Frozen Gin and Tonic

While the gin and tonic is one of the simplest cocktails to make, it also happens to be one of the most satisfying. It’s a classic for a reason: bittersweet tonic water brings out the floral and herbaceous botanicals in gin, and the combination is truly stellar. Still, there's always room to get extra, even with a tried-and-true recipe: Enter the Frozen Gin & Tonic.

This recipe from Leon’s, a beloved restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina leans on tonic syrup from Jack Rudy (if you haven't yet tried their vermouth brined olives to upgrade your martini, now's the time) instead of tonic water to add the necessary bittersweet notes. Tonic syrup is a concentrated blend of sugar, quinine, and botanicals, the base ingredients in tonic water before it is diluted and carbonated.

Since tonic syrup packs all the flavor of tonic water into just a spoonful, a little goes a long way in this drink. To recreate Leon’s Frozen Gin and Tonic at home add your favorite gin (we've got a few ideas on the best gins for every kind of drink), tonic syrup, freshly squeezed lime juice, and Lillet blanc in a blender with two cups of ice. While Lillet blanc is not a traditional ingredient in a gin and tonic, the floral and lightly sweet aperitif adds depth and dimension to this summertime cocktail, and helps balance out the more bitter notes that you might not want this time of year. This frothy and flavorful drink comes together in a blender in well under a minute and serves four — store any extra in the freezer and recombine in the blender for an easy cocktail out of leftovers. — Lucy Simon