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Here’s how to make the best vodka tonic, one of the easiest mixed drinks of all time! This two-ingredient cocktail is bubbly, citrusy, and refreshing.
Looking for a refreshing cocktail that goes down easy? Try the vodka tonic! This variation on the Gin & Tonic is less about booze and more about bubbles. Vodka melds right into the tonic water, making it a drink where you might not be able to taste the alcohol at all (consider yourself warned!).
While it’s simple, there are a few tips on making the very best vodka tonic. As certified mixologists, here’s our take on how to make this 2-ingredient cocktail!
What’s a vodka tonic?
The vodka tonic is a highball cocktail, part of a family of drinks that pair liquor with a larger portion of a non-alcoholic mixer, like tonic water or soda water. The most popular highball drinks are the Gin and Tonic and the Whiskey Highball, but there are many others, like the Americano, Tequila Sunrise, Vodka Cranberry, and Sea Breeze. The ingredients for a vodka tonic are:
- Vodka
- Tonic water
- Lemon wedge and lime wedge
Tip 1: Use quality tonic water and vodka.
Tonic water is a carbonated water that also contains quinine and is lightly sweetened. Its flavor is bubbly, bitter, sweet and a little sour all at once. Classic cocktails used tonic water not only to dilute liquor with bubbles, but for its nuance in flavor. These days there are lots of tonic water brands out there. Our favorite brand is Q Tonic: it has great flavor and is sold in small cans, just enough for a few drinks.
Of course, you’ll also want to use good vodka! Because this drink is so simple, it tastes best with a quality vodka. Try to find a mid-price range vodka; the price is generally indicative of the quality inside the bottle.
Tip 2: Add both lemon and lime juice.
To get the best flavor in a vodka tonic, use both lemon and lime! Please don’t go minimalist on us and think that one is enough. OK, we’ll forgive you if you do! But there’s something about using both citrus together that gets the perfect zingy flavor. Try it with just one or the other, and something’s missing. Give a wedge of each one a good squeeze into the drink, then throw them in as a garnish too.
Tip 3: Pour the tonic water over a spoon.
One last tip to making the best vodka tonic! When you’re adding the tonic water, pour it over a spoon into the drink. This is known to make it more bubbly. Now, we don’t have any scientific proof of this! But why not.
Frequently asked questions
The best vodka for a vodka tonic is a matter of personal preference. Some people prefer a high-quality, smooth vodka, while others prefer a more affordable option. Ultimately, the best vodka is the one that you enjoy the most.
Some popular options include adding a squeeze of lime or lemon, a sprig of mint or rosemary, or a few dashes of bitters. You can also experiment with different types of tonic water, such as flavored tonic water or artisanal tonic water.
Vodka tonic is a relatively low calorie alcoholic drink compared to other cocktails. A standard vodka tonic made with 1.5 ounces of vodka and 3 ounces of tonic water contains about 140 calories. However, the calorie count can vary depending on the type of vodka and tonic water used.
*Best* Vodka Tonic
Here’s how to make the best vodka tonic, one of the easiest mixed drinks of all time! This two-ingredient cocktail is bubbly, citrusy, and refreshing.
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 2 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Stirred
- Cuisine: Cocktails
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ ounces (3 tablespoons) vodka
- 4 ounces (½ cup) tonic water
- Ice, for serving (try clear ice!)
- 1 lemon wedge
- 1 lime wedge, plus additional for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a highball glass with ice.
- Pour in the vodka and stir several times. Pour the tonic water onto a bar spoon into the glass (to increase the bubbles).
- Squeeze in the juice from 1 lemon wedge and 1 lime wedge. Add the squeezed wedges into the drink, then add another lime wedge to the glass as a garnish.
More vodka cocktails
This vodka tonic is one in a list of the best vodka cocktails to try! Here are a few more to use up your bottle:
- Go for classics like the Cosmopolitan or White Russian.
- Try a simple Vodka Gimlet or Vodka Sour.
- Opt for a vodka martini like a Lemon Drop Martini, Pomegranate Martini, Cucumber Martini, or Vesper Martini
- Try a Berry Vodka Smash with muddled berries, mint, and lime.
Perfect! Just made this as an after dinner drink and it was perfect. I used Tahoe Blue but Tito’s or Grey Goose would be great too. I think a slightly larger portion recipe would be great too.
I am making your Best Vodka Tonic.
Please recommend the best brand of vodka.
I can’t wait to make it!
Any mid-level vodka would work! We like Tito’s.
What is the name of your cookbook?
Pretty Simple Cooking.
Of all the recipes for Vodka Tonics online, I chose yours. Not sure about the others, because I have not tried any of them! Yours is just the best. Best wishes to you.
So glad you enjoyed it!