There’s only one rule to follow when it comes to serving a Gin & Tonic.

The fastest way to make or break a great drink is to serve it in the wrong glass. You might have experienced this frustration with fizzy Champagne falling flat in a paper cup, or perhaps a crisp Martini weeping in a warm tumbler. But it seems there’s one cocktail powerful enough to stand up to any old glass in your cabinet – the humble Gin & Tonic.

The ever-versatile G&T seems to thrive no matter the vessel, from rocks to riesling, but is there a perfect glass for this enduring classic? Let’s find out.

When gin met tonic

This marriage emerged not in heaven, but in British-controlled India in the mid-1800s. The risk of malaria was real, so tonic water (containing the medicinal quinine) was rationed to the sailors. Unfortunately for them, they didn’t have access to some of the great tonics we have today (it was incredibly bitter), so to help the medicine go down, they added some citrus and gin (also rationed for medicinal purposes – citrus for scurvy, gin as it was arguably healthier than the water). Although we have records of the Gin & Tonic being born on the high seas, there’s surprisingly little detail of their preferred glassware, but I’d like to think it had a little handle.

From high seas to highballs

Ships officers were quick to bring their drink of choice ashore, be that in India or England. The serve was fancied up a little, with the addition of ice (lots of it) and served in a tall glass, AKA the highball. England was already in a love with the tall Scotch and soda, so the Gin & Tonic was an easy substitute in this now-iconic serve. The highball is not only the name of the glass, but the style of preparation – two shots of good gin over lots of fresh ice, charged with spicy tonic water, then garnished with freshly sliced lime. It’s fantastic when prepared well, but alter even one part and you’re left with a limp and lacklustre shade of the real thing.

Spanish Gin Tonica

No matter the glass used, the DNA of this one-time medicinal serve remained somewhat unchanged until the early 2000s with the emergence of the Spanish Gin & Tonica. Born from the thriving food scene of the Basque region, this rendition sees our bittersweet combo ditching just citrus and garnishing itself with everything from herbs and spices to berries and fruit, cleverly complementing botanicals present in the gin. The calling card of the Spanish G&T is the voluminous Copa de Balón, a one-time red wine glass, now lending its size to accommodating a veritable fruit salad. Stemmed to ensure your drink remains cold and tapered to concentrate aromatics, on paper this is a fantastic glass – just ensure you have enough real estate on the table for your next round.

Fine dine and wine

Closer to home, the Australian gin scene has boomed over the past decade or so (thanks Four Pillars), and we’ve taken our own approach to the upmarket Gin & Tonic serve. If you’re lucky enough to find yourself in one of our incredible venues, you may have your G&T treated with as much care and attention as your wine. You may be able to choose from a variety of local producers, paired with a curated selection of tasty tonics, and presented in a fine riesling glass. This glass retains all the benefits of the Copa de Balón, but with a sleeker profile and, in my opinion, it looks a whole lot nicer.

Dive bar rocks

I’m more likely to be found in a dive bar than a five-star cocktail bar, happy with the lights low and music loud, so perhaps this whole conversation around ‘the right glass’ is moot. Enter the humble rocks glass. The one-size fits (almost) all – Old-Fashioneds, Jack and Cokes, Vodka Sodas, Jager Bombs and G&Ts. Durable, sturdy, fits snugly in the hand, can sometimes bounce off hard flooring, and allows for the ideal ratio of one-part gin to two-part tonic.

Right and wrong

Although our bittersweet bubbly treat seems all forgiving, snugly sliding into whichever odd glass we may have handy, please skip the martini glass. It can hold gin, but should never, ever hold ice.