Say goodbye to the same-old lemon slivers, twists of orange, slices of cucumber – G&T garnishes just entered the 21st century. You heard us: a whole new world of unique, flavourful and (thank the heavens!) ready-made garnishes are out there to help up your G&T game with almost zero effort. They don’t only make drinks taste great, they let you customise them, making that Gin & Tonic one-of-a-kind…
Rock Rose Gin Liquid Garnishes
Forgot to stock up on lemons? No problem: pop a few drops of Rock Rose’s ‘liquid garnish’ – a 41.5% ABV concoction akin to a cocktail bitter – into your G&T, and you’ve instantly got the bright, aromatic hit you’re craving. The four flavours are designed to go with Rock Rose’s own Highland-made gins, but in truth they enhance just about any G&T. Our go-to for summer? The slightly medicinal Lemon Thyme (a hint of gentian, popularly used in vermouth, gives it a gorgeous bitter edge). And, Coriander and Lime – one squeeze is as good as a wedge of fresh-cut citrus.
Size: 100ml
ABV: 41.5%
Fine here: £12
Hepple Douglas Fir Sherbet
Cocktail rims are just for margaritas: said no one ever. Bring the party to your G&Ts with this moreish Douglas Fir Sherbet powder from Hepple Gin, made with real fir tree needles. Sampled straight, it tastes a bit like a sugar-dusted Christmas tree. Applied sparingly to a glass, and paired with gin and tonic, it mellows, becomes tangier and boosts your drink’s resinous, piney juniper notes. It’s a no-brainer with Hepple Gin – it stars Douglar Fir as a botanical – but this should go with any rich, juniper-forward bottling. Note: we found it hard to resist snacking straight from the tin… you have been warned.
Find here: £12.50
Fruits for Drinks – Mixed Fruit Selection
When it comes to flavour concentration, freeze-dried fruits can often knock fresh ones out of the park. And – pop the celebration corks, folks – they don’t really go off, which means less waste. Plump for this set of six types of dried fruit (lime, orange, lemon, raspberry, blueberry and strawberry) and no matter which gin you’re serving, you’ll have a garnish to match the flavour profile. With an average of 120 portions in each set, it’s better value than fresh fruit too and should keep you going on the G&T front for months.
Find here: £39.50
Maddocks Farm Organics Budding Floral Cocktail Box
Not that you need a reason to treat yourself to a bouquet of blooms, but edible flower garnishes look fabulous in a G&T – floating delicately on the surface, or frozen into giant ice cubes. Of course, you can’t use just anything in that drink (some flowers are toxic, others don’t taste great). That’s where edible flower specialist Maddocks Farm comes in. They sell cocktail-perfect, 100% edible seasonal blooms in boxes of around 60, and they also throw in scrumptious edible foliage such as lemon verbena stalks or fennel fronds. That G&T has never looked more fabulous.
Find here: £20
DrinkStuff Juniper Berries
Gin plus juniper berries – a match made in heaven, right? If in doubt, a sprinkling of dried juniper berries not only adds flavour, it makes your G&Ts feel like they’ve been whipped up in a trendy bar. As you’d probably guess, the berries – which look similar to black peppercorns – give an extra lift to the resinous, piney flavour that this spirit is known for. In other words: it’s best left to those who really like classic gin profiles. Just be sure to sip with care; the aim is to leave the berries behind in the glass, not guzzle ‘em down with your G&T.
Find here: £2.80
Wondering which gin to pair with your garnishes? Then, take a look at The Best Flavoured Gins for your Money or these Stunning Scottish Gins.