Drinkies: Spanish-Style Gin Tonics

Spanish-style Gin Tonic -- yes, that's a big glass for a big thirst!

Oh say, have you heard that we took an amazing trip to Spain this year? Regular readers are rolling their eyes right now as we’ve been none-too-shy about sharing our adventures and photos on the blog (Barcelona, San Sebastián, and Bilbao/Rioja wine region).
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We’ve also prepared a few Spanish delicacies for our friends back in the States (and documented it of course): Strawberry-Watermelon-Tomato Gazpacho, Romesco Sauce with Grilled Veggies, and Patatas Bravas.

Today … today it’s time to take you deep into the world of serious gin and tonics. No, not the low-effort American version with a sad wedge of lime perched on the rim of the glass. We’re talking about Spanish-style cocktails so hardcore they eschew the “and”. It’s just gin tonic. We don’t need no stinkin’ ampersand!

The preparation of a good Spanish Gin Tonic is a cross between church and performance art. From the specialized glass* (a giant balloon) to the carefully curated aromatics paired with each specific gin (dozens available to choose from) to the dry ice (yes!) and the spritz of essential oils for awakening all the senses – there’s a good reason why gin tonics are the “it” drink in Spain, and the summertime cocktail of the season at our house!
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* The Copa de Balon glass: A Copa de Balon is a type of glass that is perfect for drinking gin and tonics. The glass is typically bulbous in shape, like a balloon, and sits on a stem almost like a red wine glass. The Copa de Balon glass dates back to the 1700s in the Basque region of northern Spain. While the English would use a long Tom Collins glass, the Spanish – who are said to be the largest drinkers of gin in Europe – developed the ‘balloon cup’ instead.
                                                                                                                                    -- Metro.co.uk

Below are a few photos from La Gintoneria Donostiarra in San Sebastián – home of the very best GTs we had the pleasure of consuming while in Spain. We are all about the research, so in the name of science we sampled a few different versions: 
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Monkey 43 gin: 1 blackberry; 2 juniper berries; 2 lime strips; 1 dash lavender bitters; Spritz of some essential oil inside the glass; Dry ice treatment

Blackwoods gin: 3 juniper berries; 1 small piece of cinnamon; 1 lime slice; 2 orange peel strips; 2 lime peel strips; 1 dash of lime bitters; Spritz of some essential oil; Dry ice treatment

Our favorite was made with a Spanish gin – Gin Mare – which features Mediterranean flavors. Recipe below.

Please click on the photos to enlarge them.

Naturally our House Bar Chef Ilise had to recreate this wondrous tipple at home. Here’s how she did it.

• Gin = Gin Mare, a Spanish gin flavored with olives, thyme, rosemary and basil
• Tonic = Fever-Tree NOTE: Fever Tree makes several flavors of tonic water. They’re all good and any would work well in this cocktail. We’re partial to the original blend, Fever-Tree Premium Indian Tonic Water. 
• Aromatics = Arbequina olives; cardamom pods; juniper berries; fresh rosemary sprigs; lime and orange citrus strips
• Bitters: Citron bitters are authentic; we used orange bitters which work just as well
• Ice = Precisely 7 oblong cubes are used in the Spanish recipe. We took some liberties with the quantity and shape, but it is “A Must” to use large, solid, slow-melting ice cubes.

Please click on the photos to enlarge them and read the captions. Note: photos are from two different cocktail hours. I think you'll get the gist.

The Verdict: Due to the large glass, volume of tonic and number of cubes, the finished cocktail tastes light and refreshing like a spritzer rather than a heavy-alcohol drink. The blend of aromatics is subtle, complex, and entirely delightful. You can happily sip this gin-tonic for a good long time, which fits perfectly with the Spanish style of socializing, drinking, and dining – there’s no rush, sit and relax, take your time, and ENJOY!

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Spanish-Style Gin Tonic
Recipe source: Ilise Goldberg, based on technique observed at La Gintoneria Donostiarra in San Sebastián, Spain
Yield: One cocktail

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 ounces Chilled Gin (for this recipe Gin Mare is the preferred gin)
• 4 Juniper berries
• 1 Small Spanish Green Olive
• 1 Rosemary Sprig
• 2 Cardamom Pods
• 2 Strips of Orange Zest
• 2 Strips of Lime Zest
• 1 Dash Orange Bitters
• 1 Bottle of Cold Fever-Tree Tonic Water (200ml approx. 6.8 ounces)

DIRECTIONS:

• Place the juniper berries, cardamom pods, rosemary sprig and olive in the bottom of a Copa de Balon glass* or wide bottomed Burgundy/pinot noir glass. (Both glasses hold somewhere around 20-26 ounces). 
• Pour the cold gin into the glass. 
• Zest the orange and lime over the glass so the essential oils drop into the glass and blanket the glass; then drop the zest into the glass. 
• Add many solid ice cubes (I have used six or seven 1-ounce square cubes or three-four 2-ounce round cubes).
• Using a long spoon mix the ingredients well with the ice to chill and then run the spoon over the top of the glass. 
• Slowly pour the tonic water into the glass. Using your long spoon gently stir the cocktail to mix the drink.  

Spanish ham, salami, cheese and olives make a great accompaniment to Spanish-style Gin Tonics