Fetch Magazine by Taigan

All this talk of the Olympics has got me thinking about time spent in London, a topic I've remembered fondly in this space once before.  Now, in the midst of coverage of the actual events, I find myself consistently drawn to the countless guides that have surfaced pointing Olympic attendees to off-site restaurants, pubs, and cocktail bars.

One of the things I admire most about London's bars and restaurants is their ability to take something so seemingly simple (like the martini) and elevate it to greatness through care and careful consideration. One morning's meal of “Avocado on Toast” (just that), for example, became transcendent with the selection of the finest avocado, a bright squeeze of lemon, some great salt, and the perfect piece of rustic bread, charred just so.

That same care is taken with every pint pulled and every cocktail mixed. So if you're interested in bringing a little flavor of London into your own home during the Olympics and beyond, there is nothing better than a classic Gin & Tonic. After all, the Brits perfected both ingredients. And though the G&T is now worldwide in its appeal, making it the perfect Olympics cocktail, there is still something decidedly English about quaffing a tall G&T on a hot summer day.

My own Jack Rudy Tonic, sold here on Taigan and across the states, may not be crafted in England, but rest assured that I had my own London G&T drinking days in mind when I created the lively tipple. Follow the lead of the best English bartenders and take care to source the right gin for your G&T (I like Plymouth, or, for a bigger punch, Tanqueray or Beefeater). After all, if you can't afford to head to London for the Games, you can easily bring a little London to you.

We have a recommended recipe on the side of our bottle, but I've found myself lately giving these very simple instructions:

•                Fill a collins glass with ice

•                Add “three fingers worth” of gin

•                Top with soda water

•                Add Jack Rudy Small Batch Tonic and stir. Desire more tonic? Add some more.

-Brooks Reitz

Pictured above, from left: Fetch Bar’s Brooks Reitz, the perfect Highball for your G&Ts, and Jack Rudy Small Batch Tonic.

 

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