend that comes over from time to time, and this is what I typically mix for him.
It is quite nice.
Bitters into the G&T is another old trick. William F. Buckley used to insist that a few drops of Campari was the secret, but essentially this does the same thing.
Looks like I need to hit the liquor store on the way home tonight. Any recommendations on the type of gin? I’m not as “experienced” in gin than I am in vodka and scotch so I don’t really know what I’d like. What I do know is that I do NOT like Tanquray.
Why on Earth would you want to add bitters to tonic? Is tonic not bitter enough?
[QUOTE=Trunk]
You CAN use your good tequila if you want, but cheaper stuff works all right since the tonic water is so sweet.
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My good tequilas are for mixing with anything besides my teeth. I’m going to use Sauza Gold, which we keep on hand for margaritas. I’m not that excited however. I tried a tequila and cola after seeing it in a commerical, but I think the overall message was that you could mix dog pee and Coke and it would taste ok.
[QUOTE=Mr. Moto]
Rum and tonic is surprisingly good, especially if you use good rum. I stay away from Bacardi myself, and drink Don Q like the Puerto Ricans do.
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Seconded. I drink a bunch of Rum & Tonic in the summer, and even more if I’m on a sailboat. I usually go with Mount Gay, which is decent.
For a G&T, any decent gin will do: Beefeater’s, Gordon’s, etc. Just stay away from the rot-gut brands.
[QUOTE=Flander]
Looks like I need to hit the liquor store on the way home tonight. Any recommendations on the type of gin? I’m not as “experienced” in gin than I am in vodka and scotch so I don’t really know what I’d like. What I do know is that I do NOT like Tanquray.
[/QUOTE]
Tanqueray is crap gin despite the semi-premium price. Personally, I like Beefeaters for mixed drinks, and it’s even quite good enough for a cocktail drink served straight up, though Quintessential or Plymouth are favored for the plain martini.
I guess I’m the only one that drinks tonic water by itself?
Stranger
[QUOTE=Sophistry and Illusion]
My wife is fanatical about this. She started drinking tonic water on her doctor’s advice to ease leg cramps, and was messing about with ways to make it taste less like ass. Fruit juice is the key. She’ll put a couple of fingers of fruit juice in a glass, and the rest tonic water. It is very, very refreshing, she says. She goes through that stuff by the 2-liter bottle.
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If she wants to cut some calories and sugar out, she can try drinking it like I do - 1/3 tonic water, 1/3 fruit juice, and 1/3 club soda. The tonic water seems to help my restless legs.
I too drink tonic water straight. I would drink it more often if not for the sugar (my normal drink is club soda mixed with something).
[QUOTE=jacquilynne]
Why on Earth would you want to add bitters to tonic? Is tonic not bitter enough?
[/QUOTE]
Bitters have a distinct flavor that different than tonic water. It does not make the drink noticeably more bitter, as you always add just a dash of it to a cocktail.
For G&T, my standard is either Bombay Dry Gin, or even Bombay Sapphire.
[QUOTE=pulykamell]
Bombay Sapphire.
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To each their own, but to mix Sapphire seems a sin. It’s perfectly delicious all by it’s happy self on ice in a rocks glass.
[QUOTE=pulykamell]
Bitters have a distinct flavor that different than tonic water. It does not make the drink noticeably more bitter, as you always add just a dash of it to a cocktail.
[/QUOTE]
What he said. Actually, if anything, with tonic water it makes the overall drink very slightly less bitter.
Try it and see.
Back in the '60s, people sometimes rinsed their hair with tonic water before going to parties or discothèques where there would be blacklights. Tonic water glows under UV light, and glowy hair looks groovy.
[QUOTE=pulykamell]
I’m not talking a lot of lime here, I just mean a sliver for its essential oils. It’s a nice grace note that takes the G&T over the top for me–like that dash of bitters in your whiskey Old Fashioned. Just a dab’ll do ya.
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Hrm. We never really have limes on hand, and bartenders almost always squeeze the lime into the drink before serving, so I just order no lime (which they get right half the time). I guess I’ll get some at home and try.
Tonic with a piece of lime over ice is very nice. I drank it as a boy. It has a bright tang to cut right through a hot day’s thirst. Add some gin, though, and Bob’s your uncle. 
Am I the only person on earth who thinks that tonic water is the most bitter and foul stuff imaginable? I’m kind of hoping this is a genetic imperfection of mine, like people who (mistakenly) think that cilantro tastes like soap or White Castle tastes good when one is sober.
I wouldn’t tonic water is yummy, but it’s not bad. Better with gin, of course. Bitter Lemon beats tonic hands-down in a taste test, though.
[QUOTE=Cluricaun]
To each their own, but to mix Sapphire seems a sin. It’s perfectly delicious all by it’s happy self on ice in a rocks glass.
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I’m not a fan of straight gin, so I’m most likely to use Sapphire in a G&T or gimlet. It’s not like the stuff is super expensive for a spirit, and it does make a G&T taste noticeably better to me.
[QUOTE=Stranger On A Train]
Tanqueray is crap gin despite the semi-premium price. Personally, I like Beefeaters for mixed drinks, and it’s even quite good enough for a cocktail drink served straight up, though Quintessential or Plymouth are favored for the plain martini.
I guess I’m the only one that drinks tonic water by itself?
Stranger
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In about 20 minutes I’ll be off of work and shall certainly look for any of those names (Beefeater is the only one I’ve heard of).
Oddly enough, Tangueray Silver is my favorite vodka. It’s not wicked expensive and has a great clean taste. Excellent for vodka martinis. If you haven’t had it yet, I suggest you try it.
[QUOTE=Lanzy]
Gin!
just Gin, and always Gin!
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I cordially invite you to bite me. 
Vodka. With an olive.
Christ, people, were you raised in a barn?
I wonder if this is going to join the epic battles of Shoes On or Off in the House and Toilet Paper Over or Under the Roll?