• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Gin Cocktails
  • Vodka Cocktails
  • Tequila Cocktails
  • Rum Cocktails
  • Whiskey Cocktails
  • Brandy Cocktails
  • Shots
  • Mixed Drinks

Occasional Cocktails logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Drink Recipes
  • Cocktail eBook
  • Shots
  • Simple Syrup
  • About
search icon
Homepage link
  • Drink Recipes
  • Cocktail eBook
  • Shots
  • Simple Syrup
  • About
×

Home » Gin Cocktails

Mar 6, 2023 · Modified: Mar 17, 2023 by Kristin

Orange Gin and Tonic: twist on a classic

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Occassional Cocktails may earn compensation from purchases made after clicking links on this page. Learn more Here.

If you’re looking to spice up an old classic cocktail, try this orange gin and tonic. This drink is just as good as the tried and true original but with an extra sweet and tangy citrus burst.

closeup of orange gin and tonic in a highball glass on a wooden table

What is an Orange Gin and Tonic?

An orange gin and tonic is a combination of gin, tonic water, orange bitters and orange juice. It has the botanical gin flavor and the bitter bite of tonic water but both of those are smoothed out with the sweet tang of orange juice. It is a refreshing twist on the classic gin and tonic.

Gin is a clear liquor made from juniper berries. It is a complex tasting liquor full of botanical, spice and herb flavors. Some of the high notes tend to be a pine-like flavor with hints of spice and citrus.

Tonic water is a carbonated water that has a bitter and subtle citrus taste to it The bitter and citrus taste comes from quinine which is added to the carbonated water.

Orange juice of course stacks another citrus flavor into this drink. It has a sweet yet slightly tart and tangy flavor. The best type of orange juice to use for this cocktail is fresh and pulp free. Orange juice with pulp in it will make a grittier textured drink.

Orange bitters are a type of bitter that is flavored with orange peel and cardamom to name a few spices. Bitters themselves are basically flavor infused alcohol. They’re oftentimes used in combination with gin to help pull out the flavors in the gin.

Occasions for this drink

With it’s refreshing and sweet taste in addition to the ease with which it’s made this drink is perfect for many occasions such as:

  • summer barbecues
  • pool parties
  • afternoon drinks
  • casual get togethers

Variations for this drink

Although the ingredients and instructions below make for a super delicious cocktail, there are a few variations you can use to try out on this drink.

  • Use orange gin. There are some flavored gins available. One of which is orange gin. If you really want to crank up the citrus flavor in this drink try out a flavored orange gin.
  • Skip the bitters. While the bitters really help to emphasize some of the flavors in this drink they are not essential to the drink. So whether you don’t have them or don’t like them you can certainly leave them out.
  • Crank up the spice. Use some spice garnishes in order to enhance the spice profile of the gin. Cinnamon, anise and rosemary are all good choices.

If you like gin and tonic flavors, you might also like gin and tonic pops.

How to make this drink:

Only needing four easy and simple ingredients this drink can be whipped up in 5 minutes or less. Simply toss your ingredients together and give them a stir.

Equipment:

  • highball glass
  • jigger
  • cocktail shaker
  • Hawthorne strainer
  • bar spoon

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz Gin
  • 4 oz Tonic
  • 2 oz Orange Juice
  • a few dashes of orange bitters if desired
  • Ice
highball glass with ice next to jigger, bitters, tonic water, OJ and gin

Instructions:

Step one

Gather up everything you need for the drink including your jigger, cocktail shaker, orange bitters, tonic water, orange juice, gin, ice and highball glass.

Step two

Fill your highball glass to the top with ice.

measuring gin in a jigger

Step three

Use your jigger to measure out 2 oz of gin. Then, pour your gin into your highball glass with the ice.

measuring OJ with a jigger

Step four

Use your jigger to measure out 2 oz of orange juice. Then, pour the orange juice into your highball glass with the gin and ice.

pouring tonic water into highball glass

Step Five

Use your jigger to measure out 4 oz of tonic water. Then, for the tonic water into your highball glass with your gin, orange juice and ice.

If you don’t want to measure your tonic water, you can skip the jigger and simply top the glass off with tonic water.

adding a few dashes of bitters to the glass

Step Six

Take your orange bitters and add a few dashes to the top of your glass.

pouring orange gin and tonic from shaker to highball glass

Step Seven

To make sure everything is mixed well you have two options.

The first option is to simply toss the ingredients from your glass into your shaker. And then from your shaker back into your glass. If you use this option do make sure to do so gently so that your tonic water doesn’t fizz too much.

The second option is to use a bar spoon. Simply take your bar spoon, place it in the glass and give a few careful swirls.

Recipe

orange gin and tonic in a highball glass with ingredients next to the glass
Print Recipe
No ratings yet

Orange Gin and Tonic

Prep Time5 minutes mins
Course: Drinks
Keyword: Orange Gin and Tonic
Servings: 1

Equipment

  • jigger
  • highball glass
  • Hawthorne strainer
  • cocktail shaker
  • bar spoon

Ingredients

  • 2 oz Gin
  • 2 oz Orange Juice
  • 4 oz Tonic Water
  • Orange Bitters a few dashes
  • Ice

Instructions

  • Get all of the items you need to make your drink ready to go.
  • Fill up your shaker and highball glass with ice.
  • Measure up 2 oz of Gin with the jigger and toss into the highball glass.
  • Measure up 2 oz of orange juice with the jigger and toss into the highball glass.
  • Measure up 4 oz of Tonic Water with the jigger and toss into the highball glass.
    note: or, you can skip measuring and just just top the glass off with the tonic water.
  • Add a few dashes of orange bitters to the glass.
  • Gently dump the contents of the glass into the shaker and then from the shaker back into the glass.
  • optional garnish: You can cut a wheel or wedge of orange, cut a notch in the pulp and add it to the rim of the glass.

More Gin Cocktail Recipes

  • Gin on the rocks with a lime wedge on a wooden table with bottle of gin in the background.
    Gin on the Rocks
  • Foghorn drink in a rocks glass on a wooden table.
    Super Easy Foghorn Drink Recipe
  • gin-gin mule in a copper mug with mint and a copper straw. Ingredient bottles in the background.
    Gin-Gin Mule Cocktail
  • closeup of gin limeade in a highball glass on wooden table
    Gin Limeade Cocktail Recipe

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hey there, we are Kristin & Justin! After Justin spent over a decade as a bartender, we decided to bring that mixology online so everyone can mix up the best drinks

More about us →

Popular Cocktails

  • tequila and sprite
    Tequila And Sprite: The Margarita On A Budget
  • whiskey and cream soda in a glass with a cherry garnish
    Whiskey and Cream Soda Recipe
  • brandy and coke
    Brandy And Coke: Very Special Brandy Cola Recipe
  • Closeup of blue motherfucker cocktail
    Blue Motherfucker Drink (AKA Adios Motherfucker)
  • french kiss shot with ingredient bottles in the background
    Fun and Inappropriate Dirty Drink Names
  • vodka and sprite
    Vodka And Sprite

Fall Drink Favorites

  • tequila and apple juice in a glass
    Tequila and Apple Juice: a fall drink
  • close up of black martini
    Black Martini – a perfect Halloween drink
  • red death drink in a highball glass on a wooden table
    Red Death Drink
  • shot glass with alien brain hemmorage with liquor bottles visible in the background
    Alien Brain Hemorrhage – a spooky shot

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy

Join us!

  • Join our newsletter and get a FREE cocktail making cheat sheet.

Contact

  • About

Please drink responsibly.  Follow all local/federal alcohol laws.  We are not advocating underage or irresponsible drinking of any kind.

We are a participant in the Amazon Services, LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2023 MrAnimal Media LLC