Honey Mango Gin And Tonic

Like clothing, spirits can be trendy. Right now, gin is in. So while I enjoy a traditional gin and tonic, I also appreciate something a bit more playful and fruity in the warmer months. Meet my honey mango gin and tonic, this simple beauty is a keeper.

The Story of Gin

Gin itself has been around since the 16^th century when it was invented in Holland by Dr. Sylvius de Bouve. But gin was originally used as a treatment to help with circulation. Eventually, in the mid-1700’s, gin made its way to the United Kingdom. In the UK, gin quickly became the drink of choice mainly due to its low cost.

But around the 1850s, when the British Crown took governance of India, more Brits began to make their way over, but they struggled with malaria and scurvy as a result of the long sea voyages. At that time, the “cure” for both of these dreadful illnesses was actually a gin and tonic mixture.

The Taste of Tonic

Tonic, (once made with quinine, an extract from the African “fever tree”), was believed to help stop chills and cure/prevent malaria. Considered bitter and harsh in taste, the British began adding gin, sugar, ice, and citrus (typically lime) to make it more palatable. While the taste of tonic may have changed, the world’s love of this classic cocktail has not.

Gin itself has grown in diversity over the years. Both Beefeater and Tanqueray have been longtime favorite go-to gins for decades, many other unique and flavorful variables have become increasingly popular in recent years and this classic cocktail is making a comeback. In this recipe, I use Monkey 47 Schwarzwald dry gin known for having regional botanicals such as lingonberries giving the gin nice herbal notes, while still tasting fruity.

But unlike vodka, each bottle of gin is itself considered “unique”. Pine flavor, coming from juniper is the most significant flavor in gin, yet all gin will have different combinations of botanicals rendering each bottle truly different.

This whimsical honey mango gin and tonic has a natural sweetness from the young mango itself as well as the addition of local honey. My goal in this recipe was a twist on a classic (something I love to do) that offered a fruitier flavor for summer that did not overwhelm the simplicity of an already fantastic drink. Cheers!