- Sam Carter, who works for Bombay Sapphire, says melon adds a pop of colour
- He also says it adds a pleasant fresh flavour and sweetness to a classic G&T
- He also recommends putting a dash of oil into your cocktail to ‘add texture’
Everyone knows gin pairs perfectly with tonic but a classic G&T isn’t complete without a garnish of lime or lemon too.
But now a gin expert has revealed there’s another acessory that goes just as well with the classic cocktail.
Sam Carter, senior brand ambassador for Bombay Sapphire gin, told Good Housekeeping that a slice of melon is just as good a garnish as lemon and lime due to its bright colour and fresh flavour.
And he also says that adding a dash of olive oil to your cocktail may suit those with savoury tastebuds as it adds a different texture to your cocktail.
Melon adds a fresh sweetness to gin and tonic as well as vibrant colour (pictured: watermelon)
He said: ‘I love melon because it’s so fresh and melons have got such a vibrant colour to them. They’re fun and unusual.
‘I like to put something in a G&T people wouldn’t expect; I like to break with convention.
‘You can get quite a bitter, earthy, dry flavour to gin, so naturally the sweetness of the melon can just balance it out.’
Sam recommends garnishing gin with a long slice of melon, preferably from honeydew or cantaloupe, and adding it to a copa-style glass.
You can turn your gin and tonic into a fruity cocktail by adding melon liqueur and grapefruit juice too
He likes to add melon liqueur and a dash of pink grapefruit juice to his gin topped with cucumber tonic.
Sam, who often experiments with different ways to make a gin and tonic, also recommends adding a dash of olive oil to the classic cocktail if you prefer savoury notes over sweet ones.
He said: ‘Gin tends to give a creamy, buttery, smooth texture, and olive oil can add real texture to a G&T, especially highlighting the grassy notes of juniper.’
He recommends serving it a Mediterranean-style tonic and garnishing with basil, or even cherry tomatoes.