Gin & Tonic has, of course, long since overcome its existence as a drink of older British gentlemen and also a gin & tonic is no longer the niche product in bars outside of Britain it once was. The times are gone when you got 2 cl of Gin with plenty of tonic in a longdrink glass. The opposite is now the case: Gin & Tonic has become a science in itself and the number of gins and tonics is not manageable any more. But of course, Gin is not the only spirit that harmonizes with tonic. Have your ever tried Tequila & Tonic?

Tequila and Mezcal have the greatest potential to become the next long runner in the bars of Europe if you ask me. For far too long there was much too little known about it here and gradually more and more of the variety of agave distillates becomes known to us. And one of the simplest variants to enjoy a beautiful 100% -Agave Tequila is a Tequila & Tonic. The earthy and spicy notes of the tequila harmoniously blend with the crisp bitterness of a good Tonic Water and even if you need a little open-mindedness to break up your established expectations of a Gin & Tonics, the Tequila & Tonic is a very nice longdrink.

For today’s cocktail I took such a Tequila & Tonic on the basis of Villa Lobos Blanco Tequila and refined it a little bit. Due to the addition of syrup and spice liqueur we’re not really dealing with a long drink anymore and also the taste experience is significantly different. Nevertheless, of course, the close relationship is clearly recognizable. Vanilla, cardamom, allspice liqueur and cinnamon syrup bestow a whole load of spices upon the cocktail and lift the drink to a new level. I’ve called the drink “Spiced TNT”. On the one hand as an allusion to the Tequila & Tonic and on the other hand as a reference to the spicy-bitter taste explosion you will encounter.

Recipe:

5 cl Villa Lobos Blanco Tequila
1 bar of spoon of cinnamon syrup
2 Dashes The Bitter Truth Pimento Dram (or another allspice dram)
pulp of one vanilla pod
3 small, green cardamom capsules
Tonic Water (e.g., Fever Tree)

Preparation: Put the seeds from the cardamom capsules into your shaker and crush them with a muddler. Then scrape the vanilla pulp from the vanilla pod into your shaker with a knife. Add the remaining ingredients except Tonic Water to the shaker, fill with ice cubes and shake vigorously. Then double-strain into a glass filled with fresh ice cubes and top of with tonic. (The fact that fine vanilla pulp will find its way into the drink is normal and something you are looking for!)

Glass: tumbler

Garnish: The left over vanilla pod

Buying sources: At specialized retailers or online.