Should You Be Drinking Gin With Tonic Or Soda?

When you hear the words "gin" and "cocktail" in a sentence, tonic might instantly come to mind as well. Gin and tonic water is a classic beverage combo with a signature bitter and refreshing taste — but could swapping tonic for good ol' fashioned soda water be an improvement? We decided to consult an expert and spoke to Justin Lavenue, owner and operator of The Roosevelt Room, The Eleanor, and RoadHaus Mobile Cocktails. In an exclusive Food Republic interview, he laid out the essential facts about these simple combos.

Lavenue confirmed what you may have suspected: Choosing soda water or tonic is mainly a matter of preference. Mixing soda water with gin "creates a crisp and refreshing flavor profile, driven by the tartness of the carbonic acid," he said. He added that this makes for an effervescent drinking experience where the gin is still the star of the show. "In contrast," Lavanue said, "mixing gin with tonic introduces a distinctive bitter-sweet character, thanks to the presence of quinine and sugar. This combination adds a deeper complexity, as the tonic interacts with the gin's botanicals to create a more layered and intricate flavor experience." 

Both mixers provide you with different tastes, and your choice is based on your desire for a lighter, crisper sip or punchier, more complex drink. After you learn how to mix the perfect gin and tonic, try experimenting with other mixers and types of gin to see what flavors suit your palate best.

While you can play around with different brands of tonic or soda water, you should also pay attention to the type of gin you mix them with. Justin Lavenue reminded us that the key is finding a balanced pairing. He recommends "pairing soda water with gins that have more floral, fruit-forward, or herbal characteristics." Since classic juniper gin's main ingredient gives it an herbal flavor, it will balance the fizziness of the carbonated soda water, with the bubbles bringing out the refreshing notes. On the other hand, "tonic water pairs best with gins that have a higher acidity and bright citrus notes, as these elements work to soften the bitter-sweet profile of the tonic," Lavenue said.

Once you've found the ingredient combination that you prefer, the final step is to prepare your drink right. According to Lavenue, "the perfect ratio comes down to personal preference, but beginning with a 3-to-1 mix provides a solid starting point for discovering what suits your palate." He believes that 3 parts mixer to 1 part gin is the best formula in general, but it's also easy to adjust bit by bit, based on the sugar content, amount of carbonation, and flavor of the gin and mixer. Ultimately, learning how to make classic cocktails is simply a foundation for exploring different beverage pairings, so play around to see which two-ingredient gin drink really satisfies your taste buds.