G & T Recipe

Prepare glass rim (optional)

If you want a seasoned rim, pour the celery salt onto a small saucer. Take a lime wedge and run it around the outer rim of a highball or Collins glass, then dip the rim into the celery salt to coat lightly.

Chill the glass by filling with ice and setting aside while you prepare the cocktail, or place in the freezer for 5 minutes.

Muddle lime and leaves

In a mixing glass or shaker, place the lime wedge (reserve the garnish slice) and the 2 lime leaves. Add the fresh lime juice. Using a muddler, gently press and twist to bruise the lime leaves and release their oils and to extract juice from the lime wedge. Do not pulverize the leaves — a gentle press is sufficient to release aroma without bitterness.

Add gin and clamato seasoning

Add 2 oz Tanqueray gin to the muddled mixture. Add the sea salt and freshly ground black pepper and the 1 oz Clamato. Add ice to the mixing glass (enough to cool but leave room to stir). Stir gently for 10–15 seconds to combine and chill.

Strain into glass

Discard the ice from the chilled serving glass. Double-strain (fine strainer if available) the mixture into the prepared glass filled with fresh ice to keep leaf fragments out.

Top with tonic

Slowly top the drink with 4 oz chilled tonic water. Pour gently over the back of a spoon if you want to preserve some layering. Give the drink a very gentle stir (1–2 turns) to integrate tonic without flattening the carbonation.

Make the frozen citrus vodka

In a small blender, add 1 oz Smirnoff Frozen Citrus vodka and 1/2 cup ice. Pulse briefly (3–4 quick pulses) until a slushy texture forms. You want a soft sorbet-like consistency, not completely liquid.

Float the slush

Using a spoon, gently scoop and float the frozen citrus vodka slush on top of the tonic-tinted cocktail. It will behave like a chilled float and slowly melt into the drink, adding sweet citrus frostiness.

Garnish with the reserved lime wheel on the rim and tuck the extra fresh lime leaf into the drink for aroma. Serve immediately with a straw and a long stirring spoon so the guest can stir the float into the cocktail as desired.

Estimated flavor profile: bright, botanical gin and bitter tonic, savory clamato background with a citrus-frozen vodka sweetness and fragrance from lime leaves.