A toast: 150 years of the Gin & Tonic

**smoothjim** · 11-10-2008, 03:48 PM

From The Times
November 5, 2008

"The G&T celebrates 150th birthday with ice and a slice

London The gin and tonic, acclaimed as the world’s first cocktail, is 150 years old. The first commercial G&Ts were served to London society in 1858.

British army officers returning from India led the demand for a spot of hard liquor with a refreshing mixer and ice to have after dinner with cigars. In India they had used gin to disguise the taste of tonic, which was then a medicine made from foul-tasting quinine to fight malaria."

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/lif...cle5084152.ece

**LagerLover** · 11-10-2008, 04:29 PM

Yaaay!!

**redbike** · 11-10-2008, 04:39 PM

My favorite summer drink - with Tanqueray of course.

**TimmyBoston** · 11-10-2008, 05:11 PM

A very worthy celebration.

**CarlJN** · 11-10-2008, 07:06 PM

Ah few things are more refreshing than a beefeater tonic with a good lime wedge!

**andy89** · 01-15-2009, 01:05 AM

I do enjoy tonic water with lime when I'm at any restaurant minus the gin though because I'm only 19. I guess I picked it up from my dad, minus the gin also, being 22 years sober.

I was wondering if anyone has had a problem where if you get a tonic water and lime, no gin. 99% of the time they bring me a club soda with a slice of lemon. The last time it happened to me I was so tickled by it, I just started laughing... Everyone must of thought I was crazy, it's just a little annoying though.

**blade08** · 01-15-2009, 01:54 AM

My favourite alcoholic drink but I usually only drink it in the summer in the pub. At home, I am more of a beer guy (speciality beers from Belgium mostly).

**R-James** · 01-15-2009, 01:56 AM

Any excuse to celebrate gin!!! Hooray

**blades** · 01-15-2009, 02:25 AM

Wasn't Gin legalised in the UK in the 1800's so that the government could tax the commodity, whose revenues then went towards the building of ships for the Royal Navy, who were in stormy waters due to lack of funds, so that they could resume their naval escapades against the Spanish, or was it the French?, or maybe both?.

EDIT:
Ah yes, here it is, the taxes were used to help fund a war, not just build ships.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...-marketturmoil

**TimmyBoston** · 01-15-2009, 02:36 AM

Originally Posted by R-James

Any excuse to celebrate gin!!! Hooray

In honor of this special occasion Richie will be downing two bottles of London Dry.

**R-James** · 01-15-2009, 02:51 AM

Originally Posted by TimmyBoston

In honor of this special occasion Richie will be downing two bottles of London Dry.

I shall not! I shall be pulling espressos at work!

**tblech** · 01-15-2009, 03:42 AM

I must have been having an ESP moment, I bought a 1.5 of gin just two days ago after having a vodka streek that lasted several months...

**random** · 01-16-2009, 08:40 AM

Excellent in the summer. I prefer Bombay Sapphire or Gordon's.

**Confilo** · 01-16-2009, 09:02 AM

I'll celebrate with a gin martini.

**boboakalfb** · 01-16-2009, 09:06 AM

Originally Posted by Confilo

I'll celebrate with a martini.

There I fixed it for you. Seemed a bit redundant.

**kongjie** · 01-16-2009, 10:53 AM

Is it wrong that I want one at 11:00 a.m. at work?

**ambrose** · 01-16-2009, 12:39 PM

G&T
My favorite is bombay sapphire with a wedge of lime.
Ahhhhhh yes thank you london.

**JEEP** · 01-16-2009, 02:47 PM

Aaaah. My all time favourite summer drink.

From may to september I always have a bottle of Gordons of Bombay Sapphire and a case of Schweppes Indian Tonic Water in the house and plenty of ice in the freezer.

One can't be too carefull about malaria - even when living in Denmark

Regards.

Jakob

**Torcams** · 01-16-2009, 07:45 PM

I can't wait for summer. Beefeater and Fever-Tree tonic with a slice of lime for me!

**Laz** · 01-17-2009, 12:04 AM

Thanks to B&B and the spirit of the month - I had my first taste of gin this past summer. Boodles with a bit of ginger ale really hits the spot on a hot day