Gin and tonic is my go-to drink at work parties and basically anywhere an open bar is available, and I don’t trust the bartender to know what they are doing. A whiskey ginger is my other two-ingredient cocktail fallback.

But there’s a version of the same basic drink that strips out bitterness of the tonic, letting the gin’s botanical flavors come through more cleanly. This is particularly important to know about if you love a gorgeous sipping gin, but need to cut it just a bit.

Tonic water has two things that can distract from the gin’s flavor: carbonation and quinine bitterness. When you swap to plain soda water, you keep the carbonation and lose the bitterness.

For gins with interesting botanical profiles, particularly floral or citrus-forward gins, and even maritime gins (more brackish with things like seaweed and kelp), this is always the better choice.

Which gin

This is the most important decision in this drink because soda water adds nothing to the flavor. The gin is entirely on its own.

This is when I start breaking into my stash of specialty gins from micro distillers I’ve collected on my travels.

Gins like Basalt Gin from Northern Ireland, Xin Gin from Galway, or An Dúlamán from County Donegal. I recently took a trip back to Ireland and came home with more than a few bottles from the distilleries I visited, which is why these are top of mind.

A classic London Dry like Tanqueray or Beefeater, but it’s not where gin and soda are at their best. These are better for cocktails with a bit more going on.

The sparkling water

Topo Chico has stronger carbonation than most soda waters and a mineral quality that actually adds something to gin, but not as much as tonic would. Club soda is reliable, but it contains a bit of salt. San Pellegrino is another good option with persistent bubbles.

Ratio

Most people like to mix 2 oz of gin with 4 oz of soda water. Because soda is completely neutral, you can go heavier on the gin, without the drink feeling unbalanced.

Garnish

Match the garnish to the gin’s botanical profile. A citrus gin calls for a citrus peel expressed over the glass. Fresh herbs, rosemary, thyme, or basil, work well across the board.

I grow rosemary and basil at home and use them in gin drinks constantly. Even a quick press of the herb between my fingers before dropping it in the glass adds a little oomph to this classic cocktail.

More on pairing garnishes to spirits in my cocktail garnishes guide.

The 3-Ingredient Upgrade: Cucumber Upgrade

Add two or three thin cucumber slices to the glass before building the drink. Cucumber and gin is a classic pairing, and in a soda-based drink with nothing else, the cucumber adds a coolness and freshness.

Muddle one slice lightly for more flavor; leave the others whole for visual appeal.

A cocktail muddler handles the light muddling easily. A mandoline slicer gives you perfectly thin, uniform cucumber slices; just watch your fingers. I’ve sliced mine more times than I can count because I was in a rush.

A mint upgrade is equally as good if you have some fresh leaves on hand. Lightly clap 3 to 4 mint leaves and add them before the ice. The mint and soda together make gin and soda taste closer to a mojito without any of the work.

Mocktail Version

All you need is soda water with cucumber slices and a squeeze of lemon. Add fresh mint if you have it. You’ll basically be sipping spa water.

A non-alcoholic gin adds a few botanicals that would show up in a regular gin and soda.

Glassware

A tall highball glass keeps carbonation intact longer, and the visual is clean and simple. Clear ice makes a gin and soda look more put-together because there’s so little else to distract from it. I use a clear ice cube maker specifically for this. A long cocktail stirrer is good for mixing gently without destroying the carbonation.

Gin cocktails to try next:

• Cucumber Gimlet
• Peach Mint Spritz
• Basil Gin Smash

More 2-Ingredient Gin Cocktails:

• Gin Apple Juice Highball
• Gin & Grapefruit
• Gin Guava
• Gin and Juice
• Gin & Lemonade
• Gin Pineapple
• Gin & Soda
• Gin Sprite
• Gin & Tonic
• Gin Tonic (Flavored)
• Gin Watermelon

Gin and Soda

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 2 oz gin
• 4 oz soda water
• Cucumber slice, lemon wheel, or fresh herb, for garnish

Instructions

1. Fill a highball glass with ice.
2. Add gin.
3. Top with soda water and stir gently.
4. Garnish with a cucumber slice, lemon wheel, or fresh herb that complements your gin.

Cucumber Upgrade (3-Ingredient Version)

Ingredients

• 2 oz gin
• 4 oz soda water
• 3 thin cucumber slices
• Lemon wheel or mint sprig, for garnish

Instructions

1. Add cucumber slices to a highball glass, lightly muddling one if you want more flavor.
2. Fill with ice.
3. Add gin.
4. Top with soda water and stir gently.
5. Garnish with a lemon wheel or mint sprig.