The History of the Gin & Tonic
The origins of the gin and tonic can be traced back to the 19th century during the British colonial era in India. British soldiers stationed in India were prone to malaria, and the local remedy was quinine, derived from the bark of the cinchona tree. Quinine, however, was bitter and unpleasant to consume on its own. To make it more palatable, soldiers began mixing it with sugar, water, lime, and gin, creating what we now know as the gin and tonic.