Kyrö Gin & Tonic

Classic gin & tonic cocktail with a twist: use Kyrö rye gin, quality tonic, cranberries, and rosemary to make the best gin & tonic in the world.

4 cl Kyrö Gin

10 cl Fever-Tree tonic water 

A twig of rosemary

Cranberries

Lots of ice

Pour liquids into a glass over ice, carefully stir together. Garnish with a rosemary twig and cranberries.

Gin & tonic, from its medicinal beginning to a drink icon

While it was out of fashion for a while, recently more and more people have once again turned to the classic gin & tonic cocktail. This is no short-lived fad though, this drink is actually older than any of your grandmas and has, in fact, been around for more than 200 years.

It all started in the 17th Century when indigenous people in Peru treated malaria using Cinchona tree bark. The Jesuits spread the medical discoveries throughout Europe, but the British disliked the strong bitter taste. With a little help of carbonated water and sugar, the problem was solved. 

Soon after British soldiers began adding the chinin-heavy tonic water to gin over ice in an attempt to keep malaria symptoms away. The drink became so iconic in British History that Winston S. Churchill was quoted saying:

“Gin and tonic has saved more Englishmen’s lives, and minds, than all the doctors in the empire.”

Is G&T your favourite cocktail, too?

Even though gin & tonic is no longer used to cure malaria or other pandemics, it’s still a beloved drink. And rightly so.  

The Finnish Kyrö Distillery was given “the best gin for gin & tonic” award from the International Wine and Spirits competition in 2015 for their rye gin. This classic with a twist is enjoyed with cranberries and a rosemary twig instead of the familiar slice of lemon.