Gin and tonics stick around for a reason. They are deceptively simple yet hit hard with flavor. You can lift the whole drink by tweaking three things: the gin bottle, the tonic quality, and whatever garnish the bartender feels like that day. Lime wedges, carved cucumbers, berries. Whatever the heart desires.
Choosing the gin matters most. It is the base. Do you stick to tradition? Juniper front and center? Or go modern with honey or yuzu? Five hospitality pros gave their picks. Their tastes diverged sharply. Here are the bottles they trust.
The Classic Choice
For the old-school crowd, London Dry is the way to go. Juniper-heavy flavor profiles rule here.
“Tanqueray London Dry Gin. Widely considered the benchmark,” says Lindsey Murphy. Bartender at The Inn at Hancock. She notes its high ABV and strong juniper punch pair beautifully with quality tonics.
Tobias Burkhalter agrees. Assistant GM at Denver’s ART Hotel. He prefers the No. 10 variant though.
He tried plenty over the years. Always returns to No. 10. Distilled with whole grapefruit and lime and orange. Bright citrus. Clean. “Just works.”
The Botanical Experimenters
Gin is flexible. Botanicals can go wild.
Samantha Fowler works at Auld Alliance in Georgia. She picks Inverroche Verdant. A South African craft gin. Most gins lean floral or citrusy which fights the quinine. Verdant doesn’t compete. It complements.
Fynbos botanicals like buchu and mint. Savory herbal notes. “Cleaner G&T.”
On the fruitier side, Matsumoto Mari champions Kyoya Distillery’s yuzu gin. She is the beverage director for 916 Hospitality. Born in Miyazaki.
Made with sweet potato shochu. Local citrus. Sansho pepper. The tartness cuts the bitter sweet of tonic. Adds an East Asian vibe. Vibrant.
The Balanced Option
Japanese style wins for Joseph Assaf too. Senior F&B manager at Sheraton Phoenix.
His pick is Roku Gin.
“Clean, citrus-forward, approachable.”
Balanced botanical profile. Easy for guests. No weird aftertaste.
What’s your bottle? Does it even exist in our local shop? Tell us in the comments. Or just buy what you like and see if the bartender cares. Probably not.
