The Artistry of the Ultimate Gin & Tonic

Bombay Sapphire at Harvey Nichols:

It has to said, and there’s no denying it,  I have been known to make the odd G&T in my time!  So I did wonder what I would be learning at the masterclass at The Bombay Sapphire roof garden on the 5th Floor of Harvey Nichols.   Gin, tonic, ice and a slice – how tricky can it be?

The outside space was very pretty, and will be a wonderful retreat from the hustle and bustle of Knightsbridge, but the evening we were there it was cold and wet, and Plan B (inside and warm) was utilised!

Renaud de Bosredon talked us through the secret to the perfect G&T.  Pour a measure of the gin into a large glass, squeeze a little lime in, and then fill with more ice than seems feasible and finally add the tonic.  He says that what you are aiming at is a gin and tonic, not a tonic and gin.   The large quantity of ice actually prevents it from melting whereas a cube or two will quickly water down your gin.   My effort is shown below – and very nice it was too!

He then urged us to get creative with our drink-making; armed with a £20 voucher we were let loose in Harvey Nicols food market.  I chose a French vermouth, grapefruit marmalade and used the grapefruit bitters provided.  First of all, I worked the marmalade so that it wasn’t a solid mass, then added a measure of gin and a half measure of the vermouth, then the bitters, filled the glass with ice and topped with the tonic.

We all got to try each other’s creations, and mine was declared a drink that people would actually pay for!  A fellow reviewer was very inventive with mango vinegar and Sichuan peppers in his, and although it sounds odd it had a lovely oriental warmth to it.  Another person went down a rose and rhubarb route, finishing her drink off with rose flavoured candy floss – how anyone was actually supposed to drink it was anyone’s guess!

There are a range of Bombay Sapphire G&Ts now available on the Harvey Nicols terrace, a perfect pick-me-up after a hard days shopping!