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photography by thinkstock In an age of ingredient-loaded cocktails, the thirst for simplicity remains strong—which explains in part why the classic gin and tonic is trending in the Windy City. "From a bartender's point of view, it's a fun challenge to see how you can manipulate the f lavors into something new and interesting," says Liz Pearce, bar manager at The Drifter (676 N. Orleans St., 312-631-3887), explaining the wave of elevated gin and tonics hitting Chicago bars this summer. One of her favorites pairs full-bodied Tanqueray No. 10 with mandarin tonic. "People are more willing to take a risk on a new gin they've never heard of, or some exotic f lavor of tonic, because they have an idea of what to expect." Logan Square hot spot Scoff law (3201 W. Armitage Ave., 773-252-9700; scofflawchicago.com) was the first to pique local imbibers' interest in the botanical spirit. Among the 100 bottles of gin lining the hangout's back bar is a house version distilled by North Shore Distillery that was crafted to mirror the sweet profile and velvety texture of Old Tom, but with a slightly higher ABV (90-proof ). "Elevating a gin and tonic is more about the tonic, which is why we started making our own," says owner Danny Shapiro. It took a year to refine the house-made tonic, created with cinchona powder and cinnamon. The result? A bright, complex, more citrus-heavy tonic with a deep rust color, because it's unfiltered. Also in Logan Square, Alex Bachman has taken the house-made tonic to new heights with a line of kegged tonics at Billy Sunday (3143 W. Logan Blvd., 773-661-2485; billy-sunday.com). Between 15 and 35 ingredients (think dried goji berry and wild cherry bark paired with rum) go into each batch of the four tonics, which are added to the base spirit and carbon- ated over four days. Still, Bachman agrees with Shapiro that overproof gin best stands up to tonic's bitterness, choosing Hayman's Navy Strength for his version, the Kent. Says Bachman, "You want to have that presence of alcohol in the end." The traditionally British gin and tonic has become a global sensation in recent years, and few know more about matching gins perfectly with ton- ics than the Spanish—which explains bartenders John Stanton and Mike Ryan's journey to Madrid two years ago to experience "gin and tonic culture." Their first drink set the tone for what would later become the Spanish gin and tonic program at Sable Kitchen & Bar (505 N. State St., 312-755- 9704; sablechicago.com). "There's this master level of execution and detail that went into it," says Stanton, "and the result was this gorgeous bowl of gin and tonic." One of Sable's four versions relies on Fever- Tree tonic with hints of baking spices to match the soft profile of Citadelle gin, garnished with care- fully selected grapefruit oil and mint leaves to slowly steep in an herbal quality that intensifies over time. MA Gin Is In With trendy neW treatments at some of the city's hottest bars, the classic gin and tonic makes its case as chicago's official drink of summer. by sarah freeman Chicago bartenders are refreshing the traditional gin and tonic without compromising its timeless appeal. SpaniSh Flair "We see these gin and tonics as another great example of taking part [in] the classic cocktail canon in fresh and interesting ways," says John Stanton, the head bartender at Sable Kitchen & Bar, explaining his enthusiasm for Spanish-style gin and tonics. This is one of his go-to renditions. 2 oz. Hayman's Old Tom gin 1 lime 2 strawberries, thinly sliced 1 6.8-oz. bottle Fever-Tree Indian tonic water In a large (18 oz.) wine or gin glass, express the oils from two lime peels. Drop peels in glass with strawberries. Add gin and fll glass with ice. Pour the entire bottle of tonic into the glass until it is full. With a spoon, give the cocktail a gentle stir and enjoy. 94 michiganavemag.com TasTe spirits