Vodka Tonic
G&T's quieter cousin
The Gin & Tonic's quieter cousin. Vodka's neutrality hands the floor to the tonic — quinine bitterness, citrus, the faint sweetness — with lime as the only flourish. Pure utility.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz Vodka
- 4 oz Tonic Water
- squeeze Fresh Lime Juice
Method
Fill a highball glass with ice. Add vodka. Top with tonic water. Squeeze lime wedge over the drink and drop it in.
Appears in Ian Fleming's From Russia with Love (1957), where James Bond drinks a vodka and tonic in Istanbul (per HMM Daily). Gained cultural prominence in Britain via the ITV series Minder (1979–1994), where protagonist Arthur Daley frequently ordered 'a large V.A.T.' at the Winchester Club as shorthand for Vodka And Tonic (per Difford's Guide #10383). Exact origins remain unclear; likely emerged mid-20th century as vodka rose in popularity in the US, with no documented creator identified.
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