20 Best Drinks To Mix With Gin

While there are plenty of liquors you can pick up knowing they're super versatile and likely to work with almost anything that's in the fridge — and yes, we're looking at you, vodka — gin generally isn't one of those. There's a gin and tonic, and ... what else?

Admittedly, gin can be tough. It has a distinctive flavor profile that can be described as anything from "botanical" to "Christmas tree," and everything in between those two. Gin, says MasterClass, is defined — in part — by the use of juniper berries in the distillation process, and it's those berries that give this popular liquor that pine-tree, evergreen taste.

For those who might skip the gin because they're not fans of a gin and tonic, we have good news: There are a ton of other drinks you can use as a base for some truly incredible gin cocktails. Some probably have a permanent spot in the fridge already, and if some are the sort of thing you pick up on occasion, let's be honest: These ideas are reason enough to spring for that nice bottle of gin.

Tonic is the go-to for gin, and it turns out that there's actually a scientific reason it's so popular. According to Thrillist, since the molecules in gin's botanicals and the molecules in tonic's quinine are similar, they mix really, really well — and, not only do they form aggregate molecules, but they light up the sense receptors in your body. The reason being is that the molecules are basically in competition, to see which gets to occupy a particular flavor receptor. As the outlet described it, it's a real "battle royale" for your brain's attention. Who would have thought?

That said, it is absolutely worth keeping a bottle of tonic around, particularly since there are so many ways to customize a regular gin and tonic into something completely different. BBC Good Food suggests using elderflower-flavored tonic, lining your glass with slices of (English) cucumber, reaching for the bitters or sweet vermouth, and even adding a teaspoon of whiskey. Think of tonic as a base, rather than a finished product, and you'll never have a boring gin drink again.

Here's another one that many people keep in their fridge as a standard item, and good news for all orange juice lovers out there: It goes great with gin.

While you could certainly dress this one up with a slice of fresh orange, there's no need to make that a deal-breaker — Absolut Drinks says that sometimes, simple is best. We agree; in this case, less is more — especially when you have a really, really nice bottle of gin that you don't want to overpower with all kinds of other flavors.

The orange presents a brilliant backdrop for a strong gin, while the citrus adds a sharpness that reminds you that you're not just drinking flowery botanicals. Just pour a shot of gin over ice, and fill the rest of the glass with orange juice. A tasty cocktail, and your daily dose of vitamin C? You can't go wrong.

First off, the obvious question: What, exactly, is Dubonnet? If you're thinking that it sounds fancy, that's because it is — it's a Parisian aperitif that is fortunately available across the U.S. Knowing what it's made from will quickly make it clear why it goes so well with gin: It's fortified wine that's flavored with quinine — the same thing that's in tonic — and a bouquet of herbs.

Makes sense now, right? This easy cocktail is just 2 parts Dubonnet to 1 part dry gin, and you're golden ... literally, because there's a footnote to this one, too. If you've ever had those days where you just want to treat yourself to something that'll make you feel extra-fancy, this should be your new go-to cocktail. Why? Once we learned that it's the personal favorite of none other than Queen Elizabeth II, well, we just knew there was no way to go wrong.

Grapefruit juice can be pretty polarizing, and there's no one who is just kind of middle-of-the-road when it comes to their opinions on it: You're either a fan or not. And so for those who do love it, there's good news: It makes a brilliant base for a gin cocktail, according to The Bar, and it doesn't get much easier than the microsite's gin and grapefruit juice cocktail.

Because seriously, that's all there is to it. Fill a glass with ice, add 3 ⅓ tablespoons of gin, and top with grapefruit juice. Add some slices of fresh grapefruit if you want, but trust us when we say that it really isn't necessary. The gin helps tone down the sharpness of the grapefruit, while the grapefruit makes the botanicals of the gin just a little more subtle. Even if you're not a fan of grapefruit juice, this flavorful cocktail might just change your mind.

A gin fizz can be kind of iffy, especially if the idea of drinking raw egg white makes your teeth hurt. Fortunately, you can include or omit the egg white when you're using pineapple juice as your base, and you will still have that creamy mouthfeel that makes some cocktails more than just "a drink." While Distillery 209 does include the egg white — along with a dash of lime juice and some tonic — in its gin fizz, trust us when we say it is not necessary.

Martha Stewart uses pineapple juice in a different gin cocktail altogether, and hers adds lemon juice and crème de cassis to create a creamy pineapple-gin kir. If you're looking for something that tastes more indulgent than it is, look no further than pineapple juice. As Liquor.com notes, pineapple is one versatile fruit, with drink ideas going far beyond the piña colada and mojito. (Umbrella and pineapple fronds optional!)

Absinthe has something of a bad reputation, and it's completely undeserved. No, it's not a hallucinogenic and yes, it is a perfectly normal, alcoholic beverage. Don't let the hype convince you otherwise. It's actually a brilliant drink, especially when prepared correctly ... or, it turns out, when mixed with gin.

That's because the pine flavor of gin goes amazingly with the anise/licorice flavor of absinthe, and the experts at Difford's Guide say there's a whole bunch of ways to mix up a gin and absinthe cocktail. They suggest combinations like gin, absinthe, dry vermouth, and an orange liqueur for something they call a yellow daisy. They also suggest using absinthe in a unique twist on the gimlet: Combine equal parts gin and absinthe with lime cordial, lime juice, and water for a drink that will make you look at the green fairy in an entirely different way. Who knows what it'll inspire!

Cranberry juice just might be one of those drinks that many people keep on hand for certain medical reasons, and while we can say — with help from the University of Michigan — that there's no actual, concrete evidence that cranberry juice does anything for UTIs, you still might want to keep some on hand.

Cranberry juice — especially the unsweetened kind — can be ideal for mixing with gin and making a cocktail on those days when you just don't want something super sweet. Lidl has a brilliant idea for balancing the botanicals of gin with the tartness of cranberry, and that's in a cocktail that calls for cranberry juice, a dash of caster sugar, and an egg white (which you can take or leave as you wish, honestly). While this is a great cocktail for fresh raspberries, it would also be a lovely, fun addition to Thanksgiving dinner, and the cranberries you're already serving there.

Mojitos are generally made with rum, but Lidl has come up with a cocktail that proves when it comes to mixing up a gin drink, there's no way you can go wrong with using some rose wine.

It's fairly simple, too, calling for typical mojito ingredients — like lime juice, mint, and simple syrup — to be mixed with gin, rose wine, and soda water, then poured over ice. Just the sound of it is pretty amazing, and for anyone who loves a mojito, this one is sure to please. Even better, Lidl also suggests mixing it up by adding some fresh fruit.

Throw in a handful of mixed berries — or some solo blackberries, we'd suggest — and while you might say it's not technically a mojito anymore, that's absolutely fine. It's still amazing on a warm afternoon sitting in the sun, and honestly? Any excuse we have to just take a moment and enjoy the simple pleasures, well, sign us up.

Iced tea is vastly underrated when it comes to keeping something thirst-quenching in your fridge. Not only is it low in calories and low in caffeine, but it's incredibly versatile, too. It can be made with any kind of tea, and a quick stroll down the coffee-and-tea aisle of your favorite grocery store will confirm that there's a million and one options out there. (Approximately.)

According to Good Housekeeping, a number of them are great for making a flavorful tea to mix into a gin cocktail. While you can definitely go straight gin and tea, adding things like a dash of lemon juice, elderflower tonic (or liqueur), bitters, simple syrup, honey, or a berry liqueur is a great way to elevate this idea into your new favorite cocktail. Seriously, the sky's the limit, and half the fun here is experimenting with the wide variety of flavors on offer.

If beer is something that you tend to only drink alone, you're missing out on an entire section of cocktails — and yes, those are cocktails made with beer. Sure, there's that whole saying about beer before liquor, but it doesn't apply when they're mixed ... right?

So, where does gin come in? According to the team at BBC Good Food, making a successful gin cocktail with beer is all about knowing your flavor profiles.

They have a few guidelines to keep in mind when you're starting, and say that for example, a really strong gin would work well with something like a citrus-heavy beer, particularly an IPA. Logical, right? They also say that a lager is a great place to start, too: Lager isn't going to have the heavy flavors that might not work with a gin, and if you lean toward citrus, chances are pretty good that you're going to have a winner on your hands. The fun is in the experimentation, so go wild.