Gin and tonic used to be my go-to drink, but then somewhere along the years I shifted away from gin to vodka. Not really sure when or why it happened, but it did.

Mythology Distillery Needle Pig Gin

But lately, gin seems to be making a comeback (if it ever really was gone). And I’m glad it’s becoming more mainstream again.

A friend held her 50th birthday party at Mythology Distillery in Denver and I’ve been a fan of their gin every since. The distillery is located very close to where I grew up in Denver. The area has changed tremendously since I was young and it’s exciting to see new and innovative businesses like Mythology moving in.

So, when I was looking for a new gin to try, my first thought was Mythology!

I grabbed their Needle Pig Gin (great name btw) which they describe as “a dry modern gin distilled with six natural botanicals that include Italian juniper, coriander seed, orris root, grapefruit peel, star anise and sage.”

With the botanicals, this Needle Pig gin seemed like the perfect fit for the Elderflower Grapefruit Gin + Tonic.

Simple to Make−Elderflower Grapefruit Gin + Tonic

Get the recipe from: The Forked Spoon

This Elderflower Grapefruit Gin + Tonic is what a summer cocktail should taste like!

It’s crisp.

It’s light.

It’s refreshing.

And you get a hint of the garden with the Elderflower liqueur and rosemary.

Wait a minute…I HATE rosemary.

Normally, I do, but I don’t hate it in this drink. It adds a subtle earthiness that brings all the flavors together.

Elderflower Grapefruit Gin + Tonic ingredients.

Three things to know about the Elderflower Grapefruit Gin + Tonic recipe:

  • You’ll need Elderflower liqueur for this drink. I use St. Germain. My sister gave some to me for Christmas and, at first, I had no idea what I would do with it, but now I’m going out of my way to find new ways to use it. You can find small (stocking stuffer-sized) bottles if you don’t want to make a huge investment in a liqueur.
  • Don’t skip the Elderflower liqueur after you smell it (and you know you will smell it). I have to admit, I was very hesitant to use this in a cocktail based on the smell. The floral aroma can be very overwhelming. Think strong perfume. But the thing is, it doesn’t end up tasting like that once it’s in the cocktail. I’ve made several different cocktails using elderflower liqueur and you know what? I’ve loved them ALL.
  • You can easily make a pitcher of these for a large group, but you’ll need to shake them in batches before you pour them into the pitcher. You need to infuse the rosemary into the gin, elderflower liqueur and grapefruit juice and the best way to do that is via the cocktail shaker. Shake up several cocktail shakers worth of the main ingredients and put them in a pitcher in the fridge until your guests arrive. I’d recommend holding off adding the tonic water until you pour the individual drinks.

This Elderflower Grapefruit Gin + Tonic definitely ranks Top 3 of my summer drinks. Where does it rank on your list? Drop us a note in the comments.

Elderflower Grapefruit G + T