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St. Germain Lavender Gin and Tonic
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Easy and quickSpanish-Style Gin and Tonics Trending in 2016
Our prediction is hand-crafted Gin and Tonics are going to be big in 2016. These are not your grandmother's Gin and Tonics. These tasty cocktails are crafted with a variety of gins, tonic water, spices, fruit and bitters. Artisanal Gin and Tonics have been the rage in Europe and particularly Spain, where some bars are dedicated almost exclusively to the art of making Gin and Tonics. We sampled these tasty cocktails at La Gintoneria in San Sebastian and Bobby Gin in Barcelona, where Gin and Tonics are taken very seriously.
What Makes a Spanish-Style Gin and Tonic?
Great gin, large hunks of ice, a liberal amount of good quality tonic made with quinine and no corn syrup, some type of citrus zest, a few juniper berries and then lots of imagination. Various fruits, bitters, spices and liqueurs can be added to create unique and delicious drinks. You can read our post on What Makes a Spanish-Style Gin and Tonic So Delicious? Or in addition to this recipe, check out our recipe for a basic Spanish-style Gin and Tonic or our gorgeous and tasty Aperol Gin and Tonic.
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Ingredients, Glasses and Ice Molds
A great Gin and Tonic should be served in an oversized glass. We like these Nachtmann Vivendi pinot noir glasses that are similar to the glasses used at Gintoneria in San Sebastian.
Large hunks of ice are important for super chilling a Gin and Tonic and not diluting the cocktail. We like these sphere ice molds as well as these 2" square ice cube molds.
Our preferred gin for this drink is Hendrick's. St. Germain is a delicious French liqueur made from handpicked elderflowers.
Lavender and Orange bitters are used to season this cocktail.
A few juniper berries bring out the flavor of the gin.
Our favorite tonic is FeverTree and we particularly like this their Elderflower tonic water for this cocktail.
PrintSt. Germain Lavender Gin and Tonic
A Spanish-style fusion Gin and Tonic that pairs Scottish Hendrick’s gin with French St. Germain Elderflower liqueur, lavender and orange bitters.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
- Cuisine: Spanish, New American
Ingredients
- 2 large ice spheres
- 2 ounces gin, I prefer Hendrick’s for this cocktail
- 3/4 ounce St. Germain
- 6 juniper berries
- 1 3″ strip of lemon or orange zest
- 6– 8 ounces good quality tonic water such as FeverTree
- Orange bitters to taste
- Lavender bitters to taste
- A sprig of lavender or thyme to garnish
Instructions
- Put two large ice spheres in an oversized glass. Gently pour in the gin and St. Germain. Add the juniper berries.
- Using a paring knife, cut off a strip of orange or lemon zest over the glass. Rub the rim of the glass with the zest and put it into the glass. Slowly pour in the tonic water. Finish with a few drops of both orange and lavender bitters. Garnish with a sprig of lavender or thyme.
Notes
You can use either lemon or orange zest for this cocktail, but I think orange zest goes particularly well with lavender and St. Germain.Go easy on lavender. Start with a couple drops. Too much lavender and your drink will taste soapy.
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St Germaine isn’t French: it was created in 2007 by Bob Cooper in NYC.
Hi Tinko, you are correct that St. Germain was created by Robert Cooper and that Cooper Spirits is located in New York City. St. Germain, however is made from elderflowers picked and processed in the French Alps. St. Germain bottles are labeled “Product of France” and the brand is now owned by Bacardi, whose headquarters are in the Bahamas. In reviewing my research for this delicious liqueur, I sadly learned that Robert Cooper recently passed away in April 2016 at the age of 39. Robert Cooper and St. Germain made an enormous impact in the bar industry, garnishing many awards as well as praises from influential bartenders. St. Germain is now owned by Bacardi, headquartered in the Bahamas. In 2009 Robert Cooper revived a 100+ year old American violet and berry liqueur called Creme Yvette, which is now also made in France. I look forward to trying any liquor Robert Cooper was behind.
Hello, this has been very interesting! I am wondering what kind of appetizers would you serve this with. Olives? tomato tartar? a chicken pate? or a terrine? I have no idea how to pair a Gin Tonic. Thank you very much for the article and recipe.
Hi Desiree, That’s a great question. I would serve something that doesn’t compete with the lavender. Something simple like almonds, walnuts or pistachios would work well. Likewise, a little fruit and a mild cheese would pair nicely. I’m thinking peaches, plums, strawberries or cherries with a little burrata and mint would be delicious. Check out my recipe for Watermelon, Strawberries Tomatoes with Burrata. I would substitute peaches, plums and cherries for the watermelon and tomatoes and skip the basil and I think you would have a great dish to serve with a Lavender Gin and Tonic. You could serve this on crostini and it would be awesome.
Also keep in mind that lavender is routinely used in traditional French Provencal cuisine. It can be paired with chicken, lamb, beef, pork, rabbit, potatoes and onions. Rosemary, thyme, mint, parsley, oregano, lemon, ginger and vanilla are often used with lavender. There are a lot of dessert pairings that would work with a Lavender Gin & Tonic, including ice cream, creme brulee, custards and panna cottas.
Good luck! Let us know if you discover any brilliant pairings!
This was the signature drink at our wedding. It was a hit!
Thanks for sharing Mark! We are honored that you used our recipe. Big congratulations to you and your wife!
Best cocktail of the year. Am I selfish not to share? I kind of like the expressions on my friend’s faces when they savor that first sip…