This classic gin & tonic with a twist serves up fresh winter fruit vibes and effervescence for the perfect seasonal sip.
If you know me, you know that I'm a whiskey girl...then a gin girl. And I love making a simple gin drink for happy hours at home. It doesn't get better than a cold refreshing gin cocktail on warm days and I thought why not remix that for cold days, too? And this star of a seasonal gin & tonic drink was born. It's sweet yet sharp, fruity and fizzy--perfectly balanced and visually stunning, if I do say so myself. Also, like just about every libation I serve up over here, it is simple to make. Let's get into the juicy details.
If you enjoy winter citrus cocktail recipes, try these, too!
What You'll Need for this Recipe
To make this winter gin cocktail, I grabbed a couple of my favorite fruits of the season. There are four ingredients, in total.
- Gin
- Grapefruit
- Pomegranate
- Tonic Water
I have really been feeling Citadelle Gin lately. After trying it at a bar, I assumed it was some fancy, expensive gin--mostly based on the beautiful blue bottle. So imagine my pleasant surprise when I grabbed a bottle at my local liquor store in the $20-ish range. Anyway, it works wonderfully in this grapefruit and pomegranate cocktail. The grapefruit takes the place of lime in a traditional gin & tonic and adds extra brightness. And the pomegranate adds deep, juicy sweetness with a bit of tartness.
If you can't find fresh pomegranate near you, you technically only need the seeds, aka arils, for this recipe and you can buy just the pomegranate seeds year round. If you are starting with fresh, whole pomegranate, here's how to separate a pomegranate easily.
As far as cocktail tools, you will need a muddler to crush the pomegranate seeds and grapefruit. If you don't have one, the blunt end of a wooden kitchen spoon works pretty well, too. Next up, grab a cocktail shaker. I love this clear one, especially when making this winter gin cocktail because it's so bright and colorful. Lastly, grab a jigger or a shot glass to measure out the gin. Oh--and have a sharp knife and cutting board handy for cutting the fruit!
Winter Gin & Tonic How-To Video
Isn't Gin & Tonic a Summer Drink?
Nope! Gin is regarded as a summer spirit but can be enjoyed at any time of year. It plays well with different spices, fruits, and other flavors. My Fall G&T is a great example of a warmed up version. And I make a gin & tonic with hibiscus, too. If you live in close-to-tropical temperatures, like I do, especially in our current reality, time and seasons sometimes feel like constructs, anyway. This bright, refreshing seasonal gin cocktail is a delicious way to transition your favorite blend of botanicals to the winter season.
How to Serve this Drink
A traditional G&T is typically served over ice in a rocks glass or highball glass. The latter tends to be slightly larger so there's more room for ice and tonic. You can definitely go that route with this drink to keep things traditional and simple. OR you can strain your wintry G&T into a coupe glass like I did for a little razzle dazzle. It is the holiday season after all, right? Add a small wedge of grapefruit for garnish and you're done. You can even sprinkle some pomegranate seeds over top for extra festive fun. And pomegranate symbolizes things like love, resurrection, and fertility so I think this is the perfect gin cocktail for New Year's Eve!
Cheers to adding a new sparking gin cocktail with fruit to your winter repertoire. If you make this recipe and love it, let me know below by leaving a 5-star review below. And sharing is caring so make sure to pin this holiday gin drink over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
Pomegranate Grapefruit Gin Cocktail Recipe
Sparking gin cocktail with bright notes of winter fruit
- ¼ grapefruit
- ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
- ice
- 2 ounces gin
- tonic water
Cut a grapefruit into quarters and add one of the quarters to an open cocktail shaker. Add in the pomegranate seeds and muddle grapefruit and pomegranate in order to release the juices and oils. You can use the back of a wooden spoon for this step if you don't have a muddler tool.
Add ice and gin to cocktail shaker and securely place the top on it. Shake vigorously for about 10 seconds to fully chill and combine the mixture.
Strain mixture into a coupe glass and top up with chilled tonic water. Garnish with a wedge of grapefruit and pomegranate sides, if desired. Enjoy responsibly!
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