What to Mix with Tanqueray Gin

Short answer: tonic, fresh citrus, dry vermouth, elderflower liqueur, or cranberry. Five builds are below, each one measured.

Tanqueray London Dry is bottled at 47.3% ABV in the US, which is higher than most gins on the shelf and the most useful thing to know before mixing it.

The flavor profile section that used to sit at the top of this page has been removed. We sell this bottle, so describing how it tastes is advertising rather than information.

Why the proof changes the recipes

At 47.3%, a 1.5 oz pour is about 1.2 standard drinks rather than 1. Recipes written for a 40% gin will come out stronger with this one, so a drink that tastes harsh is usually a proof mismatch rather than a bad recipe. Lengthening it slightly with more mixer fixes it.

Five builds

Gin and tonic

• 1.5 oz gin
• 3 to 4 oz tonic water
• Lime wedge, or a cucumber slice

Build over ice, stir gently. Use the higher end of the tonic range with this gin given the proof.

Gimlet

• 2 oz gin
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
• 0.5 oz simple syrup

Shake with ice, strain into a chilled glass, lime wheel. Fresh lime rather than bottled cordial is the whole difference in this one.

Martini

• 2.5 oz gin
• 0.5 oz dry vermouth
• Lemon twist or olive

Stir with ice, strain into a chilled glass. Keep the vermouth in the fridge and replace it every couple of months. It is wine and it oxidises, and stale vermouth ruins more home martinis than anything else does.

Elderflower spritz

• 1.5 oz gin
• 0.75 oz elderflower liqueur
• 2 oz soda water
• Lemon slice or mint

Build over ice, stir gently. Note this one carries a second alcoholic ingredient, so it runs closer to 1.5 standard drinks.

Cranberry fizz

• 1.5 oz gin
• 3 oz cranberry juice
• 1 oz soda water
• Lime wedge

Build over ice, top with soda. Check whether your cranberry is juice or juice cocktail, since the second is much sweeter.

What not to bother with

Cola, cream and heavy fruit juices fight a London Dry gin rather than working with it. If you want a long sweet drink, a different base spirit will get you a better result than forcing this one.

The fine print

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