Gin enthusiasts know the best way to enjoy the spirit is in a classic G&T. And while we can’t deny the refreshing appeal of a G&T, there’s only so many ways to spice it up. Gin mixers and sodas are a quick fix for those who despise the taste of tonic water or are simply looking for new ways to enjoy gin. But if you’re looking for innovative ways to spruce up your gin drink for the summers, check out these delicious tonic-free gin cocktail recipes by gifted mixologists below.
Ellunda – Jishnu, Head Mixologist, KMC*
Photo Courtesy: KMC*
Ingredients:
50ml Doja Gin
30ml black sesame orgeat
30ml invisible milk
2 dashes of orange blossom water
7 dashes of acids (citric acids, malic acids, tartaric acids)
Method: Toasted black sesame seeds are blended with water and added to the gin, invisible milk and orange blossom water. Acids are added to balance the drink. The cocktail is garnished with its namesake, “ellunda,” a black sesame and jaggery ball.
Izu Roni – Akash Singh, Bar Manager, Akina
Photo Courtesy: AKINA
Ingredients:
45ml mulberry infused gin
10ml sweet vermouth
7.5ml Campari
Garnish: Orange peel
Method: Add all the ingredients in a stirring jug over ice. Take an old-fashioned glass and place a big ice cube in the glass. Strain and serve over a big ice cube and garnish with orange peel
Idukki Gold – Bensan Varghese, Head Mixologist, Badmaash Andheri
Photo Courtesy: Badmaash Andheri
Ingredients:
60ml Tanqueray London Dry Gin
30ml Idukki pineapple saccharum
15ml passionfruit pulp
Half a chilli
2-3 fresh basil buds
Method: Add all the ingredients in a shaker along with half a chilli, shake vigorously with ice and double strain into a martini glass, garnished and smoked with wood chips
Kokum Club – Vineeth Krishnan, Beverage Manager, Pebble Street Hospitality
Photo Courtesy: Pebble Street Hospitality
Ingredients:
45ml Beefeater Gin
5ml coconut syrup – 5 ml
17.5ml homemade kokum syrup
22.5ml fresh lemon juice
15ml egg white
Garnish – orange zest, orchid flower & kokum dust
Method: First wet shake with ice. Put all the ingredients into a shaker. Then dry shake without ice. Double strain into the glassware. Garnish.
Lemongrass Martini – Atul Mastud, Bar Shift Manager, Hakkasan
Photo Courtesy: Hakkasan
Ingredients:
1 stick of lemongrass
74ml Tanqueray gin
7.5ml sugar syrup
Method: Muddle lemongrass. Add all ingredients. Shake and double strain in a martini glass.
Little Bee – Sumit Yadav, Head Mixologist, Shifuku
Photo Courtesy: Shifuku
Ingredients:
50ml gin
70ml orange juice
Half a passion fruit
10ml lime juice
15ml agave nectar
45ml dry wine
Method: Add all the ingredients in a shaker full of ice. Shake well and strain into a champagne flute. Garnish with brown sugar rim and orange wheel.
M&M (Mint and Mustard) – Sunil Prathab Muthupandi, Bartender, Seefah
Photo Courtesy: Seefah
Ingredients:
50ml gin
15ml lime
10ml mint and mustard extract
5ml sugar
Soda to top up
Garnish: Mint spring
Method: Take a glass put lime, sugar syrup, a mustard mint concoction, and gin. Stir and taste it. Add a sphere of ice, soda water, and garnish with a mint sprig.
Method: Pour all the ingredients in the shaker. Shake well and pour in the Bordeaux glass and top half glass with ginger ale Garnish with a bunch of mint springs and jalapeno slices.
Melowpeach – Nikesh Lama, Head Bartender- Hyatt Regency Dehradun
Photo Courtesy: Hyatt Regency Dehradun
Ingredients:
60ml gin
20ml lime juice
15ml sugar syrup
Basil leaf
Fresh watermelon
Splash of ginger ale
Method: In a shaker add gin, lime juice, sugar syrup, muddled watermelon and 6-7 mint leaves topped with a splash of Ginger Ale. Shake the cocktail and double strain it into a couplet. Garnish with cubes of melon and basil leaf
Method: Infuse the gin with a betel leaf for a minimum of 48 hrs.Add lemon juice, gulkand syrup and the betel leaf infused gin to a shaker with ice, and shake it till it mixes well.Add ice to glass and pour.Garnish with betel leaf.
Method: Fill glass with ice. Add gin. Squeeze and drop in the lime wedge and pomegranate/strawberry. Top with lime soda. Garnish with fresh rosemary.
Ramos & Roses Gin Fizz – Varun Sharma, Head of Bar, Comorin Gurugram
Photo Courtesy: Comorin Gurugram
Ingredients:
60ml orange & blue pea flower infused gin
15ml lemon juice
7.5ml lime juice
12.5ml rose-bergamot syrup
20ml heavy cream
25ml egg white
4-5 dashes orange blossom
Club soda to top
Method: Regular shake and then dry shake (Imperial Shaker).
Summer Smash – Urvika Kanoi, Chef & Owner, Café Duco
Photo Courtesy: Café Duco
Ingredients:
60ml gin
4-5 fresh basil
½ birds eye chili, deseeded
30ml lime juice
150ml sugarcane juice
Method: In a glass, add ice, gin, basil, chili, lime juice and sugarcane juice. Stir, top with more sugarcane juice if needed. Slap a piece of basil and put it on top.
Method: Stir gin, orange liqueur and port wine in a mixing glass along with the ice. Strain it into low ball glass on the ice. Garnish it with star anise along with the orange wedge and grate the nutmeg.
The Burrow Bramble — Aniket Jagtab, Head Bartender and Omkar Parab, Senior Bartender, The Burrow, BKC
Photo Courtesy: The Burrow
Ingredients:
45ml house gin
15ml fresh lime juice
5ml simple syrup
15ml in house berry liqueur
7-8 mixed berries
Method: Muddle the berries in an old-fashioned glass. Add house Gin and add it to the muddled berries with fresh lime juice, simple syrup and berry liqueur. Shake with a little ice, pour over crushed ice and add a few mint sprigs for a garnish.
Method: In a chilled mixing glass add freshly pressed lime juice, kokum syrup, cold-pressed coconut water and London dry gin. Top up the mixing glass with ice and stir the cocktail. Strain into a chilled coupe glass rimmed with coconut powder.
Xing Fu – Rosslyn Selwin Karpanam, Head mixologist, Yauatcha
Photo Courtesy: Yauatcha
Ingredients:
45ml earl grey tea
20ml lemon juice
15ml lavender syrup
50ml gin
10ml Cointreau
A few drops of Angostura bitters
20ml egg white
Method: Shake all the ingredients with ice except the bitters. Reverse dry shake strain in the coupe glass. Add 3 dots of angostura bitters and serve.
You’re The Zest – Sahil Gangurde, Sr. Bartender, Plural
Photo Courtesy: Plural
Ingredients:
60ml Roku gin
15ml Triple citrus cordial
15ml Martini Rosso
15ml lime juice
15ml egg white
Method: Add all the ingredients in a shaker full of ice. Shake well and strain. Garnish with dehydrated orange.
