We all know that a well-chosen tonic is key to a great G&T, but you might be less aware of the mixer’s role in layered cocktails. Case in point: the spring-ready limoncello spritz with Fever-Tree Mediterranean tonic at Henry G’s in Manly. It’s a balance of bright citrus and lowkey sweetness, with some added surprises in there too.
“It is ever so slightly saline,” says Pete Jenkins, director of Saga Group, which also runs Donny’s, In Situ, Market Lane Live and other in-demand spots around Manly. “We are obviously by the sea, and we embody that flavour profile in everything we do. We also utilise elderflower for floral high notes and then add a few extra bits and pieces to make sure everyone has a good time.”
A boutique wine parlour, Henry G’s boasts nearly 200 drops with a strong focus on coastal European vineyards. It’s named after Henry Gilbert Smith, who built much of early Manly and was passionate about French and Spanish wines. Since opening at the end of 2023, the cosy 60-capacity space has made a name for itself with cocktails featuring grape spirits like cognac, grappa and vermouth, as well as citrus and floral notes.
“We do everything as close to perfect as possible,” Jenkins says. “We only use high-end products, which includes the best tonic we can find. We also love sustainability, ensuring waste is kept to a minimum.”
That ethos is reflected in the house limoncello spritz. It uses what staff have dubbed “choppingcello”, a house limoncello made with citrus parts discarded from the chopping board. To that lemony base they add Massenez elderflower liqueur, Il Follo extra dry prosecco and a generous splash of Fever-Tree Mediterranean tonic, plus some fresh lemon juice, a dash of lemon bitters and a lemon twist to garnish.
“We love high notes of elderflower in our cocktails,” says Jenkins. “Those floral elements, along with the bitterness of the tonic, really help grow that limoncello from a syrupy, citrusy drink into something moreish and quaffable.”
The same goes for the prosecco. “It’s a quintessential Venetian-style prosecco that, again, leans into a very citrusy space. And the daisy notes in there play with the elderflower so perfectly. We’re pretty chuffed to see those elements interplay.”
While Jenkins’s recipe uses his homemade choppingcello, if you’re not up for making your own, feel free to use a store-bought limoncello – but be ready to add more lemon juice to balance out the sweetness. And while you can use any prosecco (or sparkling wine in a pinch) he does recommend choosing something extra dry, ideally from the Veneto region.
But for the tonic, Fever-Tree Mediterranean is a must. “It has a lower quinine level, which we love in this space. We’re already getting a lot of bitterness from the homemade limoncello because we don’t remove any of the pith from the citrus.”
Henry G’s is a proud participant in Fever-Tree’s Perfect Serve program, which partners with top bars to ensure staff are slinging the absolute industry standard for gin and tonics. While Perfect Serve encourages drinkers to choose their own measure of tonic, for Jenkins, the perfect serve is a full bottle.
At Henry G’s, that means you get 45 millilitres of Plymouth gin with a 200-millilitre bottle of Fever-Tree Mediterranean tonic served on the side, along with sea salt and two lemon wheels to garnish. “I do believe it’s really important to use a full bottle of tonic to 45 mils of gin. You don’t have to think too hard to make a perfect gin and tonic, if you just follow the directions.”
The same goes for the limoncello spritz, where the Mediterranean tonic provides a crucial balance to the cocktail’s citrus flavours.
Henry G’s limoncello spritz
Makes 1 serving. Approx. 1.2 standard drinks.
Ingredients:
30ml limoncello
15ml Massenez elderflower liqueur
90ml Il Follo extra dry prosecco
15ml fresh lemon juice
A dash of lemon bitters
Fever-Tree Mediterranean tonic, to top
Method:
Build limoncello, elderflower liqueur, prosecco, lemon juice and lemon bitters in a wine glass filled with cubed ice. Top with Fever-Tree Mediterranean tonic to your liking, then garnish with a twist of lemon.
This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Fever-Tree. The Perfect Serve is available at Henry G’s and Martinez in Sydney; The Farmer’s Wife in Allworth, NSW; and Beverly, Jackalope and Caffe e Cucina in Victoria. Order a drink from the Fever-Tree Perfect Serve menu and your tonic will be served on the side to create your perfect ratio.
