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Cocktail History
The Lemon Thyme Gin & Tonic is a modern cocktail that was created by Alex Sukopp, former bartender of Sips From Scripts, as a variation of the classic Gin & Tonic. It uses the original template of gin with tonic water, but it calls for a lemon-flavored spirit, adds lemon juice and homemade thyme syrup for more complexity, and tops it off with of Fitch & Leedes Indian Tonic Water.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Tonic Water: This is a carbonated water that has been infused with quinine. I used Fitch & Leedes Indian Tonic Water.
Lemon Gin: This is a type of gin made with lemon, juniper berries, botanicals, and alcohol. I used Malfy Gin Con Limone.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. I used freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Thyme Syrup: This is a sweetener made with thyme leaves, white sugar, and water. I made mine using this stovetop recipe.
Lemon Slice: This is a slice of lemon that has been cut into a half wheel shape.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. I used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Fizzy light yellow color
• Aroma: Tonic and citrus
• Taste: Tart lemon flavor that evolves into fruit juice and gin botanicals before the tonic water takes over
• Finish: Herbs and quinine bitterness
Kendall’s Take: “I don’t go for the Gin & Tonic template very often because I find the quinine flavor of the tonic to be too bitter for my palate, but I was really intrigued with this recipe’s herb syrup. I hadn’t made a thyme one before trying the Lemon Thyme Gin & Tonic and really liked how it mixed with the citrus. This would be perfect for warm weather and is a great pick if you want a G&T with a little something extra.”
Recipe
Lemon Thyme Gin & Tonic
Description
The Lemon Thyme Gin & Tonic is a modern cocktail that was created by Alex Sukopp, former bartender of Sips From Scripts, as a variation of the classic Gin & Tonic. It uses the original template of gin with tonic water, but it calls for a lemon-flavored spirit, adds lemon juice and homemade thyme syrup for more complexity, and tops it off with of Fitch & Leedes Indian Tonic Water.
Ingredients
Method
Fill a stemless wine glass with cubed ice.
Add gin, thyme syrup, and lemon juice to wine glass.
Top with tonic water.
Using a bar spoon, gently stir for 3-5 seconds.
Garnish with lemon wedge.
