Fresh cherry gin and tonic, coming right up!
This icy, refreshing, bubbly cocktail is my pick for summer: bright, easy, and utterly drinkable.
Lately I’ve been in a major gin and tonic mood.
We recently ordered a gin and tonic kit that included a tonic syrup. You squeeze the syrup into gin over ice, top with seltzer and add aromatics — the result was so good I wanted to recreate it at home.
I assumed tonic syrup was just tonic water reduced with sugar. Turns out it’s more involved than that, and making a faithful homemade version felt like overkill — and a little intimidating — for a simple summer drink.
Still, gin and tonics were on my mind.
I thought about a fresh peach gin and tonic I love, but peaches aren’t quite in season. The next best thing? Fresh cherries. They’re juicy, aromatic and pair beautifully with lime and tonic.
Cherries bring a lovely color and a hint of sweetness without overpowering the gin. I use a small splash of cherry juice — you can use the syrup from jarred cherries, maraschino juice, or bottled black cherry juice — just enough to enhance cherry flavor.
This recipe is simple and fast: fresh bing cherries, fresh lime, a dash of cherry juice, gin, and tonic. Serve over crushed ice and enjoy — and yes, half the joy is eating the cherries once the drink is finished.
Cherry Lime Gin and Tonic
Cherry Lime Gin and Tonic
Yield:
1
drink, easily multiplied
15 mins
15 mins
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Ingredients
- 4 or 5 bing cherries, pitted and sliced
- 1 to 2 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 ounce cherry juice from a jar of cherries
- 2 ounces gin
- 4 ounces tonic water (Fever Tree is a favorite)
- crushed ice
- lime wedges for the glass
Instructions
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Fill a glass with pitted and sliced cherries, a couple lime wedges and crushed ice. Pour the lime juice and cherry juice over the ice, then add the gin. Top with tonic water and gently stir a few times to combine. Serve immediately and enjoy.
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Ahhhh. Best ever.