I fell hard for this one the first time I tried it, a gin with real Sicilian lemon already distilled right in, so every sip is bursting with citrus before you’ve even reached for a garnish. If you love a classic G&T, this is the sunnier, zestier upgrade you didn’t know you needed.
A Gin and Tonic would be lost without a slice of lemon, so making a G&T with Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon Gin is taking it to a whole other level!
Where was the Gin and Tonic born?
To be brief, the marriage of gin and tonic began as a malaria cure-all. Tonic was made from quinine which was added to tonic water. Due to its better taste, gin was added and thus, the Gin and Tonic was born.
It was the drink for British officers stationed in India during the 19th and early 20th C. Although it won’t cure malaria anymore, the Gin and Tonic is the drink of choice for Brits in the summer, as well as elsewhere in the Mediterranean.
What is Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon Gin
Gordon’s took real Sicilian lemons and distilled them right into the spirit, working off Alexander Gordon’s original recipe, so all that citrus punch is already there before you’ve touched a wedge. You skip the squeezing, the fumbling with a knife, the garnish you forget is even in the fridge, and you still end up with a G&T that’s louder and more lemony than one you’d painstakingly build from scratch.
It’s still 37.5% ABV, same strength as classic Gordon’s, so don’t worry that the flavor swap costs you anything on the buzz front. What you’re getting is a brighter, sunnier version of a drink you already know by heart.
If you’ve made my Gordon’s Pink Gin and Tonic, you already know the drill here. That one’s soft and fruity. This one is all citrus, zippy and a little sharp, closer in spirit to my Limoncello Spritz than to a buttoned-up classic G&T.
Want to grab a bottle before we get going? In the UK, you’ll find it on Amazon, the wider Gordon’s range at The Whisky Exchange.
What You’ll Need
- Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon Gin
- Tonic water (don’t grab just any bottle, more on that below)
- A big balloon glass if you have one, though a highball or copa glass does the job just fine
- Fresh ice, and don’t be shy with it
- A lemon wheel to finish
Quick word on the glass, because it matters more than you’d think. Balloon glasses hold more ice and give the drink room to breathe, which keeps it colder for longer without watering everything down too fast. No balloon glass at home? A highball works perfectly well, I promise nobody will notice.
Which tonic should I use
Which tonic you use is really up to you. There are many amazing ones on the market, but I prefer either Fever-Tree Tonic or Fever-Tree Mediterranean.
How to Make It
Ice first, always. Fill the glass right to the top before anything else goes in. Ice added as an afterthought never packs in properly, and you’ll end up with a drink that’s warmer and weaker than it should be by the second sip, which is just sad.
Pour the gin over the ice, then top with tonic. One gentle stir to bring it together, nothing aggressive, you’re not trying to knock the fizz out of the tonic. Finish with a lemon wheel, giving it a light squeeze first so a bit of oil hits the surface on its way in.
You’ll find the exact quantities and timing in the recipe card below.
Mistakes That Ruin This Drink
Skimping on ice. A warm G&T has never made anyone happy. This is the number one way people accidentally wreck this drink.
Using tonic that’s gone flat. Once a bottle’s been open a day or two, the fizz that carries the citrus is gone with it. Crack a fresh one, your G&T deserves it.
Stirring like you mean it. This isn’t a martini. A couple of gentle turns and you’re done.
Forgetting the garnish. I know it feels optional, but that lemon wheel is doing real work, the oil you release when you squeeze it adds a top note the gin can’t give you on its own.
Grabbing whatever tonic is closest. Not all tonics play the same role here, and picking the wrong one can actually bury the lemon instead of lifting it up. Which brings me to…
Ways to Make It Your Own
Play with the garnish. A lemon wheel is the standard for a reason, but a few slices of cucumber or a sprig of fresh basil both suit the Sicilian profile beautifully and give the drink a slightly different personality without changing a thing about the base recipe.
Batch it for a crowd. This scales up beautifully. For six servings, just multiply everything by six and build it in a big pitcher over ice, gin first, then tonic. Add the tonic right before your guests arrive so it doesn’t go flat waiting around, and float your lemon wheels on top rather than dropping them in.
Swap in Prosecco. Trade the tonic for Prosecco with a splash of soda and you’ve got a lighter, more celebratory riff that still leans hard into that Sicilian lemon character, just from a different angle.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much alcohol is in a Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon Gin and Tonic?
A standard 50ml pour comes out to roughly 1.9 UK alcohol units, about the same as a small glass of wine.
What if I don’t have a balloon glass?
A highball or copa glass both work great. The important part is having enough room for plenty of ice.
Can I make this ahead of time for a party?
Build the pitcher without the tonic, then add tonic and ice right before serving so it stays fizzy.
Is the lemon flavor from real lemons?
Yes, Gordon’s distills actual Sicilian lemon into the gin rather than adding flavoring afterward.
How is this different from a regular Gin and Tonic?
The lemon’s already baked into the bottle, so you get a stronger, more consistent citrus hit than you’d ever get from squeezing a fresh wedge into a classic G&T.
Take It Further
If this one’s got you newly obsessed with gin, come join me for a London Cocktail Tour through Soho. It’s a small group, a proper guide, and a handful of the city’s best bars, with a few gin-forward stops built right in for anyone who loves a G&T as much as you clearly do.
Here’s the recipe!
Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon and Tonic
Ingredients
- 50 ml Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon
- 150 ml chilled tonic
- Garnish: a wheel of lemon
Instructions
- Fill a chilled large balloon glass with fresh ice cubes
- Pour 50ml of Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon over the ice
- Top up with 150ml chilled tonic
- Gently squeeze a wheel of lemon into the glass before dropping it in
- Give it all a final stir