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A gin and tonic with a splash of Campari is a small change that does a lot. Campari is bitter orange and herbs with a heavy dose of sugar, and against tonic, which is already bitter from quinine, it deepens rather than sweetens. The colour is the obvious effect, but the bitterness stacking is the interesting one.
This lands close to a Negroni Sbagliato in spirit, though much lighter. The original recipe is honest about the motive, saying the Campari goes in to add colour and taste, in that order. Adding it last rather than building it in means the first sips are a gin and tonic and the drink gets progressively more bitter as it mixes down.
Glass: Highball glass | Strength: Medium | Serves: 1 | Prep Time: 2 minutes
Bartenders tip: Stir the gin and tonic before the Campari goes in, as the recipe says, because stirring afterward undoes the layering the splash creates. Use a proper tonic rather than a diet one, since the sugar is holding the bitterness in balance. A splash is roughly a quarter ounce, and more than a half turns this from a tinted G and T into something closer to an Americano. Squeeze the lime over the top before dropping it in.
Steps
- Pour the gin and tonic water into a highball glass almost filled with ice.
- Stir well.
- Top with a splash of Campari, garnish with a lime wedge, and serve.
