Gin and Tonic

Gin and tonic is a classic cocktail of gin, tonic water and a wedge of lime. In perfumery it is an accord that conveys its coolness: juniper freshness, bitterish tonic and bubbles bursting over ice.

How it smells: fresh, bitter and sparkling: piney juniper berries, lime zest, a faint quinine bitterness of tonic and a cool, fizzy lightness. Gin and tonic sounds lively, stylish and summery.

The character of the note is set by juniper — the key botanical of gin: the drink even takes its name from juniper berries. Next to them the perfumer adds citrus freshness and a light bitterness, which in real tonic comes from quinine.

What it pairs with: with lime and lemon — cocktail freshness, with cucumber and mint — cool summer fragrances, with juniper and cypress — coniferous aromatics, with pepper — sharp modern compositions, with musk — clean transparent fragrances.

Good to know: tonic water appeared in nineteenth-century India as a remedy for malaria: the British diluted bitter quinine water with gin and lime to make it easier to drink.