The Gin & Tonic is the world's best-loved cocktail, but with Balena Pink Gin it becomes a one-of-a-kind visual experience. Pour the blue gin, add the tonic, and within seconds the liquid turns a luminous pink. It's the magic of the Butterfly Pea, one of the nine botanicals in our Italian craft gin. In this article we explain how to make the perfect Gin & Tonic at home.
The ingredients for a perfect Gin & Tonic
To make a bartender-quality Gin & Tonic right in your own living room, you need just a few ingredients — but good ones:
- 4 cl of Balena Pink Gin (the standard international measure for a long drink)
- 12-15 cl of premium tonic water well chilled (Fever-Tree, Schweppes Premium, Indi&Co)
- Large, clear ice cubes (small cubes melt too quickly and dilute the drink)
- Garnish: orange peel, a sprig of rosemary or helichrysum
How to make a Gin & Tonic with Balena Pink Gin: step by step
- Chill the glass by placing it in the freezer for 10 minutes, or filling it with ice for 1 minute and then emptying it
- Fill the balloon glass with ice up to the rim (more ice = less dilution)
- Pour 4 cl of Balena Pink Gin over the ice: you'll see the deep blue colour the glass
- Slowly add the tonic water letting it slide down the bar spoon to preserve the bubbles
- Osserva il cambio colore: within seconds the liquid shifts from blue to pink thanks to the anthocyanin in the Butterfly Pea
- Mescola delicatamente just once, from the bottom upwards
- Guarnisci with an expressed orange peel over the surface and a sprig of rosemary
Which Tonic Water to Choose
The choice of tonic water makes the difference between an ordinary Gin & Tonic and an unforgettable one. For Balena Pink Gin we recommend tonics with a delicate, slightly citrusy aromatic profile, which enhance the Mediterranean notes of our nine botanicals without covering them. Tonics that are too sweet or spiced risk masking the freshness of the spirit.
Remember: the acidity of the tonic is what activates the colour change. The drier the tonic and the richer in quinine, the more intense the shift from blue to pink will be.
Mistakes to Avoid with Your Gin & Tonic
- Too little or too small ice: it dilutes the drink too quickly
- Room-temperature tonic: it flattens the bubbles and alters the flavour
- Over-stirring: it ruins the bubbles and disperses the aromas
- Squeezing the citrus into the glass: use only the expressed peel, never the juice
- The wrong glass: the balloon or copa de balón is ideal, as it concentrates the aromas
Variations on the Gin & Tonic with Balena Pink Gin
Once you've mastered the classic Gin & Tonic, you can experiment with variations that enhance the colour change:
- Pink Mediterranean: add 2 drops of elderflower bitters
- Rimini Sunset: replace half the tonic with pink grapefruit juice
- Whale Spritz: add 4 cl of chilled prosecco before the tonic
Discover all the recipes for our cocktails with Balena Pink Gin to impress your guests.
Why try Balena Pink Gin
Balena Pink Gin isn't just a Gin & Tonic with a special effect: it's an Italian craft spirit born in Rimini, the result of careful work on nine selected botanicals. The juniper, coriander, cardamom, Mediterranean citrus, ginger, helichrysum, sea water and Butterfly Pea create a unique aromatic profile — fresh and maritime — perfect for a Gin & Tonic but also for more elaborate cocktails.
Ready to make your first colour-changing Gin & Tonic? Buy Balena Pink Gin and bring home the magic of the colour change.