Saffron Gin and Tonic
A saffron gin and tonic is a simple two-ounce gin cocktail built over ice with tonic water, infused with a pinch of saffron, and finished with an orange slice and a spritzed orange peel. The saffron tints the drink a warm gold and adds a delicate floral note, while the orange oils lift the aroma. It comes together in about five minutes.
This saffron gin and tonic is by far my favorite gin cocktail, and it still holds the number one spot on my top cocktails list. I cannot take credit for it — the idea came entirely from the wonderful and talented bartender at the “Plaja de Carte” beach bar in Vama Veche.
We spent almost a whole month in Vama Veche that summer, sunbathing and trying cocktails, stocking up on vitamin D and plenty of vitamin “Sea”. A few days after we got home, I surprised Costin with this drink, and the smell and taste instantly brought us right back to the beach.
This Recipe Works If You Need
- A quick cocktail you can build in about five minutes with no shaker or special equipment
- An elegant welcome drink to serve guests at a dinner party or summer gathering
- A way to use that small jar of saffron sitting in your spice cupboard
- A lighter, more aromatic twist on the classic gin and tonic
- A naturally vegan cocktail with a beautiful golden color for special occasions
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Five ingredients only — gin, tonic water, saffron, orange, and ice are all you need.
- Ready in minutes — no infusing overnight, no shaking, just build it in the glass and mix.
- Gorgeous color — the saffron turns the drink a warm, golden hue that looks impressive with almost no effort.
- Aromatic and balanced — the spritzed orange peel releases essential oils that make every sip smell as good as it tastes.
- Easy to scale — the ratio is simple, so you can make one glass or a whole tray for guests.
- Naturally vegan — no animal products, so it fits almost any guest list.
Ingredient Notes
Gin — The recipe uses 2 oz (60 ml) of Citadelle gin. You can swap in another gin, but choose a neutral-flavored, softer type so it does not fight with the saffron and orange. A heavily juniper-forward or strongly botanical gin can overpower the delicate floral note of the saffron.
Tonic water — This calls for 6.7 oz (200 ml) of Luscombe Devon tonic water. A good quality tonic makes all the difference here. Luscombe has natural quinine flavoring and a soft taste that complements the gin and the other flavors instead of overpowering them.
Saffron — Just a little bit of saffron goes into the glass. It does the heavy lifting on both color and flavor, tinting the drink gold and adding a subtle floral, slightly honeyed note. Because saffron is potent, a small pinch is all you need.
Orange — You need 1 orange slice plus an orange peel for decoration. The peel is not just a garnish: spritzing it over the glass releases its essential oils, which is where a lot of the aroma comes from. Use a fresh, fragrant orange for the best result.
Ice — The glass is filled with ice before the gin and tonic go in. Plenty of ice keeps the drink cold and crisp; larger cubes melt more slowly and dilute the cocktail less.
Tips
- Add the saffron to the empty glass first, then build the drink on top — this gives it room to bloom and release its color.
- Fill the glass generously with ice before pouring; this keeps the drink cold and slows dilution.
- Spritz the orange peel over the glass and rub it along the rim to release the essential oils before you drop it in.
- Use a wine glass or a large gin glass so there is space for the ice, the garnish, and the aroma.
- Drink it without a straw — smelling the cocktail is just as important as tasting it.
Substitutions and Variations
- Different gin — Any neutral, softer gin works in place of Citadelle. Avoid strongly botanical or heavily juniper-forward gins, which can mask the saffron.
- Different tonic — If you cannot find Luscombe, use another good quality tonic water with a soft, natural taste rather than a very sweet or sharply bitter one.
- Citrus swap — Try a grapefruit slice and peel instead of orange for a slightly more bitter, aromatic version.
- Lighter saffron note — Steep the saffron in a teaspoon of warm water first, then add that infusion for a more even color and gentler flavor.
Storage and Make Ahead
A gin and tonic is best made fresh and served right away, while the ice is cold and the tonic is still fizzy. It does not keep well once mixed, because the tonic loses its sparkle and the ice dilutes the drink. If you are serving guests, you can prep ahead by slicing the oranges, measuring out the saffron into the glasses, and chilling the gin and tonic, then build each drink to order in a couple of minutes.
For a make-ahead touch, you can steep the saffron in a little warm water and keep that infusion ready, so all you do at serving time is add ice, gin, tonic, and the orange garnish.
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Golden Saffron Gin and Tonic
Ingredients
- 2 oz Citadelle gin about 60ml; use a neutral-flavored, softer gin
- 6,7 oz Luscombe Devon tonic water about 200ml
- saffron a little bit
- 1 orange slice and an orange peel for decoration
- ice
Instructions
- Add the saffron to a wine or gin cocktail glass.
- Fill the glass with ice.
- Pour in the gin and tonic water, then gently stir to combine.
- Peel the orange and spritz the orange peel over the glass to release its essential oils, brushing the peel along the rim as you do.
- Garnish with the orange slice and orange peel, and serve.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Saffron adds a subtle floral, slightly honeyed note and a warm golden color to the drink. Because it is so potent, just a small pinch is enough to flavor and tint a single cocktail. It pairs well with the soft tonic and the orange oils without overpowering the gin.
Choose a neutral-flavored, softer gin so it does not compete with the saffron and orange. This recipe uses Citadelle gin, but any milder gin works. Avoid heavily juniper-forward or strongly botanical gins, which can mask the delicate floral note of the saffron.
Only a little bit — a small pinch per glass is plenty. Saffron is very strong, so a few threads give you both the golden color and the floral aroma. Adding the saffron to the empty glass first lets it bloom before you build the rest of the drink.
Spritzing the orange peel over the glass releases its essential oils, which is where much of the cocktail’s aroma comes from. Rub the peel along the rim and let the oils settle on top of the drink before dropping it in. Smelling the drink is just as important as tasting it.
Yes. The drink is made only with gin, tonic water, saffron, orange, and ice, none of which are animal products. That makes this saffron gin and tonic naturally vegan and suitable for almost any guest list.
A gin and tonic is best built fresh so the tonic stays fizzy and the ice does not dilute it. You can prep ahead by slicing oranges, measuring saffron into the glasses, and chilling the gin and tonic. Steeping the saffron in a little warm water in advance also speeds up serving.
Lion saffron 1 gm from
Amazon for 15 to 20 glass of saffron gin
Delicious! Gin is my favorite! :3
Looks amazing. Can’t wait to try it. Curious about the drink that looks like cucumber, too. Is it also gin?
Thank you! 🙂 Yes. That one was made with Luscombe Cucumber Tonic water, Citadelle gin and cucumber slices + juniper berries as toppings. 😀