Rosemary Gin & Tonic

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Cocktail History

The Rosemary Gin & Tonic is a winter cocktail that was created by the editors of PUNCH and was first published in their book Winter Drinks: 70 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails. Just as its name implies, this is a seasonal variation of the Gin & Tonic that is made with gin, citrus, and tonic water, but it adds in a vinegar-based grapefruit shrub for more complex, savory flavor.

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Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Grapefruit Tonic Water: This is a type of carbonated water that has been infused with quinine and flavored with grapefruit. I used Fitch & Leedes Grapefruit Tonic Water.

Gin: This is a spirit made with juniper berries, botanicals, and alcohol. I used The Botanist Islay Dry Gin.

Grapefruit Shrub: This is a syrup made with grapefruit, aromatics, sugar, and vinegar. I made mine using this stovetop recipe.

Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. I used freshly squeezed lime juice.

Grapefruit Slices: This is a slice of grapefruit that has been cut into a half wheel shape.

Rosemary Sprig: This is an evergreen herb.

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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.

Muddler: This is used to muddle ingredients. I used the HQY Stainless Steel Cocktail Muddler.

Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.

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.

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Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Pale pink hue with an ombré effect

• Aroma: Rosemary and citrus

• Taste: Surprisingly not-bitter flavor that combines sweet grapefruit, sour vinegar, and herbal gin

• Finish: Slight quinine tang and fizz

Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Kendall’s Take: "I’ve never been the biggest fan of the classic Gin & Tonic because tonic water is too bitter for my palate. It doesn’t help that I started out trying gin drinks that were much sweeter when it's common for tonic water to be the gateway to liking gin. The Rosemary Gin & Tonic is my favorite I’ve tried so far though, and it’s all thanks to the grapefruit shrub. Its unique vinegar flavor cuts the bitterness of the tonic just enough to make it much more palatable for me. I’ve already made it again!"

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Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from Winter Drinks: 70 Essential Cold-Weather Cocktails by the editors of PUNCH.