Vodka Tonic is one of my go-to mixed drinks when I’m not up to the task of making myself a fancy cocktail.
CRE8ion by Camille Hopper-Naud
What I love about tonic water is its unique and complex flavour profile despite being such a common and accessible ingredient. What I don’t love so much, is the high sugar content of most tonic waters. This is what inspired me to create a vodka infused with (my version) of classic ‘tonic’ herbs, zests, and spices – with the addition of only a touch of raw cane sugar to enhance those flavours. I made some slight adjustments to the recipe after my first attempt; increasing the lemongrass and decreasing the cucumber. This resulted in a more traditional flavour profile. I absolutely loved this infusion, and I’m sure the bottle won’t last me long!
Ingredients:
- 30g Lemongrass (bruised and chopped)
- 5g Dehydrated Cucumber
- Slices, or 1/3 of a Fresh Cucumber, sliced
- 1.5oz Quinine Tincture*
- 1 ½ tsp Lavender
- 1 tsp Allspice Berries (crushed)
- 1 tsp Grapefruit Zest (microplaned)
- ½ tsp Orange Zest (microplaned)
- ½ tsp Lime Zest (microplaned)
- ¼ cup Cane Sugar
Method:
24hr infusion/Water to the 40% mark
*Quinine Tincture:
Infuse 6g powdered red cinchona bark in 150ml vodka for 1 hour. Fine strain through coffee filter and set aside.
Infusion Rating (out of 5): 4.5/5
What’s Next?
Stay tuned for the next post, where I’ll share how I turned this infusion into a fabulous cocktail!
